The brilliant filmmaker and UW Madison alumnus Errol Morris was awarded the Honorary Doctorate by his alma mater at the May 17 commencement. This is the highest honor the University can bestow on one of …
“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 …
U.S. Premiere of the Newly Restored Portrait of Jason
On March 15, the newly restored film Portrait of Jason received its U.S. premiere at the UW Cinematheque. The film, originally released by the late Shirley Clarke in 1967, is daring, provocative, ground-breaking and truly gripping and …
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 …