I’m often asked if I have a favorite item in the WCFTR’s collection. I could never single out just one item because I have an ever growing list of favorite items! One of my favorites, …
Blog Posts
Spencer Tracy in Wisconsin
Spencer Tracy in Wisconsin by Kathleen Kosiec While refiling at WCFTR one afternoon, I noticed an interesting set of photographs in the Spencer Tracy name file. Unlike many of the other publicity and film images …
“Deep Cuts” at WCFTR
Welcome to “Deep Cuts,” an exploration of the one-of-a-kind artifacts and ephemera at the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research. This series will reveal the WCFTR’s extensive collections of unique posters, awards, honors, knicks …
“King: A Filmed Record…Montgomery to Memphis” from The Richard Kaplan Papers
The Richard Kaplan Papers, 1905-2010, document the career of Richard Kaplan, a spirited filmmaker/ producer of documentary and feature films. This extensive collection is home to print and pre-print materials for Mr. Kaplan’s documentary projects, …
Douglas Fairbanks: No Stuntman Required
Decades past the silent film era’s heyday, the legacy of one of the genre’s most beloved stars is still alive in Hollywood. Jean Dujardin’s lead character in The Artist was loosely based on Douglas Fairbanks, …
Dressing for Oscar: The Edith Head Papers, 1934-1956
On Oscar Night of 2013 audiences were treated to a glimmering array of gowns and jewelry and watched transfixed as actresses Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, and Charlize Theron glided across the red carpet with style …
Jean Rosenthal – First Lady of Lighting
“I like to think of myself as some of the Scotch tape that holds things together – I’m very handy to have around. But all that actors really need is a bare stage. Lighting is …
Edna Ferber Goes to War
Edna Ferber was a prolific writer, by any measure. She wrote numerous best-selling novels, including Show Boat, Giant, and Cimmaron. Most of her plays were Broadway hits, including Stage Door, Dinner at Eight, and The …
Meeting Jill Godmilow
Jill Godmilow was the first records creator I met, and I was nervous about doing so. I had been asked to process her papers in the fall of 2011, and I knew that she would …
Queen Aggie
Editor’s note: In this column, we’ve asked researchers to discuss their experiences at the Center. Some of our visitors will report on their ongoing research projects and their relationship to our collection, others will share …