The Library of Congress >  Researchers >  Search Finding Aids  >  Arch Oboler collection, 1916-1992
Access restrictions apply.
ContainerContents
Series 1. Correspondence, circa 1934-1987 (continued)
Mutual Radio, 1944-1945
BOX 32 FOLDER 1-4 Mutual fan mail, 1944 April-1945 March
BOX 32 FOLDER 5 Mutual fan mail forwarded by Phillips Carlin, 1945 April-June
Series 2. Film, circa 1925-1985
31 linear feet (74 boxes, 11 map case folders)
RPA 00502-00575 (boxes 33-106); RPB 00111 (box OS 4); RPC 00083 (box OS 2); RPE 00005 (box OS 1); RPU 00033 (box OSU 5/1)
Map case: RPM 00015-00025 (map folders 1-11)
Six motion pictures, all written and directed by Oboler, are documented in this series. The papers describe writing, financial, production, promotional, and legal aspects of Oboler’s motion picture work. Three films, Bwana Devil, The Bubble, and Domo Arigato, employed 3-dimensional film processes, and their unique filming and projection techniques are described in the collection materials. Bwana Devil was a great commercial success for Oboler, but tangled legal proceedings, documented in the papers, followed its release. Two of Oboler's movies were filmed outside the United States: 1 + 1 (in Canada) and Domo Arigato (in Japan). Oboler’s property in Malibu, California, served as the set for a third (Five).
The papers describe challenges encountered by Oboler, his casts, and his film crews in making these films. Oboler made all of his commercial films without major movie studio backing, and the materials in the series are in many ways a study of the work of an independent movie producer. Some motion pictures have abundant still photograph documentation, including, for Bwana Devil, photos of a journey taken by Oboler and his wife Eleanor to Africa, where Oboler met anthropologist Louis Leakey, correspondence with whom is found in the film papers.
The Oboler film materials retain their original file folder names and within files are generally arranged chronologically, by subject, or by correspondent.
The Bubble, 1963-1976
Alternate titles: Fantastic Invasion of Planet Earth; The Zoo. Released: 1966. Production company: Midwestern Magic-Vuers; Arch Oboler Productions. Director: Arch Oboler; assistant director: Richard Dixon. Producer: Arch Oboler; associate producer, Marvin Chomsky. Writer: Arch Oboler. Cast includes: Michael Cole (Mark); Deborah Walley (Catherine); Johnny Desmond (Tony). Photography: Charles Wheeler. Special effects: "Space-Vision" three-dimensional process developed by Robert Bernier, who served as technical director on the film. Plot: A couple and their pilot are forced to land in a town filled with seemingly hypnotized inhabitants when the woman goes into labor. A dome-shaped force field placed by aliens prevents them from leaving until the woman's husband digs a tunnel that eventually leads his young family and the town's residents to freedom.
Notes: Oboler shortened and re-released the movie in 1972 and again, under the title Fantastic Invasion of Planet Earth, in 1976.
Contracts, 1963-1972
Capitol contracts
BOX 33 FOLDER 1 Latest draft, circa 1966 February
BOX 33 FOLDER 2 Limited partnership agreement, circa 1965
BOX 33 FOLDER 3 Mortgage of chattels, circa 1966 February
BOX 33 FOLDER 4 New draft, 1966 February 1
BOX 33 FOLDER 5 Notes, circa 1966 February
BOX 33 FOLDER 6 Old draft, 1966 February 1
BOX 33 FOLDER 7 Original envelope, circa 1966
BOX 33 FOLDER 8-10 Capitol-Tower contract drafts, circa 1966 February-March
BOX 33 FOLDER 11 Capitol-Tower contract drafts, original envelope, circa 1966 February-March
CBS studio contracts
BOX 33 FOLDER 12-16 1966 June-July
BOX 33 FOLDER 17 Original envelope, 1966 June-July
BOX 34 FOLDER 1 Debt agreement contract, 1964 November
BOX 34 FOLDER 2-3 Old investor contracts, circa 1964
BOX 34 FOLDER 4 Licensing agreements, 1965-1966
BOX 34 FOLDER 5 Miscellaneous documents, circa 1966
BOX 34 FOLDER 6 Oboler loan, undated
Sale to Sherpix
BOX 34 FOLDER 7 1965 January , 1966 April , and undated
BOX 34 FOLDER 8-12 1972 February-March
BOX 34 FOLDER 13 SEC, 1965 May-August
BOX 34 FOLDER 14 Synchrofilm editorial work, 1966 August-October
BOX 34 FOLDER 15-19 Tru-D limited partnership agreements, early drafts, circa 1963
BOX 34 FOLDER 20-21 Winters Rosen Productions, 1968 May-June
Financial documents, 1963-1969
Bills paid
BOX 35 FOLDER 1 CBS and production, 1966
BOX 35 FOLDER 2 Distribution, 1966
BOX 35 FOLDER 3 Hollywood casting, 1966
BOX 35 FOLDER 4 Revisions, 1966 May
BOX 35 FOLDER 5-8 CBS accounting sheets, 1966 June-September
BOX 35 FOLDER 9-16 CBS and Hollywood casting, 1966 June-December
BOX 35-36 CBS and Hollywood casting, miscellaneous, 1966-1967
BOX 35 (2 folders)
BOX 36 (4 folders)
BOX 36 FOLDER 5 CBS estimates, 1966
Consolidated bills
BOX 36 FOLDER 6 1966
BOX 36 FOLDER 7 1967-1969
BOX 36 FOLDER 8-9 Consolidated bills, debated and separated, 1966-1967
BOX OS 1 FOLDER 1 Midwest Distribution, Bubble ledger sheets, 1967 March-April
Midwestern distribution
BOX 36 FOLDER 10-11 A-M, 1967
BOX 36-37 N-Z, 1967
BOX 36 (1 folder)
BOX 37 (1 folder)
Midwestern Magic-Vuers
BOX 37 FOLDER 2-5 Bills paid, 1966
BOX 37 FOLDER 6 Bills paid, 1967
BOX 37 FOLDER 7 Bills paid, 1968-1969
BOX 37 FOLDER 8 Distribution bills, 1967-1969
BOX 37 FOLDER 9 Financial statements, 1966-1969
BOX 37 FOLDER 10 Ledger sheets, 1964 November, 1966 June, 1966 September
BOX 38 FOLDER 1 Taxes, 1968-1969
Petty cash receipts
BOX 38 FOLDER 2 1965 December-1966 January
BOX 38 FOLDER 3 1966 February-March
BOX 38 FOLDER 4 1968
Tru-D
BOX 38 FOLDER 5 Bank statements, 1968 January-July
BOX 38 FOLDER 6-9 Bills paid, 1966
BOX 38-39 Bills paid, 1967
BOX 38 (2 folders)
BOX 39 (2 folders)
BOX 39 FOLDER 3-5 Bills paid, 1968
BOX 39 FOLDER 6 Bills paid by Oboler, 1963-1965
BOX 39 FOLDER 7 Bills paid to Consolidated, 1966
BOX 39 FOLDER 8 Financial statements, 1967-1969
BOX 39 FOLDER 9 Inventory, 1968
BOX 39 FOLDER 10-11 Petty cash receipts, 1967
BOX 39 FOLDER 12 Projection invoices from CBS, 1967
Production and promotion, 1952-1972
BOX 40 FOLDER 1 Actors and actresses correspondence, 1962 December-1965 September
BOX 40 FOLDER 2 Advertisements, 1967
BOX 40 FOLDER 3 Articles written by Oboler, undated
BOX 40 FOLDER 4 Artifacts, circa 1966 June
BOX 40 FOLDER 5 Artwork by Mauri Nolan, undated
BOX 40 FOLDER 6 "B," 1966 July, November
BOX 40 FOLDER 7 Banking, circa 1966-1967
BOX 40 FOLDER 8 Bekins Van and Storage, 1966 July-August
BOX 40 FOLDER 9 Bill Watters and Associates Advertising, circa 1967 March
Bills paid by Arch Oboler
BOX 40 FOLDER 10 1962-1964
BOX 40 FOLDER 11 New York Trip, 1962 August
BOX 40 FOLDER 12 Boat rental, 1966 June
BOX 40 FOLDER 13 Budget, 1966
BOX 40 FOLDER 14 Business permit, 1966 July
BOX 40 FOLDER 15 Cast contracts, 1966 July
BOX 41 FOLDER 1 Casting, 1966 June-August
BOX 41 FOLDER 2 Casting extras, 1966 July
BOX 41 FOLDER 3 Casting photographs, 1966 June-August
CBS
BOX 41 FOLDER 4 Contracts, 1966 June-August
BOX 41 FOLDER 5 Departmental heads, 1966
BOX 41 FOLDER 6 Inventory, 1966 July-August
BOX 41 FOLDER 7 Miscellaneous accounting, 1966 July-1967 August
BOX 41 FOLDER 8 Payments, 1966 July-August
BOX 41 FOLDER 9 Cinema Research invoice, 1964 March
BOX 41 FOLDER 10 Consolidated, 1966 October-1969 April
BOX 41 FOLDER 11 Cost analysis, circa 1969 April
BOX 41 FOLDER 12 Credits, circa 1966
BOX 41 FOLDER 13 Crew list, circa 1966 June-August
BOX 41 FOLDER 14 Cuts, 1968 November
BOX 41 FOLDER 15 Cutting notes, 1966 October
BOX 41 FOLDER 16 Daily notes, circa 1966 July
BOX 42 FOLDER 1 Demonstration reel, undated
BOX 42 FOLDER 2 Distribution, 1968 August-September
BOX 42 FOLDER 3 Distribution information, undated
BOX 42 FOLDER 4 Dreyer-Polacoat, circa 1961-1966
BOX 42 FOLDER 5 Dubbing notes, 1966 November
BOX 42 FOLDER 6 Editing notes, circa 1966 July
BOX 42 FOLDER 7 Employees, 1966
Next Page »

Contents List