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Herbert G. Luft Papers, 1940-1992

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Luft, Herbert G., 1907-
Title
Herbert G. Luft Papers
Dates
1940-1992 (inclusive)
Quantity
cubic ft. (204 boxes)
Collection Number
09033
Summary
Collection contains materials relating to Luft's work as a journalist and movie producer from 1940-1992.
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
Restrictions on Access

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes,and the collection is open to the public. Eichmann materials may not be photocopied.

Languages
English, German
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Historical Note

Herbert George Luft (1907-1992) was born in Essen, Germany and married Pepi Paula Luft in 1937. Herbert Luft was interned at the Dachau concentration camp for six months in 1938 before he and his wife fled to England and later the United States. From 1942-1943 both of the Lufts worked for the U.S. Office of War Information writing and broadcasting allied propaganda to Nazi Germany. Luft served as assistant film editor for Samuel Goldwyn Studios from 1944-1948 before working as a journalist for the "Jewish Telegraphic Agency," "Films in Review" and the "Hollywood Reporter" and covering the trial of Nazi Adolph Eichmann from 1960-1961 in Israel. Luft was an executive with Getty Films from 1969-1992 and wrote or translated the films "M," "Night Riders," and "Hong Kong Affair."

Herbert George Luft was born in Essen, Germany, in 1907. He lived six years in Nazi Germany spending the winter of 1938-1939 in the Dachau concentration camp. He fled to England just before war broke out in August of 1939 and came to the United States in 1940. In 1943 he made his home in Hollywood with Pepi, his wife.

Mr. Luft was a journalist, film historian, and motion picture executive. He wrote a syndicated drama and cinema column entitled "As We See It" for the Los Angeles B'nai B'rith Messenger for thirty years. He reported on Hollywood for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency for twenty-five years and he contributed to "Films in Review," magazine of the National Board of Review in New York from 1954. He also contributed to the "Quarterly of Film, Radio, and Television" of the University of California at Los Angeles, "Films and Filming," in London, "Filmkunst" in Vienna, "The Far East Reporter" in Tokyo, and many periodicals throughout Europe. He also contributed to the United States Information Agency and to the Office of War Information. He was the author of a book dealing with film history published by L'Avant Scene du Cinema in Paris.

January of 1969, Mr. Luft was a production executive, then vice-president and treasurer of Getty Picture Corporation. He wrote several biographies of notable entertainment personalities such as Greer Garson and Billy Wilder. Mr. Luft was also a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. He was an officer of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for seven years and president for two, going onto the NBC network show with the Golden Globe presentation. Mr. Luft also wrote, translated or otherwise collaborated on several screenplays, most notably "M" and "Night Raiders".

Pepi Luft also contributed to this collection. She wrote a drama and cinema column and also manuscripts.

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Content Description

The Herbert G. Luft papers, 1938-1992, include press kits, press releases, correspondence, scripts, photographs, slides, and related materials from Mr. Luft's forty plus years as a Hollywood journalist and executive. Particularly valuable is the collection of articles and biographies written by Mr. Luft which document his critical appraisal of both motion picture and theater productions.

The Press Kits and Press Releases provide insight on the relationship between production companies and the press as well as the advertising methods used to promote new productions. The Correspondence between Mr. Luft and members of the entertainment community affords a behind the scenes look at the daily workings of Hollywood as well as documenting official proceedings of various organizations. The collection of scripts which Mr. Luft wrote or collaborated on are a fine example of the screenwriter's craft. Photographs and slides serve as a visual record of Mr. Luft's Hollywood career and the Related Materials comprise printed material associated with the other series of the collection.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

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

Restrictions on Use

Statement on Potentially Harmful Language and Images Found in Collections

The American Heritage Center aspires to approach all areas of our work in ways that are respectful to those who create, use, and are represented in our collections. For a variety of reasons, however, users may encounter offensive or harmful language or images in some of our finding aids, catalogs, and collection materials.

Note that the AHC does not censor or alter contents of the collections as they provide context and evidence of a time, people, place, or event. Therefore, we encourage users to bring questions and concerns about descriptions in our finding aids to our attention via email or anonymous web-form. For more information, read our full statement.

Preferred Citation

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Herbert G. Luft Papers, Collection Number 09033, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Alternative Forms Available

Existence and Location of Copies

Digital reproductions of select material from this collection are available at https://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu/luna/servlet/uwydbuwy~210~210.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Collection is arranged in fourteen series.

Related Materials

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by Herbert G. Luft at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information

Herbert G. Luft began donating his papers to the American Heritage Center in October of 1985 and continued until his death in January of 1992. The papers were received in good condition. They have been organized into series and subseries by type of material. Sentinel periodicals were cataloged in Coe Library.

Processing Note

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Bill Hopkins in 1993.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Processed by Bill Hopkins.
2006

CC Attribution
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