Guide to the Manuel Mario Moreno Papers M0946
Processed by Special Collections staff; machine-readable finding aid created by Steven Mandeville-Gamble.
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
2001 ; revised 2023
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
Fax Number: (650) 723-8690
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Manuel Mario Moreno Papers
Identifier/Call Number: M0946
Physical Description:
3.5 Linear Feet
(5 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1909-1992
Language of Material:
English
.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.
Biographical / Historical
Manuel M. Moreno was a Mexican American who worked in the animation industry while it was just starting up. He began working
in Winkler's Animation Studio in 1928. He was an in-betweener (below the rank of assistant animator). Winkler's Studio had
a contract with Universal pictures, and while he was working for them he learned more about the business and worked himself
up to the rank of assistant animator. He was hired by Winkler at age 18 on the strength of a few samples of Moreno's cartoon
work. Moreno had learned a little about cartooning from a correspondence course. Through the 1930s until the early 1940s Moreno
worked as an animator and even a director for cartoons done at different studios, such as Walter Lantz's production company
and MGM studios. In 1941 he left the US animation industry to take over his brother, George's, photo-processing store when
he was drafted. Because of WWII, supplies to run the shop were impossible to come by, so Manuel ended up liquidating the store.
Manuel had an idea to set up an animation studio in Mexico. He brought 3 animators with him and hired Mexican comic strip
artists to be assistant animators. The process was difficult, as the comic strip artists knew nothing about animation and
had to be taught. Moreno had learned a great deal about the process of animation and the technical aspects while working in
the US. He even intended to write a book in Spanish entitled "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" (The are of animated caricatures).
His extensive notes and drawing for this book are included in the collection. He was heavily involved in training the new
employees and in all aspects of production. The process was very slow because many artists were still learning how to animate
and Moreno's financial backers were expecting unreasonable levels of production from the fledgling studio. Only one film was
finished, "Me Voy De Cacería". Another was animated and a third had a story developed. There were additional difficulties
because of the war.
When the project eventually fell apart Moreno was not interested in going back to animation in the US. He decided to open
a photo-processing store in California, called Professional Color Service. The store was very successful and remained in business
for 25 years. Manuel had been married to María Teresa since 1931 and lived with her and raised a family with her in Southern
California.
Even as he ran his photo shop, Moreno still showed a strong interest in art. Many of the ads and greeting cards associated
with the store are his own original creations. In addition, while he had the store and after, Moreno used his knowledge of
the animation process and interest in art to create films and announcements for numerous family occasions and holidays. He
was a very useful resource for authors researching the birth of the animation industry as we know it today, and an interview
with one such researcher is in the collection.
Preferred Citation
Manuel Mario Moreno Papers. M0946. Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Scope and Contents
The collection at Stanford contains artifacts from the beginning of Moreno's career at the animation studios in 1928 through
his family work in the early 1990s. The collection contains photographs of the staff members at the early animation studios,
lists of the shorts made by different studios, drawings from some of the work produced by them, as well as the screenplay
for one of the shorts. There are letters of recommendation for Moreno from different studios in the 1920s and 1940s. There
is a documentation of the work Moreno did in Mexico with his Caricolor Studio, including a poster for "Me Voy de Cacería".
There are also newspaper clippings from both the US and Mexico. The collection has a record of Moreno's correspondence with
family and business partners from 1942 until 1947. These are arranged chronologically rather than by subject because many
of Moreno's business and personal letters are related. Moreno's extensive notes and drawings for a book he planned to publish
in Spanish on animation are included in their entirety in the collection. Cells, drawings, plans and ideas for amateur movies
Moreno created for his family are also a part of the collection. Artwork associated with Moreno's promotion of his business,
Professional Color Service is also contained in the collection. In addition, an interview Moreno gave to researchers about
the beginning of the animation industry is included.
The collection is arranged loosely chronologically, beginning with work done for Caricolor and Moreno's book and going on
to work done for his family and work done for his photoshop. Box 4 contains videos of some of Moreno's family work. The print
box, Box 5, predates the Caricolor project and has information that begins in the late 1920s, and spans to the 1960s.
Conditions Governing Use
While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not
an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission
or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Motion pictures -- Hollywood (Calif.)
Motion picture industry -- Mexico.
Animation (Cinematography)
Animated films -- Mexico.
Mexican American studies
Professional Color Service.
Animators.
Box 1, folder 1
Photos with Caricolor Staff
Scope and Contents note
Caricolor Artists and Animators: Mexico
Box 1, folder 2
Letters of Recommendation
Scope and Contents note
Letters from the 1920s and the 1940s
Box 1, folder 3
Copyright of Pelón
Scope and Contents note
Copyright granted 1939
Box 1, folder 4
Letters
1942-1943
Language of Material: English.
Box 1, folder 4
Letters
1944
Language of Material: English.
Box 1, folder 4
Letters
1945
Language of Material: English.
Box 1, folder 4
Letters
1946
Language of Material: English.
Box 1, folder 4
Letters
1947
Language of Material: English.
Box 1, folder 5
Residency Documents
1940s
Box 1, folder 6
Budgets for Animated Films; Letters on Caricolor Liquidation
Box 1, folder 7
Balance General of Caricolor Films:
1946-1949
Box 1, folder 8
Color Prints from "Me Voy De Cacería"
Box 1, folder 9
Miscellaneous: Plans for Caricolor site in Mexico?
Box 1, folder 10
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: Miscellanea
Box 1, folder 11
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: El interior de un estudio
Box 1, folder 12
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: Principios Básicos de
Cine
Box 1, folder 13
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: Preparación del Libreto
Box 1, folder 14
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: Música
Box 1, folder 15
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: Paisajes
Box 1, folder 16
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: Caracateres y Principios
de Animación
Box 1, folder 17
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: Ejemplos de Animación
Box 1, folder 18
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: Animando una escuela
Box 1, folder 19
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: Calco y Pintura
Box 1, folder 20
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: Fotografía y Otros Sistemas
Box 1, folder 21
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: Aparatos de Aficionados
(fotografía)
Box 2, folder 1
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: Revelado
Box 2, folder 2
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: Sonido y Dubbing
Box 2, folder 3
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: Ensamble
Box 2, folder 4
Notes-Ideas-Etc., for Book in Spanish on "El Arte de las Caricaturas Animadas" por Manuel M. Moreno: La Cinta Terminada y
Apendice
Box 2, folder 5
Letters to the Editor: Miscellaneous
Box 2, folder 7
"Dancing Ladybugs": Cells and Drawings
Box 2, folder 9
Sketches: frog, snake, squirrel
Box 2, folder 10
Movie-Ideas-Notes-Etc.; Family Work; Negative
Box 2, folder 11
Notes for "X-Mas Is So Much Fun" and "Bon Appetit"
Box 2, folder 13
Announcements for Family and Friends; Finished and Miscellaneous Art
Box 2, folder 14
Family Movie Ideas; 50th Wedding Anniversary, Chick and Anita's 25th
Box 2, folder 15
Title Ideas-Animation-Notes-Etc.
Box 2, folder 17
Animation for Wedding Anniversary
Box 2, folder 19
Family Projects: Timing Notes and Scraps
Box 2, folder 20
Boy's Part in Flipbook with Donald Duck and Boy
Box 2, folder 21
Donald's Part in flipbook with Donald Duck and Boy
Box 2, folder 22
MT with Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse
Scope and Contents note
MT is María Teresa, Manuel's Wife
Box 2, folder 23
MT and Mickey Mouse Drawings
Scope and Contents note
MT is María Teresa, Manuel's wife
Box 2, folder 24
Drawings for "Another Papacito Movie"
Box 2, folder 25
Sketches for "Thanksgiving Day -But Not for Turkeys"
Box 2, folder 26
Work for "Christmas 1981" and "Christmas 1982" Movies
Box 2, folder 27
Work for Video of Eldest Daughter's Wedding in 1992
Box 3, folder 1
Glass plate - Grande's Wild Birthday Party 1986
Language of Material: English.
Box 3, folder 2
Phenakistascope designs by Moreno
Language of Material: English.
Box 3, folder 3
Flip book prototypes
Language of Material: English.
Box 3, folder 4
Interview with Michael Barrier - corrected transcript
Language of Material: English.
Box 3, folder 5
Interview letters from Barrier, Gray, Maltin
Language of Material: English.
Box 3, folder 6
Camera Bug Shop business card 1941
Language of Material: English.
Box 3, folder 6
Bullfight flier 1939
Language of Material: English.
Box 3, folder 7
Professional Color Service bank book & power of attorney grant
Language of Material: English.
Box 3, folder 8
Professional Color Service logos, christmas cards, etc
Language of Material: English.
Box 3, folder 9
Professional Color Service processing quality records/graphs
Language of Material: English.
Box 3, folder 10
Professional Color Service logos & announcements
Language of Material: English.
Box 3, folder 11
Professional Color Service stationery, business correspondence, mentions in magazines
Language of Material: English.
Box 3, folder 12
Professional Color Service lease, announcements, etc
Language of Material: English.
Box 3, folder 13
Professional Color Service Christmas cards
Language of Material: English.
Box 4
Prietto/Moreno Collection [family home movie?]
Language of Material: English.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
8mm & Super 8mm originals, BetaSP transfer (restored), VHS viewing copy
Box 5, folder 1
"Bringing Up Father" original art 1920
Language of Material: English.
Box 5, folder 1
Pinganias y Flaquito Book No. 2 [scrapbook of Pinganias y Flaquito/Keen & Feeble Tat strips by Moreno, with hand-drawn cover]
Language of Material: English.
Box 5, folder 2
Work 1920s-1930s
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
Includes Gertie the Dinosaur flipbook ; membership/ID cards for Screen Cartoon Guild, Walter Lantz Cartoons, Harmon-ising
Pictures, etc. ; caricatures of Moreno by himself, Bill Nolan, Tony Pabian, Jack Zander, Vino Fuller, Hardie Gramatky, etc.
; Walter Lantz - Oswald the Rabbit and Meany, Miny, Moe specs ; newspaper clippings ; drawings 1930s ; Manuel and Maria Teresa
photograph of self-portrait 1931 [?], etc.
Box 5, folder 3
Work 1930s-1940s
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
Universal Cartoons - Moreno direction list & screenshots 1934-1935 ; Moreno time line 1928-1946 ; Meany, Miny, Moe "The Rest
Resort" #110 screenplay draft ; Oswald the Rabbit, The Bulldog & The Butler, 3 Blind Mice (original pencil drawing) ; LACMA
History of American Animation & Southern California Film Society programs ; credits intertitle in Spanish for Universal Studios
1934 ;
Pic clipping about MGM commissary 1939 ; photographs including inscribed photograph of actor and director J. Farrell MacDonald,
Winkler, Universal & MGM staff photos, and cartoon screenshots ; family Christmas card, winner of Popular Photography contest
1941 ; Lantz employment agreement 1935 ; union withdrawal card 1941 ; Universal contracts ; program in Spanish for Church
benefit concert with Moreno acting, 1927 ; Mexican newspaper clippings (some very fragile) ; annotated Lantz clipping from
Buffalo Courier Express 1935 (also fragile).
Box 5, folder 4
Sketches on scraps, 1960s
Language of Material: English.
