The Scarface sub-series (1930-1963) is comprised of materials pertaining to the production process and censorship issues of The Caddo Company's April 9, 1932 release of Scarface, also known as Scarface: The Shame of the Nation. The materials in this sub-series consist of administrative, advertising and publicity, distribution, editing, legal, and production and direction, and story development records. Types of materials include newspaper clipping bound volumes, correspondence, forewards, contracts, and reports. Also included are black-and-white photographic prints and negatives depicting the film during its production, sets, director activities, and profile images of the principal and supporting cast used for publicity.
Scarface is based on Armitage Trail's novel of the same name. The film, loosely based on Al Capone, faced a censorship battle that Howard Hughes employed in the film's promotion.
The corporate records sub-series (1924-1961) for The Caddo Company consists of newspaper clippings, administrative correspondence, actor and distribution contracts, and financial reports. Film distribution records primarily fall in this portion of the series.
Newspaper clippings in this sub-series publicize Howard Hughes’ corporate, theatrical, and personal activities. They also feature publicity for actors in his films including Billie Dove, Jean Harlow, and Ann Dvorak. Financial records include receipts and invoices for expenditures, employee payroll, film revenue summaries, inventory lists, insurance policies, company budgets, insurance policy forms, and corporate stock information. Legal records include contracts for actors, screen writers, music rights, production companies, and distribution companies for domestic and international film releases. Other corporate materials include Caddo maintained logs for aircraft, correspondence between film production companies and Hughes’ corporations, and materials for the unproduced film Rivets.