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Archives of Popular Culture: Motion picture memorabilia, periodicals, catalogs, and publicity

 Collection
Identifier: APC-2022-18

Scope and Contents

This collection documents twentieth-century American popular culture with a strong emphasis on film and youth media. Materials span approximately from the 1920s through the early 2010s and include a wide range of formats: interviews with filmmakers (1975), film publicity photographs and postcards, movie posters and lobby cards (including oversize materials), film scrapbooks, and printed ephemera. Periodicals such as Photoplay, Rolling Stone, and MAD Magazine are represented, as well as teen-focused titles like Tiger Beat and Sixteen.

The collection also contains collector catalogs (e.g., Columbia Cinematheque, Film-makers Cooperative), publicity memorabilia (e.g., Marvel trading cards, promotional cups), and rare movie tie-ins such as picture books and novelizations. A significant component includes materials related to television and comic book culture, such as Superman and Batman strips and fan art. The collection provides valuable context for studying fan practices, promotional strategies, and the evolving landscape of American mass media.

Dates

  • 1910 - 2012

Extent

18 box

2 drawer

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Archives of Popular Culture collection was established to support the study of twentieth-century American popular culture through visual, oral, and textual media. Assembled by Bob Porferio of the American Studies Department and Ernest Toy of Pollak Library, the collection features a wide array of materials including motion picture memorabilia, film publicity items, teenage magazines, and collector catalogs. It offers insight into cultural trends, media representation, and fandom across decades, from early silent film eras to late twentieth-century teen culture.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The American Studies Department and Pollak Library.

Title
Archives of Popular Culture: Motion picture memorabilia, periodicals, catalogs, and publicity
Status
Completed
Author
gf
Date
2023-07-17
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the CSUF University Archives & Special Collections Repository

Contact:
University Archives & Special Collections
Pollak Library South Room 352 (PLS 352)
Fullerton CA 92831-3599 USA
(657) 278-4751