This is a small collection that suggests but unfortunately fails to fully document Jacob's diverse career in motion pictures and theater. The size of the collection is somewhat surprising because a 1976 article about Jacobs mentions his extensive archive.
Most complete in the collection are the materials on his work as a production designer and as a writer of motion pictures and plays and of film criticisms and histories. Even in these areas, however, the collection contains little on several significant aspects of his work such as the production design work which he did in Hollywood during the late 1930s and 1940s or his writing of The Rise of American Film. The collection consists of biographical material, correspondence, production files, non-dramatic writings, and miscellany. Because portions of the collection such as the outgoing correspondence and the biographical clippings were received in poor condition they have been microfilmed and the originals destroyed. The storyboards were also in deteriorating physical condition, but because of their unusual artistic quality and because many of the sketches were done in color, the originals have been retained for very selective use.
The BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL consists of clippings, articles about Jacobs, reviews of his films, resumes, and literature concerning his teaching.
CORRESPONDENCE comprises about one half of the papers. Although it spans the period 1930 to 1982, coverage is fragmentary and uneven. In the main the correspondence consists of personal and professional exchanges with friends and associates in the national and international film community. Many letters concern legal and production arrangements for his film work and writing. Some letters came from people who knew him solely through his books and writings. There are a few letters from some individuals with whom he worked such as Herman Boxer, Harry Clark, Sidney Harmon, Sam Jaffe, and Michael Levinson. Perhaps the most complete of these exchanges occurred in 1948 between Jacobs, Harmon, and Clark concerning difficulties in collaboration on an apparently uncompleted play. Unfortunately there are virtually no letters pertaining to his early experimental film work or to his work for the major Hollywood studios. The sole documentation pertaining to Experimental Cinema is a 1930 letter from Seymour Stern to Upton Sinclair and a handwritten reply from Mrs. Sinclair.
PRODUCTION FILES primarily consist of stills and photographs, scripts, and storyboards, together with some advertising material and playbills. The storyboards, which are of exceptional quality because of Jacob's background and training as an artist, are also available on microfilm. These, however, primarily document Jacob's work in industrial and educational film rather than his work for major motion pictures, although his studio work is represented by storyboards for Sleep My Love and Men at Sea. Scripts, some of which are extensively annotated, primarily concern Jacobs' collaboration with Walter Hart. These include Shootin' Star, Sweet Love, Bitter, and two unproduced titles. Production stills are included for Hopi, Hutterites of Canada, and Sweet Love, Bitter.
NON-DRAMATIC WRITINGS contain no files on his numerous books on film history and criticism. There are, however, four rare issues of Experimental Cinema, reviews and articles which he wrote, and an issue of Photo History which he designed. The MISCELLANY consists of handwritten notes and information on the many film awards which Jacobs received.
