Carl W. Stalling Papers, 1900-1978

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Stalling, Carl W.
Title
Carl W. Stalling Papers
Dates
1900-1978 (inclusive)
Quantity
cubic ft. (20 boxes)
Collection Number
5725
Summary
Collection contains original music scores done by Carl W. Stalling for various Warner Brothers cartoons and for Walt Disney. There also is published commercial music from various composers. There are photographs of celebrities, correspondence, and subject files related to the music industry.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Carl W. Stalling was a noted twentieth century American music composer and arranger. He is most noted for his musical scores for the "Looney Tunes," a popular Warner Brothers animated cartoon series. Among the most famous of these musical pieces is "What's Up Doc," the Bugs Bunny theme song. Stalling also produced musical scores for Walt Disney productions, and he was a silent film piano and organ player. Stalling received a U.S. patent in 1924 for his tick method of recording and depicting motion pictures. This method became a motion picture industry standard. Stalling was born in Lexington, Missouri, in 1891. He studied at the Kansas City Conservatory of Music, and it was here where he met his wife, Gladys Baldwin. He died in 1972, in Hollywood, California.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Carl W. Stalling Papers contain original music scores and cue sheets done by Stalling for Warner Brothers cartoons and for Walt Disney productions. Also contained in the collection is published music from various composers, much of which is sheet music from the 1920s and 1930s. There are photographs, mostly from the 1940s and 1950s, of celebrities that Stalling associated with, and there are some subject files related to the music industry. A small amount of correspondence and biographical material is included.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Preferred Citation

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Carl W. Stalling Papers, Collection Number 5725, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in three series alphabetically by folder title.

Related Materials

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by Carl W. Stalling at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information

The Carl W. Stalling Papers were donated by Gladys Stalling and by Mike Barrier between 1975 and 1983.

Processing Note

Processing Information

The collection was processed by John R. Waggener in July 2007.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. Alphabetical FilesReturn to Top

This series contains the files of Stalling's original music scores and cue sheets. Also included are photographs, correspondence, biographical material, and subject files.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1
Arrangement Publication - "Arrangement and Prints for Stock Orchestrations (Pages 681-1011) (folder 1 of 2)
no date
1 2
Arrangement Publication - "Arrangement and Prints for Stock Orchestrations (Pages 681-1011) (folder 2 of 2)
no date
1 3
Arrangement Publication - "Concert Arrangements for Orchestra (Pages 383-680) (folder 1 of 2)
no date
1 4
Arrangement Publication - "Concert Arrangements for Orchestra (Pages 383-680) (folder 2 of 2)
no date
1 5
Arrangements - Instrument Parts Listing for Various Songs
no date
1 6
Art - Hand-drawn Scenes (includes Mickey Mouse and possibly the "Skeleton Dance")
circa 1928
1 7
Artwork (mostly practice pencil sketches of portraits)
no date
1 8
Correspondence and Biographical Material (includes information about Gladys Stalling)
1928-1978
1 9-15
Cue Sheets for Looney Tunes Cartoons - arranged by number (#1017-1437)
circa 1940s-1950s
1 16-38
Cue Sheets for Looney Tunes Cartoons - arranged alphabetically (A-Y)
circa 1940s-1950s
1 39-54
Cue Sheets - Published ("Thematic Music Cue Sheets" for motion pictures) - arranged alphabetically (A-W)
circa 1920s-1930s
2 1-5
Manuscript Material (hand-written music scores)
circa 1930s-1950s
2 6-8
Manuscript Material - Loose Music Sheets and Notes
circa 1930s-1950s
2 9
Manuscript Material - Original M.M.'s
circa 1930s-1950s
2 10
Manuscript Material - Pre-Scores
circa 1930s-1950s
2 11
Manuscript Material - Short Phrases
circa 1930s-1950s
2 12
Manuscript Notebooks (handwritten music)
circa 1930s-1950s
2 13
Music - Missing Parts
circa 1930s-1950s
2 14-16
Music - "Nu-Style Music" (sheet music for teaching purposes)
no date
2 17
Music Arranging Material (technical and teaching notes and music)
no date
2 18
Musical Score Sheets
circa 1930s-1950s
3 1
Organ Effects (notes about sound effects)
no date
3 2
"Parade of Songs - 1894-1944" (music publication list)
circa 1945
3 3
Patent (Stalling's U.S. Patent for methods of recording and depicting motion pictures)
1924
3 4-6
Photographs of Celebrities (mostly 8x10 b&w prints)
circa 1940s-1950s
3 7
Programs for Musical Events
1930-1942
3 8
Reference Sheets (music lists from various publishers)
no date
3 9
Word Sheets (Lyrics, Music, and Orchestra Cue Sheets and handwritten notes) (mostly relates to "Puss in Boots")
no date

Series II. PublicationsReturn to Top

This series contains commercial publications such as books and magazines related to music and the music industry.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
3 10
"Building a Better Mouse: Fifty Years of Animation"
1978
3 11
"Christmas: An American Annual of Christmas Literature and Art"
1967
3 12
Magazines - "International Musician"
1948-1952
3 13
Magazines - Miscellaneous
1915-1952
3 14
Magazines - "Overture"
1946-1953
3 15
Miscellaneous Publications
1928-1968
3 16
"Sam Fox Publishing Company Publications and List Prices"
1928
3 17
"Standard Casting Directory for Silent and Talking Pictures"
1928
3 18
Technical Music Books (8 books relating to instrumentation, scoring, composition, etc.)
1923-1946

Series III. Published Commercial MusicReturn to Top

This series contains published commercial music. The bulk of it is sheet music from the 1920s and 1930s. Some of the music is marked up with comments and other written notes.

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Music Arranged By Song Title
This sub-series contains music that is arranged alphabetically by song title. In some cases the music is filed under the composer's last name (e.g. Sousa's March Folio). In other cases the music is filed under the name of a particular music series or program (e.g. the Mammoth Songs series.)
Box
4
Music - Ab-Am
circa 1900-1940
5
Music - An-Bo
circa 1900-1940
6
Music - Br-Co
circa 1900-1940
7
Music - Co-Fe
circa 1900-1940
8
Music - Fe-Ha
circa 1900-1940
9
Music - He-It
circa 1900-1940
10
Music - Ja-Li
circa 1900-1940
11
Music - Lo-Me
circa 1900-1940
12
Music - Me-My
circa 1900-1940
13
Music - Na-Re
circa 1900-1940
14
Music - Ri-So
circa 1900-1940
15
Music - So-Ta
circa 1900-1940
16
Music - Ta-Wa
circa 1900-1940
17
Music - We-Zi
circa 1900-1940
Sub-series 2. Unidentified Music
This sub-series contains music that is only partially complete. In addition to missing music pages, the covers and title pages are missing, making it difficult to identify the music.
Box
17
Unidentified Music
circa 1900-1940
Sub-series 3. Oversized Music
This sub-series contains music that is oversized. It is arranged alphabetically.
Box Folder
18 1-11
Oversized Music - A-H
circa 1900-1940
19 1-13
Oversized Music - I-O
circa 1900-1940
20 1-16
Oversized Music - P-Z
circa 1900-1940

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Animated television music
  • Animated television programs
  • Motion picture music - Scores
  • Film composers

Corporate Names

  • Walt Disney Productions
  • Warner Bros. Cartoons

Form or Genre Terms

  • Photographs
  • Sheet music
  • Sketches
  • Scores