Laemmle Theatres records, ca. 1960s-2000

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Summary

Creators:
Laemmle Theatres.
Abstract:
The Laemmle Theatres theater chain was started in 1938 by brothers Max and Kurt Laemmle. The collection consists of hand written booking sheets, box office grosses, and payroll receipts; office files, and promotional material for Laemmle Theatre showings and event.
Extent:
13.0 linear ft. (24 boxes )
Language:
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Laemmle Theatres Records (Collection PASC 345). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of records related to the Southern California based Laemmle Theatres theater chain. Included in the collection are hand written booking sheets, box office grosses, and payroll receipts; office files, and promotional material for Laemmle Theatre showings. Booking sheets are handwritten records documenting films projected at various Laemmle theatre locations and also track weekly grosses by film at individual locations as well as some of their competitors from ca. 1969-2000. The box office grosses reflect weekly earnings from 1964-2001. The Payroll records are handwritten receipt book carbons documenting theatre employee pay (1966-1979). The office files include a mixture of business and topical/subject files. The promotional material contains newspaper and magazine articles and Laemmle generated flyers advertising motion picture showings.

Biographical / historical:

The Laemmle Theatres theater chain was started in 1938 by brothers Max and Kurt Laemmle. The business originally consisted of two theaters in the Highland Park area, eventually growing to include five neighborhood movie theaters. The popularity of television had a major impact on the business and caused the chain to shrink to a single house, the Los Feliz Theatre; ultimately leading to the departure of Kurt Laemmle. In the 1960s, Max Laemmle's son, Robert Laemmle joined the business. Through unique programming the Laemmle Theatres worked to create a greater art-film awareness in the Los Angeles area, specializing in art films, foreign films, and other independent fare. Over the years they expanded their chain to include additional Los Angeles area locations including Pasadena, Westwood, Santa Monica, the San Fernando Valley, and the downtown Los Angeles central business district. The cultural contributions of Laemmle Theatres have been acknowledged by awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the Independent Film Project. In 1988, Gregory Laemmle joined the company, bringing a third generation of Laemmles to the operation.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Robert Laemmle, 2009.
Arrangement:

Arranged in the following series:

  1. Series 1. Booking Sheets (boxes 1-5, 1966-2000)
  2. Series 2. Box Office Grosses (boxes 5-9, 1964-2001)
  3. Series 3. Payroll Records (boxes 7 and 10, 1966-1979)
  4. Series 4. Office Files (boxes 13-17, 1932-1940; 1956-1998)
  5. Series 5. Publicity (boxes 12-13, 20-21, 1993-2002)
  6. Series 6. Photographs and Renderings (boxes 1 and 23, no date)
  7. Series 7. Awards (boxes 20 and 22-23, 1979, 1985, 1999, 2005)

Physical location:
Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections for paging information.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for research. STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections for paging information.

Terms of access:

Property rights to the physical object belong to the UC Regents. Literary 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], Laemmle Theatres Records (Collection PASC 345). 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
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