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Inventory of the Thomas W. Sefton Laurel and Hardy Collection
083
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Table of contents
Title: Thomas W. Sefton Laurel and Hardy Collection
Dates: 1933-1994
Collection number: 083
Creator:
Sefton, Thomas W. (1917-2006)
Creator:
Laurel, Stan
Collection Size:
8 archival document boxes; 3 oversize boxes, 3 records storage boxes, 7 oversize folders
Repository:
Loyola Marymount University. William H. Hannon Library. Department of Archives and Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90045-2659
Abstract: The Thomas W. Sefton Laurel and Hardy Collection consists of photographs, movie stills and posters, correspondence, memorabilia,
and scripts related to the great movie comedy team of Stan Laurel (1890-1965) and Oliver Hardy (1892-1957).
Location: Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon, Loyola Marymount University
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Collection is open to research under the terms of use of the Department of Archives and Special Collections, Loyola Marymount
University.
Materials in the Department of Archives and Special Collections may be subject to copyright. Unless explicitly stated otherwise,
Loyola Marymount University does not claim ownership of the copyright of any materials in its collections. The user or publisher
must secure permission to publish from the copyright owner. Loyola Marymount University does not assume any responsibility
for infringement of copyright or of publication rights held by the original author or artists or his/her heirs, assigns, or
executors.
[Identification of item], Series number, Box and Folder number, Thomas W. Sefton Laurel and Hardy Collection, 083, Department
of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.
Donna K. Sefton, as Attorney-in-Fact for Thomas W. Sefton, donated the materials of this collection to Loyola Marymount University
in 2003. The Department of Archives and Special Collections did not accession the materials until 2008 (accession number
2008.86).
Biography / Administrative History
Thomas W. Sefton (1917-2006) was president of a major San Diego, California, bank (San Diego Trust)
and a leading San Diego philanthropist, who had a life-long devotion to Laurel and
Hardy. This interest in Laurel and Hardy led to a friendship with Stan Laurel
before the latter's death in 1965. Sefton developed a correlative relationship with
Hal Roach, the great producer of the 1920s and 1930s of, among other movie
properties, the Laurel and Hardy films. His friendship with Stan Laurel meant that
Thomas W. Sefton was able to accumulate from Laurel himself invaluable materials
related to the career of the comedian, and, to a lesser extent, that of Oliver Hardy.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Thomas W. Sefton Collection of Laurel and Hardy Materials consists of photographs, movie stills and posters,
correspondence, memorabilia, and scripts related to the great movie comedy team of
Stan Laurel (1890-1965) and Oliver Hardy (1892-1957). The run of
datable materials in the collection is from 1933 through 1994. Stan Laurel's personally annotated
scripts, Laurel's opinions of his films and short films, and stills of
Laurel and Hardy films: all came to Sefton from Stan Laurel and are now found in
this collection. Extremely valuable as well, as a source for the history of
Hollywood, is correspondence between the actor and Sefton and his family,
containing much information on the production of Laurel and Hardy shorts and also
movie production in the 1920s.
This collection is divided into nine series:
Series 1: Albums ;
Series 2: Subject Files ;
Series 3: Scripts;
Series 4: Sketches ;
Series 5: Lobby Cards, Posters;
Series 6: Photographs;
Series 7: Miscellaneous Documents and Materials ;
Series 8: Audiocassettes, Reel-to-Reel Tapes and Videocassettes ;
Series 9: Memorabilia. The series are based either on type of material, eg, scripts, or
else Thomas W. Sefton's organization of materials into file folders, eg, Series 2:
Subject Files. A description of each series, along with the box and folder list
containing an index to the holdings is provided in the box and folder lists for each series.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Sefton, Thomas W., 1917-1906
Laurel, Stan, 1890-1965
Hardy, Oliver, 1892-1957
Comedy Films
Roach, Hal, 1892-1992
Collectors and Collecting
London, Babe
Books related to Laurel and Hardy donated to the Loyola Marymount University have been separated for inclusion in the book
holdings of the Department of Archives and Special Collections, Loyola Marymount University.