In Search of…Leonard Nimoy
A few months ago, I spent more time than usual with a film reference request. The film copy that came down for Clear Skies, Clean Air (1971) was 35/32mm, which meant that I had to make a print before I...
View ArticleThe Tale of the Forgotten Films: An Archival Rescue
Donna Anoskey and Dan Rooney contributed to this post. Years ago many government agencies, along with Hollywood and independent film makers, stored film productions with the private laboratories that...
View ArticleVintage Footage Reveals How NORAD Tracks Santa
This Christmas Eve, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) will have tracked Santa Claus’s journey around the world for 60 years. A NORAD staff member uses a radar scope to monitor...
View ArticleYouth Visits Our Nation’s Capital: A Glimpse of Spring 1939 in Washington, D.C.
Last July, while completing a training rotation in the Motion Picture Preservation Lab, I was tasked with inspecting the condition of film. Inspections are a basic operation the lab performs to ensure...
View ArticleSummer’s Last Hurrah
Labor Day is quickly approaching, and with it, the unofficial end of summer. But, the long weekend allows for one last chance to enjoy summer pastimes, such as a trip to the fair, amusement park, or...
View ArticleSummer Road Trip: Los Angeles
Los Angeles, the City of Angels, La-La-Land, Tinseltown, no matter what you call it, the city of Los Angeles has long been a center of commerce, culture, and entertainment in the United States. It is a...
View ArticleSummer Road Trip: Chicago and Pittsburgh
We head next to Chicago! While we enjoy the modern cosmopolitan sights, it’s fun to remember the lengthy history of the city as an agricultural and industrial hub. The Still Picture Branch collection...
View ArticleSpotlight: Universal Newsreel Highlights Female Baseball Players
Note: This post was originally meant to highlight opening day of MLB baseball for the 2020 season while commemorating the role women play in the sport. While baseball may be on hold during this...
View ArticleSummer Theater in The March of Time
The October 18, 1935 release of the The March of Time newsreel serial contains a segment on "Summer Theatres." The outtakes from this segment shine a light on a time when summer stock theater was an...
View ArticleThe Draggin’ Wagon: An All American Soap Box Derby
This week’s blog post covers the U.S. Information Agency (USIA)’s film The Draggin’ Wagon, (Local Identifier: 306.6618). The film offers a unique look into the life of a young African American boy,...
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