Encoded in EAD3 : Encoded Archival Description (EAD), Version 3 : Release: 1.1.1 : Release Date: 2019-12-16. Validating against latest version of schema.
Contact information: https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mbrsmi/mbrsmi.contact
Catalog Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/2021605490
DACS was used as the primary description standard.
Collection material in English
Gift; Herbert Brook, 1986.
Herbert Brooks' father was involved in the production and distribution of the series.
No further accruals are expected.
The Chronicles of America Photoplays Papers were processed by staff of the Library of Congress Moving Image Section.
The papers were originally transferred to the Manuscript Division upon receipt from the donor, and recorded there as accession number 19,469. The papers were determined to be inappropriate for retention in the Manuscript Division in 1996, and returned to the custodial responsibility of the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center.
The Motion Picture Copyright Descriptions Collection, Class L, includes descriptive material for the 15 published Chronicles of America photoplays.
Yale University Library Manuscripts and Archives holds the collection: Yale University Press records, promotional material, and memorabilia for The Chronicles of America and Chronicles of America Photoplays (RU 131).
Restrictions may exist on copying, quoting, or publishing materials included in the collection. For additional information, contact a reference librarian in the Moving Image Research Center, National Audio-Visual Conservation Center, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, 20540-4690; (202) 707-8572.
The Chronicles of America Photoplays Papers are open to research. Advance notice is required; contact a reference librarian in the Moving Image Research Center, National Audio-Visual Conservation Center, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, 20540-4690; (202) 707-8572.
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [Container number], Chronicles of America Photoplays Collection, National Audio-Visual Conservation Center, Library of Congress
Mattheisen, Donald J. "Filming U.S. History during the 1920s: The Chronicles of America Photoplays," The Historian, vol. 54, no. 4 (Summer 1992), pp. 627-640.
"Yale's Movie Version of American History," The Literary Digest for March 4, 1922.
Series of movies produced in 1923 and 1924 by the Yale University Press Film Service for showing in "schools, colleges, and universities for educational use, and to churches, community centers, clubs, and similar organizations for purposes of entertainment..." Based upon the series of fifty books published by Yale, the series was projected to be one hundred reels of motion pictures "reproducing with historical accuracy striking events in the annals of the United States from the voyage of Columbus to Appomattox." In reality, only 15 episodes, totalling 47 reels, were produced. The first episode was Columbus, released on Oct. 7, 1923.
It was the first series of educational films to be produced through the auspices of one of the best-known universities. The films were produced by professional motion picture production companies and featured professional actors and actresses in the U.S. and photographed on location in some programs.
The original intention was a program of 30 photoplays released on a total of 100 reels (3 reels for each of the first 25 plays, and 5 reels each for the remaining five plays). The plays were to be organzed thematically according to the following scheme.
Perhaps the most significant items included in the collection are the photocopies of minutely accurate historical costume drawings by Harry A. Ogden (for the motion pictures, produced and not produced). This invaluable, unique Ogden material has never before been seen publicly nor made available for research by the motion picture industry.
Materials for some of the unproduced photoplays can be found under Series II and III of this finding aid.
The Chronicles of America Photoplays Papers are organized in 3 series:
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
Costume/property sketch books (4).
Correspondence; research notes (index cards); script/continuity documents.
Loose photostats.
Mounted photostats.
Mounted photostats.
Correspondence; costume/property sketch books (2); script/continuity documents.
Loose photostats.
Mounted photostats.
Mounted and loose photostats.
Stills (photo album).
Production portfolio.
Costume/property sketch book (1); stills (photo album).
Filmstrip slide originals.
Correspondence; research notes (index cards); set notes; script/continuity documents.
Loose photostats.
Mounted photostats.
Mounted photostats.
Filmstrip slide originals.
Costume/property sketch books (5).
Correspondence; research notes (index cards); script/continuity documents; set/prop notes and sketches; stills.
Production portfolios (2), loose photostats.
Production portfolios (2).
Filmstrip slide originals.
Sketch books (4).
Costume/property sketch books (3); script/continuity documents; stills; research photostats.
Correspondence; script/continuity documents (under alternate titles "Lexington" and "Lexington and Concord"); research documents; set notes/sketches.
Production portfolio (1).
Production portfolio (1).
Mounted and loose photostats.
Mounted photostats.
Correspondence; costume/property sketch books (4); script/continuity documents; stills.
Research notes (index cards).
Filmstrip slide originals.
Costume/property sketch book (1); research notes (index cards).
Correspondence; script/continuity documents; research notes; set notes.
Production portfolio.
Costume/property sketch books (2).
Scripts; costume and property sketches; assorted research.
Sketches.
Production design sketches.
Correspondence; costume/property sketch book (1); script/continuity documents; titles list (Dutch translation).
Loose photostats.
Correspondence; costume/property sketch books (4); script/continuity documents; set/prop notes.
Production portfolio.
Mounted photostats; sketch, "Brewster's Home."
Costume/property sketch book (1); script/continuity documents; set notes.
Research notes (index cards).
Production portfolio.
Mounted photostats.
Correspondence; costume/property sketch books (2); script/continuity documents.
Filmstrip slide originals.
Costume/property sketch books (2); correspondence.
Loose photostats.
Correspondence; costume/property sketch books (4).
Correspondence; research photostats; script/continuity documents; set/prop notes.
Loose photostats.
Mostly movie stills and a few historical photos.
Mounted photostats.
Mounted photostats.
Mounted photostats.
Costume/property sketch books (5); research notes (index cards); script/continuity documents; set/prop notes.
Research notes (index cards); script/continuity documents; set/prop notes.
Production portfolio.
Mounted photostats.
Costume/property sketch books (5).
Scripts; notecards on continuity, properties, personal description, sets, and business; paperwork sets, construction, plans, location costume and property sketches.
Sketches.
Production design sketches.
Costume/property sketch books (5).
Costume/property sketch book (1); research notes (index cards).
Script/continuity documents.
Production portfolio.
Costume/property sketch books (3).
Production portfolio.
Mounted photostats.
Costume/property sketch books (4).
Correspondence; costume/property sketch book (1); research notes; script/continuity documents; set/prop notes.
Costume/property sketch books (2).
Costume/property sketch books (5); photostats ("costume plates not to be used").
Correspondence; costume/property sketch book (1); script/continuity documents, set/prop notes and drawings.
Production portfolio (1), loose photostats.
Production portfolio (1), loose photostats.
Mounted photostats.
Mounted photostats.
Mounted photostats.
Mounted photostats.
Correspondence; costume/property sketch books (3); script/continuity documents.
Memos and historical photos and stills from the movie.
Mounted and loose photostats.
Costume/property sketch books (2); mounted photostats.
Filmstrip slide originals.
Script/continuity documents [mixed with documents apparently pertaining to"For the Union"].
Correspondence; research notes (index cards); script/continuity documents.
Production portfolio.
Correspondence; research notes (index cards); script/continuity documents; set plans.
Mounted photostats.
Costume/property sketch books (2).
Mounted and loose photostats.
Correspondence; script/continuity documents.
Production portfolio.
Miscellaneous mixed correspondence concerning two apparent projects, "1798" and "1812", the latter of which may possibly be the same as "The Star Spangled Banner."
Miscellaneous loose photostats apparently pertaining to projects "Lincoln", "Lee", and "Southern Planters."
Production portfolio with miscellaneous loose photostats apparently pertaining to projects "Lincoln", "Lee", and "Southern Planters."
Mounted and loose photostats.
Mounted and loose photostats.
Mounted photostats.
Mounted photostats.
Correspondence of R.E. MacAlarney, Yale University Press, regarding motion
picture projection equipment, c.1921; miscellaneous motion picture projector
brochures (from MacAlarney correspondence file); C of A "Photoplay Outlines"
(Peter Stuyvesant, Wolfe and Montcalm, Frontier Woman, Yorktown, The Pilgrims,
Gateway to the West, Daniel Boone; Dixie, Jamestown, Eve of Revolution);
"Teacher's Guide to C of A Photoplays" (brochure, nd), 63 pp.; "Teacher's Guide
to C of A Filmstrips" (brochure, Yale UP, 1959); C of A Film Strips: Units 1
(Columbus), 2 (Jamestown), 3 (The Pilgrims), 7 (Wolfe and Montcalm), 8 (Eve of
Revolution), 9 (Declaration of Independence), 10 (Daniel Boone), 11
(Vincennes), 12 (Frontier Woman), 13 (Yorktown), 14 (President Washington), 15
(Dixie). Units 4-6 missing; C of A Film Strip promotional brochures and order
forms; C of A Photoplay brochures (nd); "The Chronicles of America Photoplays"
(brochure, nd, 64 pp.) (2 copies); "Our Heritage of Freedom: Suggestions for
the Observance of Bill of Rights Week" (brochure, 1940) with reference to
Chronicles of America marked; Daniel C. Knowlton and J. Warren Tilton,