Research Guides: Disney: Special Collections and Archives

Other Los Angeles Collections

Margaret Herrick Library (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)
A significant collection for the study of American cinema. Holds more than 60,000 screenplays, as well as valuable production files, oral histories, special collections and manuscripts, and more.
USC Cinematic Arts Library
USC holds the Warner Bros. Archives, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Library, plus additional studio collections, scripts, archival stills, and many other materials.
Louis B. Mayer AFI Library
Holds over 5,000 unpublished scripts from contemporary and classic American films. Also includes books, periodicals, AFI seminar and oral history transcripts, and archival collections from Martin Scorsese, Fritz Lang, and more.
Writers Guild Foundation Library
Includes a collection of scripts and other materials related to writers and writing.
ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive (Burbank)
Museum, library and archive devoted to the subject of animation. Includes artwork, production files, and more. Some digitization efforts are underway.
Autry Museum of the American West Online Collections
Collections cover documenation of the American West, including music, radio, television and film history, Gene Autry archives, plus TV scripts and stills.
Hollywood Heritage Museum (The DeMille Barn)
Includes large display of Hollywood photographs and ephemera, as well as Cecile B. DeMille's private office.

About Disney Archives

While UCLA and other publicly accessible institutions house some selected materials related to Walt Disney productions, the majority of the studio's archives are owned and housed by the studio itself. The Disney Archives do not allow walk-in external researchers, and most archival materials are in-house use only by the studio. Links with more information are below, but please note that UCLA Library cannot provide any special permissions or introductions to Disney's corporate archives.

Walt Disney Archives
"Preserving the Legacy: The Walt Disney Archives" (2013)
Ask the Archives
Includes a form for submitting questions to the Disney archivists.

UCLA Library Special Collections

For information on archival moving image materials, please see also the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

UCLA Library Special Collections
Collections and access information for UCLA Library Special Collections, including papers, records, and manuscripts on a range of topics.

Online Archive of California (OAC) This link opens in a new window
Finding aids for primary source collections in all UC campuses and other contributing institutions, including libraries, special collections, archives, historical societies, and museums throughout California.

Performing Arts Materials in Library Special Collections
Guides to archival collections related to animation, film and television, theater, dance, and music.
Library Special Collections: Plan a Visit
Requesting Duplication of Library Special Collections Materials

Selected Collections Accessible at UCLA Library Special Collections

Rare books and other individual titles in UCLA Library Special Collections
While some Disney-related materials are located in boxed collections, others (such as rare books, pop-up and children's books, etc.) often have individual records in UC Library Search. This canned search provides a list of these titles for researchers.
Walt Disney Productions Publicity Ephemera, 1938-1980s.
Collection consists of printed publicity ephemera created for feature-length and short subject films (including animation film projects) produced by Walt Disney Productions. The bulk of the collection is includes of press kits, press books, and publicity stills. Additionally there are a small number of lobby cards, publicity biographies, and other unique printed ephemera items.
Jules Engel Oral History Transcript / interviewed by Milton Zolotow [1975 and 1976] and Lawrence Weschler [1977 and 1978].
Engel discusses his early years in Hungary and his career in art, particularly as an animator for Disney and a professor at Cal Arts. Transcript of a 9.5-hour interview completed under the auspices of the UCLA Oral History Program.
Recollections of Richard Huemer Oral History Transcript / interviewed by Joe Adamson, [1968 and 1969].
Huemer recalls his early years, his career as animator and story director, and his collaboration with Joe Grant on Fantasia, the Reluctant dragon, and other Disney productions. Transcript of a ten-hour interview completed under the auspices of the UCLA Dept. of Theater Arts.
Recollections of Friz Freleng oral history transcript / interviewed by Joe Adamson, [1968 and 1969].
Freleng recalls his limited art education; his years with United Film Ad Service and Walt Disney; and developing the Bugs Bunny and Pink Panther characters, among others. Transcript of a five-hour interview completed under the auspices of the UCLA Oral History Program.
The books of the Weather Bird Press oral history transcript, 1989 : Vance Gerry / interviewed by Rebecca Ziegler.
Gerry discusses his schooling, early work experience, his career at Walt Disney Studio, and also his career as a printer; there is much discussion of the books he has printed, his ideas about book design and illustration and about other printers in Los Angeles. Transcript of a 6.75-hour interview completed under the auspices of the UCLA Oral History Program.
Albert Hay Malotte Papers, 1945-1960.
Collection consists of musical plays scored by Albert Hay Malotte during the 1940s and 1950s. Copies of musical scores and written scripts for the comedic plays Fanfare, Limbo (also known as Once upon a Dream), The Big Tree (later renamed California Story), and Lo'loma make up the bulk of the materials.
Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom Disneyland U.S.A., Anaheim, California.
Bird's eye view - Pictorial map; 1964. "This map has been designed and released by Walt Disney Productions ..."
Selected attractions and placenames shown. Includes decorative border of Disney characters, welcome text, and drawing of "Disneyland Hotel."
Walt Disney Topolino
Spec. Coll. copy: issue no. 1617 housed in tan pamphlet binding. Gift of Guido Bortolani, 2016. Former weekly periodical in Italian.

UCLA Collections with Archival Materials

Below are links to primary locations for print special collections of relevance to the study of film and television at UCLA. Select online finding aids are also available via the Online Archive of California.

UCLA Library Special Collections
Primary location for music, film and television, and theater special collections, including unpublished scripts, stills, studio and personal papers.
UCLA Film & Television Archive
The UCLA Film & Television Archive holds over 350,000 motion pictures and 170,000 television programs, spanning the entire course of film and broadcasting history. The collection includes independent and studio-produced shorts and feature films, documentaries, local and network TV programming, commercials, news and public affairs broadcasts, LGBTQIA media, and 27 million feet of newsreels produced between 1919 and 1971.
Chicano Studies Research Center Library and Special Collections
The Library's holdings consist of monographs, periodicals, subject files, dissertations and theses, as well as original prints by Chicana/o artists, films, videotapes, audio recordings, slides, and over 160 archival and manuscript collections.
UCLA Ethnomusicology Archive
The Archive’s collection of more than 150,000 audio, video, print, and photographic items documents musical expressions throughout the world and includes unique field recordings as well as rare commercial recordings.