Collections

Robert Shaye founded New Line Cinema in 1967. The company began by distributing foreign, kitsch and art house films to college campuses and eventually grew to distribute and produce films in the Hollywood industry. The archive consists of five series: Personal, Business Documents, Projects, Articles and Clippings, and Audiovisual Materials. The documents range in date from 1958-2008.

The collection is divided into five series: Personal, Business Documents, Projects, Articles and Clippings, and Audiovisual Materials. All the series contain many of Shaye’s hand-written notes from notebooks to scraps of paper in which many of his ideas are written. Along with the notes, Shaye included many Post-it notes explaining some of the content. The majority of documents for the Projects series and all the material from the Audiovisual series are from The Last Mimzy, directed by Shaye and released in 2007.

The Personal series includes correspondence between friends and business partners as well as congratulatory cards and notes. The majority of the series consists of Shaye’s speeches made during awards ceremonies, general speeches for company events, movie premiere speeches and speeches for family and friends’ events. Many documents refer to Shaye as L.E. Moko. This reference refers to Pépé le Moko, a 1937 French gangster film directed by Julien Duvivier.

The Business Documents series ranges from 1967-2008 with documents focusing on New Line and consisting of correspondence, shareholder meeting notes, and film catalogs showcasing the variety of movies available for distribution that year. A binder with information on New Line common stock and correspondence can be found in an oversize box.

The Project series highlights some of New Line Cinema’s distributed and produced films. Highlights include storyboards for Nightmare on Elm Street 4: Dream Master, produced in 1988. The majority of documents are production documents for two films directed by Shaye, Book of Love and The Last Mimzy.

The Articles and clippings section consists of personal articles about Robert Shaye as a business entrepreneur and creative director, New Line Cinema articles, and miscellaneous film reviews along with trade magazines with issues dedicated to New Line or Robert Shaye.

The Audiovisual Materials series consists of The Last Mimzy DVD’s and a CD of video clips, trailers and publicity events. The DVD’s include production footage such as alternate beginnings, B-roll footage and different edited versions of the film.

Other Projects and Scripts (6 linear feet) consists of material sent to Robert Altman for consideration as potential film projects. Frequently, Wren Arthur, Altman's assistant, would read and critique these materials, and serve as the contact person for the individual submissions. The material is generally from 1989 to 2003, and arranged by author's last name. Where possible, a submission date is noted.

Other Projects and Scripts (6 linear feet) consists of materail sent to Robert Altman for consideration as potential film projects. Notably, the series includes scripts by Elmore Leonard, Kurt Vonnegut, Tim Burton, Donald Freed, and Anne Rapp. Frequently, Wren Arthur, Altman's assistant, would read and critique these materials, and serve as the contact person for the individual submissions. The material is generally from 1989 to 2003, and arranged by author's last name. Where possible, date is noted. Occasionally, a cover letter was included with script submissions. Many of these projects were never produced, by Altman or any other filmmaker.

In addition, the series includes correspondence, treatments, and other documents from various scripts and projects that were sent to Robert Altman and rejected as potential projects. Much of the material consists of script cover letters sent to Altman with the accompanying return correspondence written by one of Altman's staff. These "passed projects" are arranged alphabetically by the script writer's last name where possible. Among them include script submissions from Carrie Fisher, Billy Baldwin, Paul Newman, Joan Tewkesbury, Linda Yellen, and Stanley Tucci. In addition, Altman was asked to consider such projects as Thank You for Smoking, Benjamin Button, Michael, and The Killer Inside Me.

Also included are various script treatments organized alphabetically by script writer. These treatments, or script coverages, were generally written by one of Altman's employees and included a summary of the script as well as a recommendation to pass or consider the project. The materials under the "possible projects" heading contain those projects that were considered by Altman in some capacity and often contain extended correspondence.

The materials contained under the description "Open-Directing Projects" are printouts sent to Altman by Addis Weschler & Associates describing films in various stages of production that are in need of a director.

Forms part of the Robert Altman Archive. Documentation related to unfinished and suspended projects, 1960s-2000s, that Altman had an involvement with but were never produced. Materials for a project may include correspondence, legal and financial files, scripts and publicity files.

The unfinished and suspended projects series consists of materials related to projects that Altman had an involvement with but were never produced. The reason that any specific project failed may or may not be apparent from the materials and vary greatly. Materials in this series run from the 1960's through the late 2000's.

The type and volume materials also vary greatly from project to project. These can include correspondence, legal materials, legal materials from Jerome Walsh, business and financial materials, scripts and related materials, production materials including those used for research, materials related to publicity and distribution, and articles and reviews related to both the productions and the subjects of the productions.

Forms part of the Robert Altman Archive. Includes materials related to The Company, Dr. T and the Women, Gosford Park, A Prairie Home Companion, Resurrection Blues, Roads and Bridges, Tanner on Tanner, andTrixie . Records include scripts, legal files, publicity materials, photographs and correspondence.

Projects 2000s forms part Robert Altman Archive. It includes materials related to The Company, Dr. T and the Women, Gosford Park, A Prairie Home Companion, Resurrection Blues, Roads and Bridges, Tanner on Tanner, andTrixie . Records include scripts, legal files, publicity materials, photographs and correspondence.

Forms part of Robert Altman Archive. Includes materials for films The Afterglow, Black and Blue, Cookie's Fortune, The Gingerbread Man, Gun, Kansas City, McTeague, Mrs, Parker and the Vicious Circle, The Player, Pret-a-Porter, and Robert Altman's Jazz '34: Remembrances of Kansas City Swing,. Records include scripts, legal files, publicity materials, photographs and correspondence.

Forms part of Robert Altman Archive. Includes materials related to films Aria, Basements, Beyond Therapy, The Caine Mutiny Court Martial, Come Back to the Five and Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, Fool for Love, HealtH, Images, Laundromat, O.C, and Stiggs, Popeye, Rake's Progress, Secret Honor, Streamers, Tanner '88, Two by South, Records include scripts, legal files, publicity materials, photographs and correspondence.

Forms part of the Robert Altman Archive. Includes materials related to films Aria, Basements, Beyond Therapy, The Caine Mutiny Court Martial, Come Back to the Five and Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, Fool for Love, HealtH, Images, Laundromat, O.C, and Stiggs, Popeye, Rake's Progress, Secret Honor, Streamers, Tanner '88, Two by South, Records include scripts, legal files, publicity materials, photographs and correspondence.

Forms part of the Robert Altman Archive. Includes materials related to films Brewster McCloud, Buffalo Bill and the Indians or Chief Sitting Bull's History Lesson, The California Split, Images, The Late Show, The Long Goodbye, Mash, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, Nashville, A Perfect Couple, The Quintet, Remember My Name, Rich Kids, Thieves Like Us, 3 Women, A Wedding, and Welcome to L.A.. Records include scripts, legal files, publicity materials, photographs and correspondence.

Forms part of the Robert Altman Archives. The Countdown series (.25 linear feet) consists of materials from the 1968 film directed by Robert Altman. The series includes a script, articles and reviews, photographs, contact sheets, negatives and transparencies That Cold Day in the Park series (.5 linear feet and 1 oversized box) consists of materials from the 1969 film directed by Robert Altman. The series includes legal materials, a script, publicity and distribution files, articles and reviews, on-the-set photographs, contact sheets, negatives and slides.

The Countdown series (.25 linear feet) consists of materials from the 1968 film directed by Robert Altman. The series includes a script, articles and reviews, photographs, contact sheets, negatives and transparencies. That Cold Day in the Park series (.5 linear feet and 1 oversized box) consists of materials from the 1969 film directed by Robert Altman. The series includes legal materials, a script, publicity and distribution files, articles and reviews, on-the-set photographs, contact sheets, negatives and slides.

Forms part of the Robert Altman Archive. The Robert Altman Personal series (14 linear feet, 3 oversized boxes) ranges in date from 1945-2007. The series includes correspondence, legal, and medical documents, topical and award-related material, early work, interviews and clippings, as well as photographs. The Early Projects series contains assorted materials from early projects including movies, TV, commercials, and short films (1 linear foot and 1 oversized box). Forms part of the Robert Altman Archives.

The Robert Altman Personal series (14 linear feet, 3 oversized boxes) ranges in date from 1945-2007. The series includes correspondence, legal, and medical documents, topical and award-related material, early work, interviews and clippings, as well as photographs. The Early Projects series contains assorted materials from early projects including movies, TV, commercials, and short films (1 linear foot and 1 oversized box). Forms part of the Robert Altman Archives.

Forms part of the Robert Altman Archive. The Commercials series (1 linear foot) includes materials from Robert Altman's commercial production company, Villains. These materials consist of scripts, storyboards, correspondence, and production notebooks.

Commercials, 1984, 2001-2005 forms part of the Robert Altman Archive. The Commercials series (1 linear foot) includes materials from Robert Altman's commercial production company, Villains. These materials consist of scripts, storyboards, correspondence, and production notebooks.