Merle Oberon

The photograph series of the Merle Oberon papers spans from the 1920s to 1979 and encompasses approximately 4 linear feet. The series consists of approximately 3,000 black and white and color prints, negatives, slides, transparencies, contact sheets, postcards, off-camera photographs (film and radio), and scene photographs (television and film). The photographs are grouped into motion picture production, television production, radio production, biography, and subject photographs.

The motion picture production photographs span the years 1933–1974 and consist of scene, off-camera, premiere, and costume design drawing photographs and contact prints. The material is arranged alphabetically by film title. Titles include Affectionately Yours (1941), Beloved Enemy (1936), Berlin Express (1948), Desiree (1954), Lydia (1941), The Private Life of Don Juan (1934), The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), The Scarlet Pimpernel (1935), Wuthering Heights (1939), and 'Til We Meet Again (1941).

The television production photographs span the years 1956–1957 and consist of scene and publicity photographs for Assignment Foreign Legion (1957) and Cavalcade (1956).

The radio production photographs span from 1939 to the 1940s and consist of prints of actors in radio studios and at radio microphones. The programs represented are Gateway to Hollywood (1939) and The Housewarming (1940s).

The biography photographs span from the 1920s to 1979 and consist of portraits, postcards, autographed photographs, negatives, transparencies, and slides. The material is arranged alphabetically by name. Persons depicted include Constance Bennett, Claudette Colbert, George Cukor, Bette Davis, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., Clark Gable, Janet Gaynor, Vivien Leigh, William Powell, Rosalind Russell, and Loretta Young.

Gift of Robert Wolders, 1986.