Gene Blakely Collection

This collection houses biographical information, scripts, framed and unframed photographs, memorabilia, and other materials documenting Gene Blakely's acting career.

Series I: Personal and Biographical includes biographical material and membership records documenting Gene Blakely's life and work as well as lists of materials received with this collection that were dispersed to other parts of the department or library.

Series II: Scripts houses the scripts that Blakely used while preparing for his performances in films, on television, and on stage. Many of these items reflect last-minute changes and some contain Blakely's personal annotations.

Series III: Photographs contains approximately 550 items. Many of these images were acquired from Clifton Webb and some are autographed by the stars they portray, including W. C. Fields, Joan Crawford, Mae West, Ethel Merman, and Charlie Chaplin. Also included are two flip pics (Box 13), which consist of a series of pictures bound together depicting some action, in this case throwing a pie. When the pictures are flipped quickly, the action can be seen to take place.

The portraits in Box 14 (mostly publicity stills) were removed from a blue notebook and include cartes de visite and postcard photographs in varying sizes. They mostly depict stage and early silent film performers and several recent film stars. Some images are autographed.

The portraits in Box 16 (cabinet cards; 4.25" x 6.5") were carefully disassembled by David Moore (Curatorial Specialist, Conservation Department, ASU Libraries) from one of two photograph collages in the collection. Many are autographed. The numbers in pencil on verso refer to the order of location in the collage.

Series IV: Memorabilia includes nine china plates (SPEC OBJ S-11), each with the photograph of an early actor or actress printed under the glaze, and a scrapbook.