S. P. B. Cudia Photographs

Collection

Identifier: CP SC

Scope and Content Note

The S. P. B. Cudia Photographs consist primarily of snapshot, commercial, and studio portraits of Cudia, some taken on location; portraits and publicity stills of actors and actresses from Hollywood and possibly Europe; and production and location shots from English-language and Polish westerns taken in such locations as the Jack White Mine. Other images show Cudia's development of the Cudia City mall and estates. Most of these photographs are silver gelatin-bromide photographic prints; other image formats include Polaroid and color dye-coupler photographic prints.

Dates

Creation: circa 1920-circa 1965

Language of Materials

Material in English

Access Restrictions

To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Wurzburger Reading Room at Hayden Library (rm. 138) on the Tempe campus are available Monday through Friday. Check the ASU Library Hours page for current availability.

Copyright

Arizona State University does not own copyright to this collection. Distinctive Collections recognizes that it is incumbent upon the researcher to procure permission to publish information from this collection from the owner of the copyright.

Biographical Note

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Filmmaker, developer, and restaurateur Salvatore Pace Bondanza Cudia was born on September 13, 1887 in Rome, Italy. He immigrated to the United States in 1903 and began an Italian opera company in Washington, D.C. using immigrant talent in addition to designing sets and coaching drama at the New York Metropolitan Opera. He married Jennie Lucia (1877-1914) and the couple had three children, Florence (Cudia) Ayres (ca. 1894-), Louis S. (ca. 1900-), and Edmond Jasper (1906-1987).

A pioneering movie producer, Cudia began his career in Florida and later established studios in Hollywood before coming to Phoenix, where he established a movie studio and dinner theatre in 1938. Here, he produced Polish westerns for export as well as such English-language westerns as 26 Men, which was based on the story of the Arizona Rangers. The 160 acre site west of Camelback Mountain burned to the ground in 1959, but was soon rebuilt and became a popular recreational and social center for young Phoenicians. Cudia also created a retail and residential development known as Cudia City Estates in the Camelback Mountain area in the mid-1950s. S. P. B. Cudia died of a heart attack in Phoenix, Arizona on February 10, 1971.

Full extent

0.5 Linear Feet

Full extent

251 Photograph(s)

Additional description

Abstract

Arrangement

This collection consists of two hundred and fifty-one photographs.

Provenance

These photographs were separated from MSS-32: S. P. B. Cudia Collection, which was received from Mr. and Mrs. Edmond J. Cudia in 1977 (Accession #1977-00019).

Related Materials

Manuscript materials created by S. P. B. Cudia can be found in MSS-32: S. P. B. Cudia Collection, 1924-1977 (guide available at http://azarchivesonline.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/asu/cudia.xml).