Scope and Content Note
Although the title of this portion of the Fox Movietone newsreel collection designates World War II records, it is noted that other stories are reported, including sports, fashion, news of the nation, weather disasters, and entertainment. While the war dominated the news reported during this period, the news on the American home front is also well documented in this collection. The finding aid created in 2007 describes the materials in the Fox Movietone newsreel collection documenting the US involvement in World War II, roughly 1941-1946. The entire collection includes materials from 1916-1963. It is anticipated that the remainder of the materials will be processed and added to this finding aid in the future.
The majority of the materials in this collection were created at a time when the United States had just undergone a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. The documents were originally created for a limited, private readership, and emotions were not as camouflaged as they might be when considered by current standards. Some of the language found in the collection could be construed as politically incorrect at the time this finding aid was created. No attempt to censor these materials has been made. By making this collection available, it is hoped that researchers will gain a greater insight into the complexities of this period in American history.
As stated in the Related Materials and Processing History portions of this finding aid, the Newsfilm Library at the University of South Carolina owns materials associated with this collection. Specifically, the dope sheets from approximately September 1942 to January 1945 are housed at the Newsfilm Library. However, the continuity sheets and turnovers, which provide synopses of the stories, can be found at the Library of Congress. It is anticipated that all of the materials in these two repositories will be digitized in the future for Internet access to researchers.
This collection is organized into three series: Dope Sheets , Continuity Sheets , and Turnovers . The Continuity Sheets Series is organized into two subseries: Lavenders and Summaries.
The first series, Dope Sheets , 1922-1946, undated, contains the most detail for all stories filmed. They can include the cameraman's name, his notations of story topic, location where the story was shot, dates surrounding the filming, principal personalities in the story, shot-by-shot descriptions of the story, environmental conditions during filming, length of footage shot, and other details germane to the story and its filming. Ancillary materials may also be found within each story and can include photographs, telegrams, news clippings, speeches, biographies of personalities, and event programs. The Dope sheets are arranged numerically, with each film assigned a unique story number. Prominent figures are frequently featured in these materials. Please see the Selected Search Terms section of this finding aid for a detailed listing.
The second series, Continuity Sheets , span the dates 1941-1946, and are organized into two subseries: Lavenders and Summaries. Continuity Sheets record the stories that made up the newsreels distributed to theaters, and the dates of distribution. They do not include all stories filmed. They provide synopses of the details included in the Dope Sheets. What differentiates the two subseries is: Lavenders supply the individual story numbers that create the newsreel; Summaries supply the footage length of each finished newsreel segment. Continuity Sheets are arranged in chronological order, with a volume and release number assigned to each distribution date.
The third series, Turnovers , 1940-1946, is organized by year, then date distributed to theaters, with a volume and release number assigned to each distribution date. For each distribution sheet, a list of story numbers, a one-sentence description for each story number, and the cameraman or creator for each story is listed. In addition, each turnover sheet separates the stories that were included in newsreels from those that were not. Scanning this series for specific stories is a good place for researchers to begin, if one knows the approximate date of the story sought.