COLLECTION: OGL #1170
DATES: 1926-1976
SIZE: 1.75 linear feet
ACQUISITION: The Irv Letofsky Papers were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Irv Letofsky, Los Angeles, California, in August of 1988 (Acc. #88-1616).
ACCESS: Available for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.
Irvin Myles Letofsky was born in Fargo, North Dakota, on April 26, 1931. He was the son of Jacob and Jennie (Dervin) Letofsky. He attended both Yankton College and the North Dakota Agricultural College before graduating from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1954.
Letofsky was the Sports Editor for the Bismarck Tribune from 1957-1958, before becoming a reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press from 1958-1963. From there, he went on to become the Assistant City Editor for the Minneapolis Tribune until 1976, when he became the Sunday Calendar Editor for the Arts/Entertainment section of Los Angeles Times.
Source: Who's Who in America, 42nd edition, 1982-1983, volume 2
The Irv Letofsky Papers date from 1926-1976, and consist of materials related to motion pictures involving the subject of journalism. The collection has been divided into five series as follows:
Series I contains photocopied movie reviews, as well as photocopies of Letofsky's "Real to Reel" series, which was published in The Bulletin of the American Society of Newspaper Editors. Series II contains photographs of film scenes, while Series III contains lobby and title cards. Lobby and title cards were small movie posters designed to be placed in the theater's lobby to lure patrons into the theater. Lobby cards depicted individual scenes from the movie, while title cards listed the major actors, as well as the company credits. Series IV contains press books, while Series V contains advertisement sheets. These two types of documents were both part of the press kits which the movie studios provided to individual theaters. The press kits contained background information about the movie, its stars, and its crew which could be used by the theater in press releases.
Box 1
Folder
SERIES I: Film Reviews and "Real to Reel" articles
1. Reviews of films about journalism, in alphabetical order by film titles.
2. Photocopies of Letofsky's "Real to Reel" series for The Bulletin
of the American Society of Newspaper Editors
SERIES II: Photographs of Film Scenes
Box 2
Folder
SERIES III: Lobby Cards and Title Cards
1. Letter with list of estimated values of materials in Series III and IV
2. Lobby Card from "Ace in the Hole", 1951
3. Lobby Card from "All the President's Men", 1976
4. Lobby Card from "Back in Circulation", 1937
5. Title Card from "Behind the News", 1938
6. Lobby Card from "Big Town", 1946
7. Lobby Card from "Chicago Deadline", 1949
8. Lobby Card from "Deadline - U.S.A.", 1952
9. Lobby Card from "Deadline - U.S.A.", 1952
10. Lobby Card from "Diary of a Nudist", 1961
11. Lobby Card from "Diary of a Nudist", 1961
12. Lobby Card from "Diary of a Nudist", 1961
13. Lobby Card from "Exclusive Story", 1936
14. Lobby Card from "The Front Page", 1974
15. Title Card from "Headline Crasher", 1937
16. Lobby Card from "Headline Hunters", 1955
17. Title Card from "Headline Hunters", 1955
18. Lobby Card from "Henry Aldrich, Editor", 1942
19. Lobby Card from "Henry Aldrich, Editor", 1942
20. Lobby Card from "Hot News", 1953
21. Lobby Card from "Hot News", 1953
22. Lobby Card from "Hot News", 1953
23. Lobby Card from "Hot News", 1953
24. Lobby Card from "Hot News", 1953
25. Lobby Card from "Hot News", 1953
26. Lobby Card from "King of the Newsboys", 1938
27. Lobby Card from "The Last Edition", 1926
28. Lobby Card from "Lonelyhearts", 1959
29. Lobby Card from "The Mystery of the Payroll", 1945
30. Lobby Card from "News is Made at Night", 1939
31. Title Card from "Newsboys' Home", 1938
32. Title Card from "Night Editor", 1946
33. Lobby Card from "Off the Record", 1939
34. Lobby Card from "Park Row", 1952
35. Lobby Card from "Sweet Smell of Success", 1957
36. Lobby Card from "Sweet Smell of Success", 1957
37. Lobby Card from "Sweet Smell of Success", 1957
38. Lobby Card from "30", 1959
39. Lobby Card from "30", 1959
40. Lobby Card from "30", 1959
41. Lobby Card from "30", 1959
42. Lobby Card from "The Underworld Story", 1950
43. Lobby Card from "WE - The News Parade", (possibly 1928)
The following materials were separated and placed in the Oversize File Cabinets:
SERIES IV - Press Books
Oversize Folder 1. Press Books for "Diary of a Nudist", "The
Final Edition", "In the Headlines", "Scandal Sheet",
"The Speed Reporter", and "While the City Sleeps"
SERIES V - Advertisement Sheets
Oversize Folder 2. Sheets for "Bannerline", "Big Town After Dark",
"Call Northside 777", "Chicago Deadline", and "Diary
of a Nudist"
Oversize Folder 3. Sheets for ''Hot News'', ''I Cover Big Town'', ''Making the Headlines'', "Newsboy's Home", and "Night Editor"
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