Chicago Public Library Collection
Abstract
The Chicago Public Library film collection is Chicago Film Archives' (CFA) founding collection. CFA formed in order to care for this collection of about 5,000 16mm films that the library no longer could keep. The collection contains a broad sweep of genres. A large number of films are educational and travel films, but there are also silent films, foreign and American-made theatrical films, documentaries, industrials, newsreels, sports events and children's films. Together these films comprise a rich snapshot of an educational and cultural pathway the City of Chicago built for its citizens during the mid twentieth century.
Description
Chicago Film Archives incorporated on December 13, 2003 in order to house and care for its founding acquisition of 16mm films from the Chicago Public Library. This collection contains a broad sweep of genres. A large number of films are educational and travel films, but also there are silent films, foreign and American-made theatrical films, documentaries, industrials, newsreels, sports events and children's films. Included in this collection are 16mm prints from the Tyler, Texas Black Film Collection, such as Oscar Micheaux's Murder in Harlem and Spencer Williams' Juke Joint. Also, within this collection are rare and possibly one-of-a-kind 16mm film prints. Some of these are: Paracelsus by GW Pabst, American Shoeshine by Sparky Greene, The New World of Stainless Steel by Republic Steel and Wilding Studios, Siege by Julian Bryan, and The Santa Claus Suit by Martin Stevens. Because this collection was created over four decades in order to educate Chicago communities, it reflects Chicago's public sensibilities from the 1950s to 1990 and is an important part of our regional film archive.
Series In this Collection
SERIES: Young Chicago Filmmaker’s Festival
1971 – 1973
Collection Items
To request more information about the items in this collection, please contact the archive at
info@chicagofilmarchives.org.
Items with Viewable Media
- 101 Dalmatians, A Lesson in Self-Assertion
- 7362
- A
- Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
- Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy
- About Illinois
- Absolutely Nonauthoratative History of American Sports, An
- Accidents Don't Have to Happen
- Act Without Words
- Actor, The [Part 1/2]
- Actor, The [Part 2/2]
- Adventures of an *, The
- Adventures of an *, The
- Adventures of Bunny Rabbit
- Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp
- Alberta Hunter: Blues at the Cookery
- Alcohol
- Alcohol (Drug Information Series)
- Alcohol: The First Decision
- Alice in Wonderland: A Lesson in Appreciating Differences
- All Aboard
- All Bottled Up
- Allures
- Alphabet
- Alphabet
- Alphabet
- Amazing Bone, The
- Amazing Bone, The
- American Buffalo: The Comeback Trail
- American Shoeshine
- American Time Capsule, An
- Americans on Everest
- Ananse's Farm
- Ananse's Farm
- Anansi the Spider
- Andy and the Lion
- Andy and the Lion
- Angel Fish, An
- Animal Babies Grow Up
- Animals-Love and Care of Pets
- Animated Cartoons: The Toy That Grew Up
- Animated Cartoons: The Toy That Grew Up
- Animated Motion - Part 2
- Anna and Bella
- Another Fine Mess
- Ansel Adams: Photographer
- Ant and the Dove
- Ant and the Dove, (The Aesop Fable)
- Ant and the Grasshopper, The
- Antonia: Portrait of the Woman
- Antonio Gaudi
- Any Old Port
- Appalachian Spring
- Appeals to Santiago
- Applying for a Job
- Aquarium
- Arabian Nights, The
- Arctic Window [Part 1/2]
- Arctic Window [Part 2/2]
- Aretha Franklin: Soul Singer
- Arrow to the Sun
- Artes Creativos de Mexico
- Ascent of Man: Generation Upon Generation
- Ascent of Man: Knowledge or Certainty
- Ascent of Man: Lower than the Angels
- Ascent of Man: Music of the Spheres
- Ascent of Man: The Grain in the Stone
- Ascent of Man: The Harvest of the Seasons
- Ascent of Man: The Hidden Structure
- Ascent of Man: The Ladder of Creation
- Ascent of Man: The Long Childhood
- Ascent of Man: The Majestic Clock
- Ascent of Man: The Starry Messenger
- Ascent of Man: World Within World
- Ashes of Doom
- At Your Fingertips
- Aucassin et Nicolette
- Aucassin et Nicolette
- Audition, The
- Augusta Makes Herself Beautiful
- Augusta Makes Herself Beautiful
- Automania 2000
- Automania 2000
- Aztecs, The
- Ballad of Crowfoot, The
- Ballet Robotique
- Banana, Banana, Banana Slugs
- Bangladesh
- Baseball Basics and Blunders
- Basketball for Boys: Fundamentals
- Basketball for Boys: Teamplay
- Beatles Adventure: Do You Want to Know a Secret
- Beauty and the Beast
- Begone Dull Care
- Behave, Bernard!
- Ben's Dream
- Ben's Dream
- Best is Yet to Be, The
- Between Showers
- Big Bad Wolf
- Big Down Town Christmas
- Big Red Barn
- Big Thumb
- Big Thumb
- Bim, Bam, Bum
- Binary Bit Patterns
- Black Genesis
- Blaze Glory
- Blaze Glory
- Blinkity Blank
- BMX Bicycle Motocross
- Booker T. Washington: The Life and the Legacy
- Boomsville
- Box, The
- Boxes
- Boy and the Snow Goose, The
- Boy Dog and a Frog
- Brain Power
- Brake Free
- Brand Names and Labeling Games
- Bridges and Lights
- Broderick
- Buffy the Bored Raccoon
- Buma: African Sculpture Speaks
- Burt Dow: Deep Water Man
- Cage, The
- California Bound
- California Bound
- Camera and Shot
- Canon
- Canon
- Canon
- Caps for Sale
- Cartoon
- Cat Came Back, The
- Cat Journey
- Cat's Cradle
- Cat's Cradle
- Caterpillar and Polliwog
- Celebration of Life: Trees
- Chairy Tale, A
- Chairy Tale, A
- Chambre, La
- Chameleon, The
- Changes, Changes
- Charlie Squash Goes to Town
- Chicago’s Modern Architecture
- Child Molestation: When to Say No
- Child's Garden of Verse, A
- Children of Wax: A Folktale from Matabeleland Zimbabwe
- Chips Ahoy
- Chips Ahoy
- Christmas Cracker
- Christmas Fantasy, A
- Christmas Gift, A
- Christmas Time - A Happy Time
- Chromophobia
- Chromophobia
- Chromophobia
- Chuck Hansen: One Guy
- Cinderella: A Lesson in Compromise
- Circle Circus
- Circus Slicker
- Claude
- Clocks
- Closed Mondays
- Clown of God, The
- Cockaboody
- Cold Blooded Penguin
- Colorado Legend
- Colt Called Lucky, A
- Comforting Your Fussy Baby
- Concerto Grosso Modo
- Confessions of a Read-a-holic
- Contouring Your Figure
- Cornelius
- Corner, The
- Corner, The [Duplicate]
- Country Vet
- The Cow-Tail Switch
- Cow Who Fell Into the Canal
- Cowherd Marko
- Crack in the Pavement, A
- Creation, The
- Cria
- Cricket, The
- Critic, The
- Critter the Raccoon
- Cuckoo Clock that Wouldn't Cuckoo, The
- Curious Cougars, The
- Curious George Rides A Bike
- Curious George Rides a Bike (Spanish)
- Daisy, The
- Danny and the Dinosaur
- Dark Dark Tale, A
- Day Grandpa Died, The
- Day of the Fox
- Deep Threat
- Donkey Prince
- Dragon Over the Hill, The
- Earth: Volcanoes
- Ecco Homo
- Hallucinogens
- Home for Christmas
- Howdy Doody: A Trip to Fun Land
- Kali Nihta, Socrates
- Last Holiday [Part 1/3]
- Last Holiday [Part 2/3]
- Last Holiday [Part 3/3]
- Leaders of the 20th Century: Mohammad Reza Pahlavi: Politics of Oil
- Making of Star Wars, The [Part 1/2]
- Making of Star Wars, The [Part 2/2]
- Metro!!! The School Without Walls
- The New World of Stainless Steel
- Night Before Christmas
- Peas with Mom
- A. Philip Randolph
- Social Courtesy
- Spooky Boo's and Room Noodles
- Super Up
- This is Synchronized Swimming
- Winter Camping
- 1-A
- 2-Year Machine, The
- 158 W. Erie
- Brothers
- Close to You By the Carpenters
- Das Uttle Humper
- February 31st
- Game
- In the Divine Plan
- Lift, The
- Lurking Unbookish
- Midnight Pineapple
- Ratamata
- Sugar Mountain
- What’s the Matter With Kids Today?
- You and Me
The American Documents
Brothers Grimm Folktale Series
A Challenge Film
Civil Rights Movement
The Classic Stories Series
Critic and the Film
Discovering Music Series
EBE Humanities Series
Eleanor and Franklin
Evolution of Living Things
“Exploring” for NBC
The Family of Man
Films on Black Americans
First Twenty Years
Firsty Twenty Years
History of the Motion Picture
in series with Dry Wood
Just so stories
Of Black America
Rediscovery
SERIES: Young Chicago Filmmaker’s Festival
Study in Greatness, A
Tyler Texas Black Film Collection : This Missing Link in Black Cinema
Young People’s Concert Series
Collection Identifier
C.2004-01
Extent of Collection
Approximately 5,000 reels of mostly 16mm films.
Language Of Materials
English
Custodial History
This collection of approximately 5000 film prints is Chicago Film Archive's founding collection. Chicago Film Archives (CFA) was founded in order to care for the Chicago Public Library film collection that the library no longer could keep. An agreement between Watrous, the Chicago Public Library and the Dept. of Cultural Affairs (DOCA) stipulated that Watrous would form a non-profit org and the DOCA would take responsibility for the collection while CFA got established. The DOCA turned over the collection to CFA in December of 2004.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open to on-site access. Appointments must be made with Chicago Film Archives. Due to the fragile nature of the films, only video copies will be provided for on-site viewing.
Use Restrictions
The CPL turned over same rights they received from the original owners of the prints within the collection to CFA. Films be exhibited to the public for no cost.