Charles Laughton papers, 1920-1964, bulk 1940-1962

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Summary

Creators:
Laughton, Charles
Abstract:
Charles Laughton (1899-1962) was a theater and film actor, radio personality, and public performer. The collection consists of photographs, publicity materials, press clippings, correspondence, radio and theatre scripts, screenplays, assorted readings, and miscellaneous items.
Extent:
14 Linear Feet (24 boxes, 1 oversize box)
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Charles Laughton papers (Collection 851). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of Charles Laughton's photographs, publicity materials, press clippings, correspondence, scripts, screenplays, assorted readings, and miscellaneous items documenting Charles Laughton's 35-year career as an actor in theater and film, and as a public performer. Of particular interest are photographs of Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester, Laughton's reading selections, correspondence, and miscellaneous items such as Laughton's award for the Academy nomination of best actor in Witness for the Prosecution (1957). The collection also contains numerous scripts from his work in theatre and radio, screenplays from films, and selected readings that Laughton used in his reading tours, publications, and performances.

Biographical / historical:

Charles Laughton was born July 1, 1899 in Scarborough, England to hotel proprietors Robert and Eliza Laughton. He attended the public Jesuit school Stonyhurst College and enlisted into the army during the First World War in 1917. In 1924, Laughton enrolled in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art to study acting and drama. His performances earned him much respect and admiration, and soon Laughton was starring in many professional theatrical and film productions in London. In 1927, Laughton met the actress Elsa Lanchester. They were married in 1929.

Laughton and Lanchester first traveled to the United States in 1931, where Laughton was hired to perform the successful English play Payment Deferred. For the next 19 years, they spent the majority of their time in the United States. Laughton became one of the most well-respected film actors of the era, capturing roles in the films Island of Lost Souls (1933) and The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), for which he won the Academy Award for best actor. Other notable productions include: Ruggles of Red Gap (1935), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), The Man from Down Under (1943), and The Paradine Case (1947). Laughton and Lanchester became American citizens in 1950 and settled in Southern California.

During the Second World War, Laughton began reading selected passages to wounded soldiers at local hospitals. For the rest of his life, Laughton would devote much of his time to reading selected passages from his favorite authors. Recognized for his powerful voice and presence, Laughton's readings led to a number of reading tours, spoken-word albums, performances, and publications, including Tell Me a Story (1957) and The Fabulous Country (1962). Laughton made his directorial debut in 1955 with The Night of the Hunter starring Robert Mitchum. Although the production was not a financial success, it was critically lauded as one of the better films of the decade, and is considered a masterpiece of American cinema. Laughton also performed on radio and, occasionally, on television.

Laughton's health declined in the early 1960's. After a year of fighting cancer, Charles Laughton died at his home on December 15, 1962. He was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood, California.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Elsa Lanchester, 1965.
Processing information:

Collections are processed to a variety of levels depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived user interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides a standard level of preservation and access for all collections and, when time and resources permit, conducts more intensive processing. These materials have been arranged and described according to national and local standards and best practices.

Pocessed by Timothy Holland with supervision from Laurel McPhee as part of the CFPRT project, 2005; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé and edited by Josh Fiala, Laurel McPhee and Amy Shung-Gee Wong.

A register was compiled for the collection by the Oral History Division in November 1964. Then it was partially processed by the Manuscripts Division staff in the late 1960s. Timothy Holland reprocessed the collection in 2005, rehousing folder contents and adding series levels to enhance access to the materials.

Arrangement:

Arranged in the following series:

  1. Photographs, 1920-1962 (2 boxes).
  2. Publicity, 1942-1962 (1 box).
  3. Correspondence, 1929-1962 (2 boxes).
  4. Readings, ca.1942-1962 (7 boxes).
  5. Theatre scripts, 1937-1961 (5.5 boxes).
  6. Radio broadcasts, 1939-1952 (1.5 boxes).
  7. Screenplays, 1940-1961 (3.5 boxes).
  8. Publications, 1957-1962 (1.5 boxes).
  9. Miscellaneous, 1925-1964 (1.5 boxes).

Physical / technical requirements:

CONTAINS AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS: Audiovisual materials are available for access. All requests to access digital materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

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.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Terms of access:

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], Charles Laughton papers (Collection 851). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
Website