RKO Studios Orson Welles Collection (Digital Surrogates) | University of Illinois Archives

RKO Studios Orson Welles Collection contain radio and motion pictures scripts, contracts, correspondence, reports, budgets, call sheets, shooting schedules, preview evaluations, literary material, copyright material, publicity material, exhibition material, set designs, and notes concerning the production of films by Orson Welles for RKO Radio Studios relating to hiring and payment of actors; studio personnel; film budgets; relations with actors and producers; unfinished films; script editing process; film set design; copyright acquisitions. Types of scripts include narration, estimating, outline, and continuity scripts.

This series also includes contracts, correspondence, floorplans, and sketches pertaining to facilities and employees of Orson Welles’ Mercury Theatre (1937-1946).

Significant projects include Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons, Journey into Fear, Cyrano De Bergerac, and unfinished film projects such as Smiler with a Knife, Heart of Darkness, Way to Santiago, and It’s All True.

Significant material includes a statement of purpose for Citizen Kane written by Orson Welles.

This material is restricted. To access, please view list of files and contact our reference team at illiarch@illinois.edu with the names of files you would like access to.

To view list of files: Choose the Digital Library link at the top of this record. Once the Digital Library has opened, you will choose the “596 Items” button and be taken to the main page of files. You may browse all files or you have the ability to filter the files at the left hand side of the page either by movie in the “Subject” box or by material type in the “Type” box. You also have the option to filter using the text box underneath the series title. If you need any assistance please contact illiarch@illinois.edu