University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION TABLE OF CONTENTS Biographical Sketch ………………………………………………………………………… 3 Scope and Content ………………………………………………………………………… 4 Series Notes ………………………………………………………………………………… 5 Container List ………………………………………………………………………………… 7 SERIES I: DOCUMENTS ………………………………………………………… 7 SERIES II: PERIODICALS ………………………………………………………… 8 A: Regular ………………………………………………………… 8 B: Oversized ………………………………………………………… 42 SERIES III: PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS ………………………………… 49 A: Movie Promos (Picture Books) ………………………………… 49 B: Movie Promos (Magazines/Brochures) ………………………… 49 C: Studio Promos ………………………………………………… 50 D: Lobby Cards ………………………………………………… 51 E: Press Books ………………………………………………… 53 F: Posters ………………………………………………………… 60 SERIES IV: OTHER PUBLICATIONS ………………………………………… 60 A: Sheet Music ………………………………………………… 60 B: Film Publications ………………………………………………… 63 i – Paper Dolls ………………………………………… 63 ii – Coloring Materials ………………………………… 63 iii – Coffee Table Books ………………………………… 63 iv – Postcard Books ………………………………………… 64 v – Graphic Novels ………………………………………… 64 vi – Tribute books ………………………………………… 64 vii – Movie Star Profiles ………………………………… 64 viii – Catalogs ………………………………………… 64 ix – Ad Mats ………………………………………………… 64 x – Scripts ………………………………………………… 64 xi – Film History Materials ………………………………… 64 xii – Misc. Film Publications ………………………………… 65 C: Theatre and Other Publications ………………………………… 65 i – Misc. Theatre Publications ………………………… 65 ii – Other Publications ………………………………… 65 D: Theatre Programs ………………………………………………… 65 SERIES V: CLIPPINGS ………………………………………………………… 69 A: Scrapbooks ………………………………………………… 69 MS239-Houston Gray Collection 1 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION B: Loose Clippings ………………………………………………… 69 SERIES VI: LPs ………………………………………………………………… 70 SERIES VII: PUZZLES AND GAMES ………………………………………… 71 SERIES VIII: MEMORABILIA ………………………………………………… 71 SERIES IX: LEDGERS ………………………………………………………… 72 SERIES X: INDEX CARDS ………………………………………………………… 72 SERIES XI: PHOTOGRAPHS ………………………………………………… 73 SERIES XII: PAPERBACKS ………………………………………………… 73 MS239-Houston Gray Collection 2 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Houston A. (“Tony”) Gray was born in Kansas City, Kansas, on June 18, 1913. He attended Kansas City Kansas Community College, graduating in 1933, and went on to receive a BA in English Literature from the University of Kansas in 1935, as well as an MA in English Literature from Harvard in 1937. Serving in the Army during World War II, Gray produced a mimeographed news-sheet for the troops and directed theatrical productions in Belgium and France. Moving back to New York City after the war, Gray found success as an editor and playwright. Among his works for the stage are New York Nativity Play and Noah and the Flood, which was an adaptation of an old English Mystery Play. He edited the magazine Photoplay for five years, and also worked as editor on Movie Play, Movie Spotlight, Movie Western, Silver Screen, and Screenland. Gray returned to the Kansas City area in 1960, at which time he began operating Gray’s Tree Farm in Edwardsville, Kansas, which he would continue to do until his death. In 1984-85, a Houston Gray Film Series was presented at the KCKCC Performing Arts Center, including displays from his collection of movie memorabilia, which had been donated to the school in February 1984. He died on November 26, 1989 in Kansas City, Kansas, at the age of 76. Source: Derived from Mary P. Fenlon’s Background Notes for the Houston Gray Collection at KCKCC, the entirety of which can be found in Box 1, Folder 1. MS239-Houston Gray Collection 3 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION SCOPE AND CONTENT The Houston Gray Collection was a transfer from Kansas City Kansas Community College in July 2013. The collection is comprised almost entirely of movie memorabilia, including Periodicals, Promotional Materials, Photographs, and a wide array of other film-related items, spanning decades from the 1910s to the 1970s and 1980s. Most of the collection was Gray’s, though some of the items were acquired by Gray from Reed Porter, a columnist for the Hollywood Reporter. The Periodicals account for roughly half of the materials, and include extensive collections of film and theatre magazines such as Boxoffice, Motion Picture Magazine, and Photoplay, as well as dozens of others. Promotional Materials present include hundreds of Lobby Cards, Pressbooks, and Posters, along with Books, Magazines, and Brochures. Publications and Newspaper/Magazine Clippings related to film and film history, along with a series of Ledgers from local Kansas City-area movie theatres, provide unique insights into the movie and entertainment business. Dozens of souvenir items and memorabilia are here as well. There are over 6700 Photographs from films and theatre productions, as well as head shots of movie personalities. The size and wide-ranging scope of this collection provides an extensive picture of the history of film and entertainment in America and around the world. MS239-Houston Gray Collection 4 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION SERIES NOTES SERIES I: DOCUMENTS Contained in Box 1; Includes information about Houston Gray and the collection itself, KCKCC materials, and documents related to Durwood Theatres. SERIES II: PERIODICALS Contained in Boxes 2-47; Includes thousands of movie and theatre Magazines and Journals, from the beginning of the 20th century up through the 1980s. SERIES III: PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS Contained in Boxes 48-66, and Drawer 46 and box 107; Includes Lobby Cards, Pressbooks, Posters, and Books and Magazines used for advertising purposes. SERIES IV: OTHER PUBLICATIONS Contained in Boxes 67-72; Includes Sheet Music, Paper Dolls, Coloring Books, Coffee Table Books, Catalogs, Film History materials, and many more types of movie-related materials. SERIES V: CLIPPINGS Contained in Boxes 73-77, and Drawer 46; Includes newspaper and magazine clippings, featuring articles and advertisements mentioning film stars, movies, theatre productions, and Kansas City history. SERIES VI: LPs Contained in Boxes 78-81; Includes vinyl records, many of which are motion picture soundtracks. SERIES VII: PUZZLES AND GAMES Contained in Boxes 82-84; Includes jigsaw puzzles of movie stars, and board games based off of films. SERIES VIII: MEMORABILIA Contained in Boxes 85-88; Includes trading cards, buttons, dolls, a metal film box, stamps, and dozens of other knick-knacks and collectible items related to film. SERIES IX: LEDGERS Contained in Boxes 89-101; Includes Daily Cash Receipts Books, Payroll Books, and other Ledgers from Pla-Mor Corp. and Co. and other movie theatres. SERIES X: INDEX CARDS Contained in Boxes 102-106; Includes cards outlining the contents of the collection. SERIES XI: PHOTOGRAPHS Contained in Film and Television Photograph Boxes1-13, and Photograph Box 1; Includes over 6700 pictures, mostly from films and film sets, but also including head shots of movie stars, as MS239-Houston Gray Collection 5 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION well as images from theatre productions. The 4 photographs in Photograph Box 1 are related to Annie Chambers and Kansas City history. SERIES XII: PAPERBACKS Contained in Paperbacks Boxes 1-9; Includes over 750 Paperback Books, mostly novels on which films or television programs were based and novelizations of films and television programs. MS239-Houston Gray Collection 6 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION Box Folder Description CONTAINER LIST SERIES I: DOCUMENTS Box Folder Description 1 1 Collection Lists - General Information and Document pertaining to Houston Gray, Arthur F. McClure, and the collection itself. 2 - Lists of Periodicals contained in the collection. 3 - Lists of Books contained in the collection. 4 - Lists of Photographs contained in the collection. 5 - Lists of Pressbooks contained in the collection, and Law Books. 6 Newspaper Clippings - Houston Gray Obituaries, Clippings related to the Collection itself, Advertisements and Announcements for Events, Clippings pertaining to Archiving, and Misc. 7 Correspondence (by Year) - 1943-44, 1949-50 (to/from Jane Cowl); 1983; 1984; 1985; 1986; 1988; No Date. 8 Teaching Notes - Houston Gray’s classroom teaching notes for Film Studies. 9 KCK/KCKCC - Periodicals (On Campus (KCKCC), The Bulletin (KCK Women’s Chamber of Commerce)), Information and Documents pertaining to the Houston Gray Film Series, Advertising and Information for other Events, Audience Survey for the Houston Gray Film Series, Misc. 10 Archiving Resources - Articles and Instructions. 11 Misc. Writings - Poems, Notes, and Unknown Short Story. 12 Durwood Theatres - Budgets and Concession Reports. 13 - Box Office Statements. 14 - Contracts and Other Documents. 15 - Employee Schedule Sheets. 16-18 - Cancelled Checks. MS239-Houston Gray Collection 7 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION Box Folder Description SERIES II: PERIODICALS Box Folder