• Donald C. &
Elizabeth M. Dickinson Research Center
• Archive & Finding Aids
Introduction |
 |
Container List
Images
GUIDE to the
WALTER BRENNAN PAPERS, 1895-1974
WALTER BRENNAN (1894-1974). Papers, 1895-1974.
20.2 cubic feet (30 document boxes, 2 flat boxes, 1 sound recording box, 24 oversized folders).
Location: 0463-0474; 0657; Flat File 2/Drawers 1 & 4.
Introduction:
The Walter Brennan Papers contains scripts, photographs and personal files of the famous actor. Beginning in 1929 until 1974, Walter Brennan gained worldwide fame through his numerous supporting actor, and legendary western character roles. This collection contains 314 scripts, 1,338 photographs, 46 awards, and 7 personal scrapbooks related to his career and personal life.
Biography:
Born July 24, 1894 in Swampscott, Massachusetts, Walter Andrew Brennan graduated from Rindge Technical High School, and enlisted in the United States army at the age of 23. As a Private in the 101st Regiment Field Artillery, Brennan spent two years fighting in France during World War I. After discharge in 1919, he spent some time working in Guatemala before settling in southern California. Wanting to be a film actor in the emerging entertainment industry, he became a movie extra in 1929 and took part in such famous early films as The Lariat Kid. His versatility and outstanding acting ability was evident early on in his career as seen in his portrayal of older character roles. This unique talent provided unusual film roles, and subsequently propelled him to stardom. After only 5 years of film experience, Brennan received the first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in Come and Get It. His unique talent to portray older men before turning 40 years old helped him receive character roles, and subsequently propelled him to notoriety. His ability to adapt to older characters was partially due to two serious accidents. He lost half of his teeth in a World War I gas accident and lost the remaining ones in an early movie accident. That fact, coupled with his enormous talent, enabled Brennan to receive 3 Best Supporting Actor Oscars in his lifetime. Besides 1936, Brennan once again received Best Supporting Oscars in 1938 and 1940 for Kentucky and The Westerner.
Even though well known as an outstanding character actor, his most widely recognized work came in western films. Films such as Rio Bravo, The Westerner, and The Texan, helped create his distinctive persona and legendary status. By 1959, his 35th film year anniversary celebration, Brennan was credited with 100 films.
With the explosion of television programs in
the 1950's, Brennan gained further popularity through the 1959-1961
series, The Real McCoys. Brennan's Grampa Amos McCoy appeared
weekly in millions of homes and became a familiar household character.
Continuing through the 1960's and 1970's, Brennan appeared in over 50
feature films, television films, and series' including The Guns of
Will Sonnett. At his death from emphysema in 1974, he had achieved
the honor, respect, and success, few actors realize in their lifetime.
Scope and content:
The Walter Brennan Papers contains movie, and television scripts from
his vast body of work including How the West was Won, The Over-the-Hill
Gang, The Westerner, and many Real McCoys' episodes. In addition
to the movie and television scripts, publicity, celebrity and family photographs
make up a large part of the collection. The balance of the collection
contains Walter Brennan's numerous, awards, and personal files.
Scripts (1936-1973) series contains 314 scripts with subseries of Film, Television, and The Real McCoys. The 60 movie and 76 television scripts are indexed alphabetically, while The Real McCoys and Guns of Will Sonnett scripts are indexed in chronological episodic order.
Photographs (1895-1972) series contains 1,338 business and personal photographs. All photographs within the collection are black and white, except as noted. They are organized into Publicity, Public Appearances, Celebrity, Awards, Movies, Television, The Real McCoys, and Personal. All files are alphabetically indexed within each sub series. Most of Walter Brennan's movies and television productions are represented in the photographic series, and publicity photographs range from his early career to his last movie appearances. Personal Photographs include such rare photographs as Walter Brennan's baby photograph, and a World War I uniformed photograph.
Negatives & Proofs (ca. 1930s-1960s) contains 75 negatives and proofs, primarily business publicity photographs.
Contracts (ca. 1963-1966) 4 Folders containing 2 employment and 2 joint venture agreements complete the Contract Series.
Correspondence (1937-1974) contains letters from National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 35th Anniversary Dinner, three miscellaneous letters are alphabetically indexed by folder title.
Business Records (1951-1964) includes audit Reports related to The Real McCoys along with a television rating report and political material alphabetically arranged by folder title.
News Clippings (1937-1970) has 12 Folders arranged chronologically contain clippings about Walter Brennan's career from 1937 through 1970.
Posters includes a poster advertising his phonograph record and a smaller poster from the Wells Fargo Bank located in the Flat File Drawer 4.
Artwork contains acaricature, cartoon, and pen & ink drawing of Walter Brennan and are located in the Flat File Drawer 4.
Awards (1939-1971) has nine Business Awards and 37 Personal Awards alphabetically indexed within the two sub-series. Highlighting the business awards are three Box Office Blue Ribbon awards from 1941, 1957, & 1965. The Personal Award files contain awards given to Walter Brennan during his lifetime including Honorary Citizen, Colonel, and Mayoral awards.
Miscellaneous (1917-1966) contains Walter Brennan's personal files include his 101st U.S. Army Field Artillery Yearbook, a collection of published materials in relation to sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski, and an engraver's block of a film character.
Personal Financial Records (1936-1974) series contains personal income tax returns, audits, check registers, tax distribution cards, cash statements, and check register between the years 1959-1974.
Scrapbooks
(1935-1974) series contains seven scrapbooks beginning in 1935 and ending
with Walter Brennan's 1974 obituary notice, mostly related to his movie
and television career. Two small, and one larger scrapbook contain information
related to his personal life.
Oversized
Materials (1941-1972) series consists of 17 Folders of
oversized materials, from Series 1 through 10 containing scripts, awards,
and sheet music.
Sound Recording Discs (ca. 1940s) has five recording discs featuring Gene Autry plus a recording disc of the February 20, 1941, NBC broadcast of Sergeant York, part 2.
Subject Terms:
Personal Names:
Brennan, Walter, 1894 - 1974
Cooper, Gary, 1901 - 1961
Lasky
Reagan, Ronald
Roberson, Dale, 1923-
Saylor, Sid
Ziolkowski, Korczak, 1908 -
Films:
Airtrip Stories -"The Lost Squaw Mine" "Indian
Lore And a Lone Grave" " Ghost Town's
Strange Drama"
At Gunpoint
Bad Day At Black Rock, #99
Bad Day At Black Rock, #146
Bad Day At Black Rock, bound
Banjo On My Knee
Boot Hill
Drums Along The River
Echo Canyon
The Far Country
The Ghost Riders
The Ghost Riders
How The West Was Won
The Little Brown Mare
The Marshal Of Medicine Bend
The Old Cowboy
The Proud Ones
Rawhide Halo, "Shootout At Big Sag"
Return Of The Texan
Rope's End
Shadow Valley
Smoke In The Wind
Support Your Local Sheriff
The Westerner
The Young Country
Television Programs:
"Brush Roper" Screen Directors Playhouse
A Cowboy's Confession
Dodge City, The Fun and the Fury
Over-The-Hill Gang
Over-The-Hill Gang Rides Again
The Real McCoy's
Subject Headings:
Western films
Western television programs
Accession information:
In 1978 the collection was accepted by the National Cowboy Hall of Fame
and formally assigned an accession number in 1997.
Processing information:
At the time of processing, the collection had "WB" catalog
numbers assigned to photographs, awards and scripts. The WB numbers
remain on the items and upon the series' container lists. Additionally,
the collection had been re-boxed and separated into subject folders
by the collections department. Basic file order from the original separation
and re-boxing became the collection's series' and organization. Pam
Bell completed the formal accessioning and container lists in November
2001.
Ownership & Literary Rights:
The Walter Brennan Papers is the property of the Donald C. & Elizabeth
M. Dickinson Research Center, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
Literary right, including copyright, belongs to the National Cowboy &
Western Heritage Museum, with the exception of copyrighted artwork images
and published literary works, which are the property of the respective
copyright holders. It is the responsibility of the researcher, and his/her
publisher, to obtain publishing permission from individuals pictured,
relevant copyright holders, and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage
Museum.
Restrictions on Access:
This collection is open for research. It is advised researchers discuss
their research prior to visiting the Center.
Preferred Citation:
Walter Brennan Papers, Box ##, Folder ##, Dickinson Research Center, National
Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
