Finding Aid for the King Vidor Papers LSC.0934
Finding aid prepared by Manuscripts Division staff; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé after initial encoding
by Alight Tsai.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Online finding aid last updated 2003.
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Business Number: 310-825-4988
Fax Number: 310-206-1864
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: King Vidor papers
Creator:
Vidor, King, 1894-1982
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.0934
Physical Description:
7.0 Linear Feet
(14 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1920-1965
Abstract: King Wallis Vidor (1894-1982) made over fifty feature films and received five Academy Award nominations before retiring from
films in the late 1950s. His directorial debut was
The turn in the road (1919), but he is best known for
The big parade (1925),
The champ (1931), and
Duel in the sun (1947). The collection contains annotated scripts, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera for 22 films Vidor produced
or directed including
The big parade,
Duel in the sun,
Northwest passage, and
Stella dallas.
Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Restrictions on Access
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], King Vidor papers (Collection 934). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of King Vidor, 1966.
Processing Information
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UCLA Catalog Record ID
Biography
King Wallis Vidor was born February 8, 1894 in Galveston, Texas; made fifty-six feature films in forty years; married Florence
Arto, 1915 (divorced 1925); married Eleanor Boardman, 1926 (later divorced); married Elizabeth Hill; his directorial debut
was
The turn in the road (1919); made
Hallelujah! (1929), the first sound picture with an all black cast; best known for
The big parade (1925),
The crowd (1928),
The champ (1931),
Stella Dallas (1937), and
Duel in the sun (1947); wrote an autobiography,
A tree is a tree (1953); retired from films in the late 1950s; taught a graduate cinema class during the 1960s at UCLA; received Edinburgh
Film Festival award for career achievements, 1964; after receiving five Academy Award nominations during the course of his
career, he was granted a special award for his innovations in cinema, 1979; died of congestive heart failure, Paso Robles,
California, on November 1, 1982.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of materials related to Vidor's career as a motion picture director and producer. Contains annotated scripts,
correspondence, photographs, and ephemera for 22 films including
The big parade,
Duel in the sun,
Northwest passage, and
Stella dallas.
Related Oral History
The following oral history is available through the UCLA Library Center for Oral History Research:
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Motion picture producers and directors -- United States -- Archives.
Film scripts.
Silent films -- Production and direction -- United States -- Archives.
Vidor, King, 1894-1982--Archives.
box 1
Three Wise Fools (M-G-M,
1946).
- Completely annotated continuity.
- Completely annotated scenario by King Vidor.
box 1
The Strangers' Return (M-G-M,
1933).
- Typed copy of novel with King Vidor's holographic notes for adaptation.
- Fully annotated treatment.
box 1
So Red the Rose (Paramount,
1935).
- One final annotated script.
- One annotated censorship script.
box 1
Wild Oranges (Metro-Goldwyn,
1924).
- Fully annotated working script and production breakdown.
- Script and holographic notes.
box 2
H.M. Pulham, Esqire (M-G-M,
1941).
- Fully annotated working script.
- Annotated script before J.P. Marquand arrived.
- Photographs -- clippings.
box 2
The Texas Rangers (Paramount,
1936).
- Fully annotated working script.
- Progression of scripts including production orders, and casting notes -- annotated.
- Rare personal photographs.
box 3
Wedding Night (United Artists,
1935).
Scope and Contents note
Fully annotated script.
box 3
His Hour (Metro-Goldwyn,
1924).
- Fully annotated working script.
- Original treatment by Elinor Glyn -- holographic notes.
box 3
Hallelujah! (M-G-M,
1929).
Scope and Contents note
Annotated script.
box 3
Stella Dallas (United Artists,
1937).
- Annotated script and working notes.
- Silent picture detail upon which remake was based.
- Clippings and publicity.
box 4
The Jack Knife Man (First National,
1920).
Scope and Contents note
Key album of photographs.
box 4
Production and correspondence, In
re
Northwest Passage.
1939-1941.
box 4
Production and correspondence,
1937-1959.
box 4
Southern Storm.
Scope and Contents note
Original manuscript -- annotated.
box 4
Museum of Modern Art -- pamphlets.
box 5
The Hollywood Reporter, Thirteenth Anniversary Edition.
box 5
Witch Of The Wilderness (Original, never produced).
box 5
Six miscellaneous folders.
box 6
Proud Flesh (Metro-Goldwyn,
1925).
Scope and Contents note
Working script, fully annotated, including production notes, cuts and revisions.
box 6
The Big Parade (M-G-M,
1925).
Scope and Contents note
Holographic production notes; instructions to assistant director; cutting notes; grosses; prop lists; daily reports -- fully
annotated.
box 6
Miracles Can Happen (United Artists,
1948).
Scope and Contents note
Fully annotated script progression including all changes and additions.
box 6
Duel in the Sun (Selznick,
1946).
- Original continuity sketches -- water color, pencil, pen and ink.
- Clippings and reports.
box 7
Comrade X (M-G-M,
1940).
Scope and Contents note
Fully annotated working script including all changes and revisions and progression of scripts.
box 7
The Patsy (M-G-M,
1928).
Scope and Contents note
Fully annotated treatment and script.
box 7
The Fountainhead (Warner Brothers,
1949).
Scope and Contents note
Fully annotated working script.
box 8, box 9
Northwest Passage (M-G-M, ).
1940
- Fully annotated working script with additions and notes.
- Fully annotated dialogue cutting continuity.
- One script with changes.
- An earlier script by Robert Sherwood -- not used.
- Clippings and publicity.
box 9, box 10
The Citadel (M-G-M,
1938).
- Fully annotated progression of scripts, including working script.
- Miscellaneous holographic research and notes.
- Folder of photographs.
box 11, box 12
Our Daily Bread (United Artists,
1934).
- Holographic production notes and correspondence.
- Interviews, reviews, advertising.
- Two albums of photographs.
- Photographs of King Vidor (
re The League of Nations Medal).
box 13, box 14
American Romance (M-G-M,
1944).
- Progression of scripts leading to final script. Includes retakes, outtakes, fully annotated working script with holographic
notes, changes, revisions, cuts and research.
- Holographic file on Vincent Lawrence (writer) and Holographic file on William Ludwig (writer).
- Miscellaneous correspondence with studio, agent, etc.
