Collection search - William J. Oliver fonds [textual record, moving images]

Record information – Brief
1
William J. Oliver fonds [textual record, moving images]

Hierarchical level:

Fonds

Date:

1917-1991; predominant 1917-1947.

Reference:

R7658-0-4-E, MG30-D402

Type of material:

Moving images, Textual material

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

107235

Context of this record:

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William J. Oliver fonds
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Record information – Details
Fonds includes:

3 lower level description(s)
View lower level description(s)

Date(s):

1917-1991; predominant 1917-1947.

Place of creation:

No place, unknown, or undetermined

Extent:

17 cm of textual records.
ca. 46 film reels.

Language of material:

English

Scope and content:

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Fonds consists of papers documenting the career of William J. Oliver, relating to his work as a journalist, as a contributor to Fox News, as a filmmaker for Parks Canada, and as an associate of Michael Lerner's. The papers are arranged in three series: Correspondence; Writings; and Printed material and memorabilia.

Also included are films by Oliver on Canadian wildlife and national parks.

Provenance:

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Oliver, William John, 1887-1954

Additional name(s):

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Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Biography/Administrative history:

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Oliver, William John, 1887-1954 : William J. (Bill) Oliver was born in England in 1887 and immigrated to Canada in 1910, settling in Alberta. He found work as a camera assistant in the studio of photographer Frederick Cooper and in 1911 began to take pictures for the Morning Albertan. In 1912 he established his own studio, the W.J. Oliver Photographic Studio, and joined the Calgary Herald as a staff photographer. In the early 1920s, Oliver began free-lancing for the Topical Press Agency in London and for Parks Canada, providing them with wilderness shots and publicity about Canada's national parks.

Oliver was also interested in motion pictures and owned a movie camera as early as 1917. Around 1924, he was appointed a Canadian representative of Fox News of New York, and for the next five years provided Fox with news footage from Alberta, the prairies and B.C.

In 1931, Oliver was commissioned by Parks Canada to make a film about Grey Owl, which became the two-reeler The Beaver Family. Other Oliver films of Grey Owl were Pilgrims of the Wild, Grey Owl's Neighbours, and Strange Doings in Beaverland, all of which were written, directed, photographed and edited by Oliver. Oliver did many other films for Parks Canada, under its Director of Publicity J.C. Campbell and, later, Robert J.C. Stead, largely in the west but including some of Cape Breton. Oliver had great freedom in making these films and in some cases initiated the original proposals.

Although he wrote the films, directed and photographed them, and often edited them, the footage was sent to Parks Canada which arranged to have the prints made by the Canadian Government Motion Picture Bureau and, later, Associated Screen News of Montreal. The finished films did not carry Oliver's name. Oliver's association with Parks Canada ended with the Second World War. In 1947, all Parks Canada's motion picture films were transferred to the National Film Board.

In later career, Oliver made a number of expeditions in America and to Africa and Asia, accompanying the American big game hunter Michael Lerner. During the late 1930s and 1940s, Oliver became a popular lecturer, sharing his adventures and photographs with various audiences throughout Alberta. He died in Calgary in 1954.

Finding aid:

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Moving images: (Electronic) Item level descriptions are available in the MINISIS database.

Additional information:

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General note:

The textual records were received in 1996 and 2001 from William J. Oliver's daughter, Audrey-Jean Langford of Ottawa, Ontario.

Custodial history:

The moving images were part of the Canadian Film Institute's (CFI) transfer to the National Archives on May 12, 1975. The CFI received the material in 1973 from Marjorie B. Oliver.

Arrangement note:

Following the donation of additional records in 2001, the arrangement of the textual records was revised.

Associated material note:

The Glenbow-Alberta Institute in Calgary holds a large collection of William J. Oliver's photographs.
Subject heading:

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Photographers Canada

Photographes Canada

Filmmakers - Canada

Motion pictures - Canada

Hunting - Canada, 1930s Grey Owl, 1933

Wildlife - Canada, 1920s-1930s Fox News, 1925-1929

Motion Picture producers and directors

Voyages and Travel, 1930s
Source:

Private

Related control no.:

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(1973-01-10)
1973-0213 MISA
1996-03078-7
1996/0112
1996/0112 MSS
2001-00736-1
MG30-D402

Former archival reference no.:

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MG30-D402
Ordering and viewing options

Conditions of access:

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Moving images (film)

[Consultation90 Open]

Textual records

[Consultation90 Open]

Volume [MG30 D 402] 1--2

[Consultation 90 Open]

Terms of use:

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Moving images: Reproduction and use in any form requires the written permission of the copyright owner. Copyright has been waived by Audrey Langford for any productions on which she holds copyright as long as the William J. Oliver fonds and the National Archives are credited whenever the material is published/broadcast/exhibited.

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Date modified:: 2024-04-09