An Inventory of His Collection at the Harry Ransom Center
Creator
Margulies, Irwin,
1907-1976
Title
Irwin Margulies Collection
Dates:
1960-1972
Extent:
2 boxes (.83 linear feet)
Abstract:
This collection consists mainly of
correspondence, notes, and contracts Margulies either produced or received as
courtesy copies while he was employed by Horizon Pictures. Most of the material
in this collection is related to the 1962 production of
Lawrence of Arabia.
Irwin Margulies was born in Austria on June 24, 1907, to a family who
owned a chain of theaters in New York. He became involved in film exhibition as
a small boy, managing the Regent Theatre, a vaudeville house, when he was only
19. Margulies received a B.A. degree from New York University in 1929 and a
L.L.B. degree from the New York University Law School in 1931.
Margulies worked as counsel for many motion picture companies,
producers, and distributors; radio and television producers, distributors, and
personalities, and literary agencies. In 1930, while still a law student,
Margulies began his career in the legal department at Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer
(MGM), where he worked until 1942. He also held assistant secretary and counsel
positions for MGM International Films, Inc. from 1945-47. In addition to the
positions he held at MGM, Margulies was employed as general counsel for J.
Robert Rubin from 1943-47. He retired from MGM to enter private practice in
1947, forming partnerships with Albert Heit and Stanley Rothenberg. Margulies
joined the California Bar Association in 1948.
In 1954, Margulies started work as a vice-president with Horizon
Pictures as a result of his representation of Sam Spiegel. He left his position
at Horizon Pictures in 1967 to serve as a vice-president in charge of business
affairs at Warner Brothers-Seven Arts. In the early 1970s, Margulies left to
open his own law office in London returning a few years later to open offices
in Los Angeles.
Margulies was the executive producer of the 1973 Walter Shenson Films
release
Digby--The Biggest Dog in The World.
Margulies died in Los Angeles following a stroke on May 5, 1979, at the
age of 71.
Scope and Contents
The Irwin Margulies Collection consists mainly of correspondence, notes,
and contracts Margulies either produced or received as courtesy copies while he
was employed by Horizon Pictures. Most of the material in this collection is
related to the 1962 production of
Lawrence of Arabia. The papers are organized
in two series: I. Horizon Pictures, 1960-1972 (1.75 boxes), which contains
contracts, correspondence, revenue reports, memos, notes, and telegrams related
to business conducted by or related to Horizon Pictures; and II. Other Business
and Personal Papers, 1963-1971 (.25 box), which contains correspondence,
financial statements, and contracts for business other than that related
directly to Horizon Pictures, as well as material related to Irwin Margulies's
personal affairs.
This collection documents the process Horizon Pictures went through in
casting actors for parts in
Lawrence of Arabia, the tribulations faced
by a studio making a picture in remote locations and their dealings with a
foreign government, the problems associated with writing the script for
Lawrence of Arabia, as well as negotiations
Horizon undertook with Columbia years after
Lawrence of Arabia was released.
There are also materials related to business other than that of Horizon
Pictures, generated mainly when Margulies was representing producer Sam
Spiegel. In addition, there is correspondence directed to Margulies and related
to his personal financial business.
The integrity of Margulies's filing system was maintained as closely as
possible; groups of materials that were clipped together are filed together in
their respective folders. This accounts for items appearing out of
chronological order. Folder titles were based on those supplied by Margulies
with more detailed information, for example the series title, supplied by the
archivist.
