A large archive of personal paper ephemera belonging to actor Van Heflin, 1925-1971

N.p. N.p., 1925-1971. A large archive of personal ephemera, including photographs, correspondence, documents, certificates, notes, and other material, belonging to actor Van Heflin, 1925-1971.

Spanning nearly five decades of the Academy Award winning and celebrated character actor’s life, the archive includes:

Approximately 200 vernacular, professional, and press photographs, including on-the-set photographs, publicity photographs, and personal photographs of Heflin, his co-stars, family, and friends, in private and public events. The photographs in the archive are comprised of roughly 100 vernacular photographs and 100 press and professional photographs, with 41 double weight photographs, three borderless photographs, and 20 color photographs. As well as the photographs the archive holds 19 contact sheet clippings, six slides, and approximately 100 negatives (including eleven oversize negatives), circa 1930s-1960s.

Two address books, one dated January 19, 1951 on the second leaf, and one unbound, circa early 1960s, all in Heflin’s hand.

48 letters, greeting cards and post-cards, 1929-1970, with the majority from the 1960s, including: A typed letter signed from screenwriter/playwright Channing Pollock, dated June 29, 1929. An autograph letter signed from actor Laurence Olivier, dated November 23, 1966. An autograph letter signed from actress Katharine Hepburn, with the envelope post-marked January 3, 1970. An autograph letter signed from author and actress Dorothy Manners, with the envelope post-marked December 28, 1970. And autographed greeting cards from artist Norman Rockwell and actor William J. Cagney, among others.

And a plethora of other personal documents, effects, and notes, dating from Heflin’s teen years to his early Hollywood fame, his enlistment into the US Army during WWII, and his subsequent return to Hollywood as a star character actor until his death in July, 1971.

Detailed inventory available upon request.

The earliest documents in the archive date from Heflin's early career as a seaman in his late teens, and include a Department of Commerce Certificate of Discarge and a Marine Service Bureau Reference Card, dated 1925 and 1928, respectively, and a March 25, 1926 program for the Poly High School performance of "Nothing But The Truth," which credits Heflin as Assistant Carpenter.

Items dating from Heflin's service in the US Army during WWII include Heflin's luggage tag, written in Heflin's hand, addressed from the 9th Bombardment Division to Heflin's LA address, likely upon his 1945 discharge from the Army, an Army Ration Card, stamped "4 Dec 1944," and four Tropical Radio Telegraph Company receipts for communiqués to California from "Lt. E. E. Heflin Jr.," dating from December 15, 1943 to January 12, 1944.

Other items in the archive include:

Four certificates awarded to Heflin in 1948 and 1953: A "Marlin Certificate," dated May 6, 1948 from the Hotel Playa de Cortes (Heflin was a noted sports angler). A hand calligraphed "Diction Award," dated October 14 1948 from The Linguaphone Institute. An appreciation certificate for "Van Heflin at the 240th Frolic," dated January 10, 1953, from the Players Playhouse, Detroit Michigan. And an "Honorary Citizen of New Orleans" certificate, dated June 14, 1953, signed by New Orleans Mayor deLesseps S. Morrison.

A collection of fourteen script envelopes addressed to Heflin (many with pencil annotations of the titles in Heflin's hand), circa 1950-1971.

A jewelry box given to Heflin's wife, Frances E. Neal, on the May 25, 1955, Van Heflin episode of the popular NBC television series "This Is Your Life," inscribed "Presented to Mrs. Van Heflin / 'This Is Your Life'."

Approximately 425 copies of two 3.5 x 5 inch satin-finish portrait photographs of Heflin (not applied to the photograph count), circa early 1960s.

A collection of approximately 30 news articles and clippings, mostly related to Heflin's film and television appearances and his induction into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, circa 1960s, with one older clipping from 1944, on the birth of Heflin and Neal's daughter Vana.

A speech written by Heflin on nine index cards, for fraternity Phi Delta Theta's "Golden Legion Presentation Ritual," with a two-page printout of the ceremony, September, 1964.

A large, 21 x 14.5 inch, hand-calligraphed, 20 page pad of collaged news clippings and press photographs presented to Heflin by Ron V. Brown on his spring 1970 trip to Australia in support of the 1970 film "Airplane."

And various notes, receipts, and family documents, many written by or with annotations in Heflin's hand.

Photographs: Approximately 3 x 4.5 inches to 11 x 14 inches. Very Good plus overall, with the two 11 x 14 inch photographs Good, with chipping, creasing and closed tears to the extremities.

Contact Sheets, Slides, and Negatives. Near Fine overall.

Bound Address Book, 5.25 x 6.5 inches. Good, with front and rear boards and spine detached.

"This Is Your Life" jewelry box, 6 x 5.5 x 1.5 inches. Very Good plus, with light rubbing overall and adhesive residue to the top right.

Australia trip pad of news clippings and press photographs. Very Good, with most collaged elements separating from the pages, and some elements missing.

Letters, documents, and other materials, Very Good plus to Near Fine overall.

[Book #169830]