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Paul Rotha letters, 1930-1953

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Series I: Cataloged Correspondence

The series is arranged in chronological order.

Subseries I.1: 1930

The 1930 letters were written when Rotha was in London finishing up the publication ofThe Film Till Now, organizing a film group, writing articles for film magazines, and seeking work in film.


Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1930?], 2 p. a.l.s.

Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1930], 1 p. a.l.

Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1930], 2 p. a.l.

Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1930], 4 p. a.l.

Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), 1930, 2 p. a.l.

Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1930?], 2 p. a.l.s.

Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), 1930, 3 p. a.l.

Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), 2 May 1930, 2 p. a.l. (with envelope

Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1930?], 2 p. a.l.s.

Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1930], 2 p. a.l.

Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), 15 May 1930, 4 p. a.l. (with envelope

Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), 20 May 1930, 4 p. a.l. (with envelope

Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), 22 May 1930, 2 p. a.l. (with envelope

Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), 30 May 1930, 2 p. a.l.s. (with envelope

Box 1 Folder 1 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), 12 June 1930, 2 p. a.l. (with envelope

Subseries I.2: 1932-1934

During this period, Rotha was writing articles forFilm Quarterlyand making documentaries for British Instructional Films. The letters mention work on the filmsContact,Rising Tide, andShipyard. They also mention the encouragement Rotha received from John Grierson and others.

Box 1 Folder 2 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1932?], 4 p. a.l.s.

Box 1 Folder 2 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1932], 1 p. a.l.

Box 1 Folder 2 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), 11 May 1933, 2 p. a.l.s. (with envelope

Box 1 Folder 2 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), 26 May 1933, 1 p. a.l. (with envelope

Box 1 Folder 2 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), 29 May 1933, 1 p. a.l. (with envelope

Box 1 Folder 2 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1934], 2 p. a.l.

Box 1 Folder 2 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1934], 3 p. a.l.s.

Box 1 Folder 2 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1934], 2 p. a.l.s.

Box 1 Folder 2 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1934?], 2 p. a.l.s.

Subseries I.3: 1937

In 1937, Rotha received a Rockefeller Foundation Grant to promote British Film through the Museum of Modern Art Film Library. In his letters to his wife, he describes his reactions to New York and to the people he meets there.

Box 1 Folder 3 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), September 1937, 2 p. a.l.s. (with envelope

Box 1 Folder 3 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), 30 September 1937, 3 p. t.l.s. (with envelope

Box 1 Folder 3 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), 5 October 1937, 3 p. t.l.s. (with envelope

Subseries I.4: 1938-1939

After Rotha returned from America, John Grierson offered him a staff position with his documentary consultant firm, Film Centre Ltd. The following letters appear to have been written in 1939 when Rotha was directingThe Times. Preproduction for theThe Timeswas through Film Centre while Realist Film Unit handled production.

Box 1 Folder 4 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1938], 1 p. a.l.s.

Box 1 Folder 4 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1939?], 1 p. a.l.s

Box 1 Folder 4 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1939], 1 p. t.l.s.

Box 1 Folder 4 Rotha, Paul To Louise Lee Rotha (Mrs. Paul), [1939], 1 p. t.l.s.

Subseries I.5: 1953

Rotha was head of documentary film department for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) from 1953 to 1955. This memo is a gift of Winifred A. Myers, 1980.

Box 1 Folder 5 Rotha, Paul To Peter Hunt, 16 November 1953, 1 p. t.l.s. (memorandum