The Webmaster’s Wish List

Even after thirty years of collecting, there are a number of items that have eluded the Webmaster. If you have access to any of the items listed below, please contact me through the Contact Us link at the top of the page. I will pay generously for any of these items. Although I would prefer to purchase originals of the paper documents, in many cases I will also pay for photocopies or digital scans of them if you (understandably) wish to keep the original.

Films

There are only four winning features missing from the Webmater’s video collection, but these are so rare—generally considered “lost”—that anyone who finds them will be able to name his or her own price from film archives around the world. They are . . .

Oscar Winner markerThe Bridge of San Luis Rey (1929)
Won the 1928-29 Academy Award for Art Direction (Cedric Gibbons). It was released in both silent and part-talking versions, but only the silent version exists at the George Eastman House film archive. It was remade in 1944 and 2004.
Oscar Winner markerThe Dove (1927)
Won the 1927-28 Academy Award for Art Direction (William Cameron Menzies). An incomplete version of this film exists at the Library of Congress, but it is missing reels 2, 5, 6, 7, and 9.
Oscar Winner markerThe Patriot (1928)
Nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor (Lewis Stone), Directing (Ernst Lubitsch), Art Direction (Hans Dreier); it won the 1928-29 Academy Award for Writing (Hans Kraly). Only pieces of this film are left; there is no complete copy.
Oscar Winner markerThe Way of All Flesh (1927)
Emil Jannings won the first Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in this film (as well as in The Last Command). No copy or portions of this film are known to exist in any private collection or film archive.

Although they are not features, there are two other films that have special significance in Academy Award history and, as such, I would like to find copies to complete the collection.

winnerA Force in Readiness (1961)
An honorary award was presented to William L. Hendricks “for his outstanding patriotic service in the conception, writing and production” of this Marine Corps. film.
winnerKukan (1941)
A special award was presented to Rey Scott “for his extraordinary achievement in producing . . . the film record of China’s struggle, including its photography with a 16mm camera under the most difficult and dangerous conditions.”

Ceremony Programs

The staged Academy Award ceremonies that we are familiar with today began with the 16th awards, honoring the films of 1943. The programs for all of these presentations can be viewed on this website in the Gallery.

The first 15 presentations, however, were private dinners or banquets for members of the Academy. Due to the smaller audience, the programs/menus from these affairs are harder to obtain. I am looking for the programs for the first through the 15th Academy Awards (for the Award years 1927-28 to 1942). [I have a facsimile version of the first program (given to attendees of the 75th Governors Ball) that may or may not be accurate.] Again, I will pay for photocopies or digital scans if you do not want to sell the original.


Reminder Lists

Each year the Academy publishes a booklet that lists all films eligible for Academy Awards that year. I have originals, photocopies, or digital copies of the contents of these for all years. In 2013 the Academy implemented a “green” initiative to reduce the number of publications it prints. From that year forward, the Reminder Lists may have been published only in digital format. However, I would like to obtain originals (or at least good quality scans of the covers) of the missing seven early years, and, if they exist, tangible booklets for the later years. The missing Reminder Lists (listed by award ceremony number and year) are:

Rule Books

Each year the Academy publishes the rules for the selection of Award nominees and winners (they change slightly from year to year). I have originals, photocopies, or digital copies of the contents of these for all years. In 2013 the Academy implemented a “green” initiative to reduce the number of publications it prints. From that year forward, the Rule Books may have been published only in digital format. However, I would like to obtain originals (or at least good quality scans of the covers) for the missing 15 early years, and, if they exist, the tangible booklets for the later years. The missing Rule Books (listed by award ceremony number and year) are:


Any help you can give us in obtaining any of these items will be greatly appreciated!

Flix