Scope and Content Note

This series consists of information materials relating to the foreign territories in which United Artists did business, originally maintained as a set of black ring binders (hence the name).

Each foreign “territory” operated in much the same way as did the United Artists domestic exchanges with all major decisions and the majority of the bookkeeping handled from the home office in New York: in practice, however, the distances involved gave the foreign offices a relatively greater degree of day-to-day autonomy (and the licensed agents were independent corporations). Each territory represented a particular country or geographical area, often encompassing a wider area than the name may suggest: for example the Argentina office handled distribution in Uruguay and Paraguay as well as in Argentina.

The black book for each territory begins with an index, followed by some or all of the following sections:

1. HISTORY: of United Artists operations in that territory.
2. GENERAL: Statistics, laws, MPPDA and bank newsletters, circular letters from UA, historical development of policies, etc.
3. QUOTA AND CONTINGENT LAWS: Restrictions on the import and/or exhibition of foreign pictures. Included are other cinema-related laws.
4. HOLIDAYS: Lists of holidays celebrated, their dates and the effects of each on attendance.
5. BOX OFFICE VALUES: Comparison of various film stars' drawing powers with local audiences.
6. EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY: Labor laws and the responsibilities of employers to employees. Includes circular letters, correspondence, reports, etc. on salary scales, union contracts, vacation and severence requirements, workmen's compensation, etc.
7. MONETARY REGULATIONS: Exchanging of foreign currency to U.S. dollars. Information on frozen funds.
8. TAXES. Tax laws, opinions, etc. which effected film distribution and distributors.
9. DUTY: duty laws, importation of prints and accessories.
10. ACCESSORIES AND POSTERS
11. CENSORSHIP: Local censorship laws.
12. ADVERTISING AND PUBLICITY: Trade paper and newspaper advertising rates and policies.
13. COMPETITORS: Comparative statistics on operations and grosses of competitors.
14. CORPORATION DATA: Incorporation of the foreign companies and their current officers.
15. POWERS OF ATTORNEY: Lists of those granted powers of attorney in each territory.
16. BRANCHES AND AGENTS: Lists of contacts, correspondence.
17. INSURANCE.
18. AUDITORS AND ATTORNEYS: Lists of local attorneys on retainer and of local internal auditors.
19. BANKS: Banks with which UA did business and other important local banks.
20. SPECIAL SELLING INSTRUCTIONS: Mostly from UA producers.
21. THEATRES AND POTENTIAL CONTRACTS: Lists of theatres, first run terms, etc.
22. STOCKHOLDER PRODUCERS' - TERMS:

The file is arranged alphabetically (in three sections: Latin America, Far East, and Continental Europe and Near East) by name of territory, subdivided into sections as described above. While in theory the black books should have been updated either annually or whenever an important item appeared, in practice many of the files are incomplete and some are much more detailed and comprehensive than others. While scattered items predate 1930 and postdate 1950, the bulk of the materials date from between 1935 and 1950.