Merian C. Cooper papers on unproduced motion pictures, 1916-1975
Scope and Contents
Contains correspondence, synopses, treatments, publications, photographs, financial records, and research material on various projects that Cooper considered motion picture material, but that were never completed. The most ambitious of these was a film biography of General Claire Chennault, leader of the famed Flying Tigers of the American Volunteer Group. Other projects include Children of the Sea, Food of the Gods, Revenge, A Thousand Springs (from Anna Chennault's book of the same name), and Young Men Never Die. Materials date from 1936 to 1975.
Dates
- 1916-1975
Creator
- Cooper, Merian C. (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Open for public research.
Conditions Governing Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to use material from this collection must be obtained from Reference Services at specialcollections@byu.edu.
Biographical / Historical
Merian Caldwell Cooper was an American aviator, United States Air Force and Polish Air Force officer, adventurer, screenwriter, film director, and producer. He was a notable movie producer, starting with documentaries filmed with Ernest B. Schoedsack while traveling the world, most famously Grass and Chang. Cooper was a member of the board of directors of Pan American Airways. During his film career, he worked for several Hollywood studios. He is considered co-inventor of the Cinerama film projection process. Cooper's most famous film was the 1933 movie King Kong. He was awarded an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement in 1952 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. Cooper married film actress Dorothy Jordan in 1933. They were married until his death on April 21, 1973.
Extent
9 boxes
20 folders
1 oversize box
1 volume
4 oversize folders
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically in eleven series: 1. Blossom time, 1916-1967. 2. Chennault of China, 1935-1986. 3. Children of the sea, 1930-1969 4. Food of the Gods, 1936-1949 5. The great adventure, approximately 1940-1960. 6. A jungle adventure, approximately 1935-1965. 7. Melody Morgan, 1957-1958. 8. Revenge, 1947-1963. 9. A thousand springs, 1945-1965. 10. Two little Confederates, undated. 11. Young men never die, 1933-1975.
Repository Details
Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States