J. Walter Thompson Company. Legal Department microfilmed entertainment contracts, 1924-1957

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Summary

Creator:
J. Walter Thompson Company
Abstract:
Founded in 1864, the J. Walter Thompson Company (JWT) is one of the oldest and largest enduring advertising agencies in the United States. It is headquartered in New York. The JWT Legal Department microfilmed entertainment contracts include contracts for appearances on radio and television broadcasts; correspondence; folios (typically collections of documents relating to an actor's career, or casting for a broadcast program); letters of terms; notices of cancellations of contracts; photographs; talent releases and other printed documents. Talent featured in the sponsored programming include journalists, motion picture actors, musicians, politicians (such as Wendell Willkie), sports announcers, vaudeville blackface and dance performers, writers and other celebrities. Talent-based and variety shows drew from American and international performers, including African Americans and women. Sponsoring firms include Ballantine, Elgin, Ford, General Cigar, Kodak, Kraft, Lever Brothers, Lorillard, Nash Motors, Nestle, Owens-Illinois, RCA, Seven-Up, Shell, Standard Brands, Swift, Textron, Ward Baking and Wrigley. Acquired as part of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.
Extent:
3.0 Linear Feet
Language:
Materials in English.
Collection ID:
RL.11870

Background

Scope and content:

The JWT Legal Department microfilmed entertainment contracts include contracts for appearances on radio and television broadcasts; correspondence; folios (typically collections of documents relating to an actor's career, or casting for a broadcast program); letters of terms; notices of cancellations of contracts; photographs; talent releases and other printed documents. Talent featured in the sponsored programming include journalists, motion picture actors, musicians, politicians (such as Wendell Willkie), sports announcers, vaudeville blackface and dance performers, writers and other celebrities. Talent-based and variety shows drew from American and international performers, including African Americans and women. Sponsoring firms include Ballantine, Elgin, Ford, General Cigar, Kodak, Kraft, Lever Brothers, Lorillard, Nash Motors, Nestle, Owens-Illinois, RCA, Seven-Up, Shell, Standard Brands, Swift, Textron, Ward Baking and Wrigley.

Biographical / historical:

Founded in 1864, the J. Walter Thompson Company (JWT) is one of the oldest and largest enduring advertising agencies in the United States. It is headquartered in New York. Beginning in the 1930s, documents from several JWT departments and functions were microfilmed, including Legal Department, Treasurer's Office, As-Broadcast Scripts and Commercials for Radio and Television, Investigations, Publicity Department, Artwork, Consumer Panel, and Radio/Television Department. Documents were microfilmed in no order, and typed and hand-written indices were produced for the microfilms. The present electronic collection guide is based largely on transcriptions of the paper indices produced by the JWT Information Center library staff. It is believed that once microfilmed, most of the original documents were destroyed.

Acquisition information:
The J. Walter Thompson Company. Legal Department microfilmed entertainment contracts were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 1986.
Processing information:

Processed by Richard Collier, Dec. 2020

Arrangement:

Organized into the following series: Contracts for Broadcasting; Folios and Contracts; Letters of Terms--Accounts resigned; Radio Contracts.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], J. Walter Thompson Company. Legal Department microfilmed entertainment contracts, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Permalink:
https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1kb1c