David Loeb Weiss Film Collection
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Abstract
David Loeb Weiss (c. 1911–2005) was a Polish American socialist activist and filmmaker. The David Loeb Weiss Film Collection contains unedited materials, selects, out-takes, trims, and preservation elements from films across Loeb Weiss' career. Users should be aware that one film's title contains a racial slur, which is a direct quote from a protester depicted in the film. The original language has been maintained in archival description to convey the meaning and historical context of the statement. The films in this collection include Profile of a Peace Parade (1967), No Vietnamese Ever Called Me Nigger (1968), To Make a Revolution (1972), Farewell, Etaoin Shrdlu (1980), and Planet Without a Visa (earlier titled I Stake My Life), an uncompleted documentary film about Leon Trotsky. The collection also includes amateur footage of Mountain Spring Camp, a Socialist Workers Party summer resort.
Biographical Note
David Loeb Weiss (c. 1911–2005) was a Polish American socialist activist and filmmaker. He received a B.A. in economics from New York University and an M.A. in political science from the New School for Social Research.
Loeb Weiss held a variety of jobs over his lifetime, including a radarman in the U.S. Army, merchant marine, restaurant waiter, farmhand, shipyard worker, busboy, electrician, proofreader for the New York Times, film editor at the United Nations, and leader during the Dura Steel strike in Los Angeles.
Loeb Weiss co-founded the Socialist Workers Party in 1938. In the 1940s, he co-directed the Mountain Spring Camp, a Socialist Workers Party summer resort, and gave lectures at the New York Marxist Labor School. He ran for office on the Socialist Workers Party ticket, including for Mayor of New York City in 1953 and for Governor of New York in 1954.
Over the course of his career as a filmmaker, Loeb Weiss produced and directed five documentary films: Profile of a Peace Parade (1967), No Vietnamese Ever Called Me Nigger (1968), 'Ey Michelangelo (1971), To Make a Revolution (1972), and Farewell, Etaoin Shrdlu (1980).
Arrangement
Arranged into two series: Series I. Farewell, Etaoin Shrdlu and Series II. Planet Without a Visa. Materials are arranged alpabetically. A majority of the collection has not been arranged or described by an archivist.
Scope and Contents
The David Loeb Weiss Film Collection contains unedited materials, selects, out-takes, trims, audio recordings, and preservation elements from four of Loeb Weiss' completed films, as well as one incomplete film. Users should be aware that one film's title contains a racial slur, which is a direct quote from a protester depicted in the film. The original language has been maintained in archival description to convey the meaning and historical context of the statement. The films in this collection include:
Profile of a Peace Parade (1967), a documentary about a Times Square parade that took place on Hiroshima Day, protesting the detonation of atom bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima;
No Vietnamese Ever Called Me Nigger (1968), a portrait of Black anti-war protestors and veterans, filmed during a 1967 march from Harlem to the United Nations;
To Make a Revolution (1972), a documentary about the Young Socialist Alliance that depicts its 1970 Convention in New York City;
Farewell, Etaoin Shrdlu (1980), a documentary by David Loeb Weiss and Carl Schlesinger showcasing the linotype printing process at The New York Times on the last day that it was used;
and Planet Without a Visa (previously titled I Stake My Life), an incomplete documentary film about Leon Trotsky, with Betacam SP transfers.
The collection also includes amateur footage of Mountain Spring Camp, a Socialist Workers Party summer resort co-directed by Loeb Weiss.
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Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Because of the assembled nature of this collection, copyright status varies across the collection. Copyright is assumed to be held by the original creator of individual items in the collection; these items are expected to pass into the public domain 120 years after their creation. Repository is not authorized to grant permission to publish or reproduce materials from this collection.
Rights to materials related to accession 2002-020 held by David Loeb Weiss were transferred to New York University in 2002 by David Loeb Weiss. Permission to publish or reproduce materials in this collection must be secured from Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Archives. Please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu, (212) 998-2630.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; David Loeb Weiss Film Collection; FILMS 002; box number; folder number or item identifier; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by David Loeb Weiss in 2002. The accession numbers associated with this gift are 2002.020 and NPA.2002.044.
An additional gift was donated by Steven Sluchanksy in 2003. The accession number associated with this gift is 2003.053.
Preservation elements for Farewell, Eation Shrdlu created in 2023 for a National Film Preservation Foundation grant project are associated with accession number 2024.002.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures
Access to audiovisual materials in this collection is available through digitized access copies. Researchers may view an item's original container, but the media themselves are not available for playback because of preservation concerns. Materials that have already been digitized are noted in the collection's finding aid and can be requested in our reading room.
Some audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu, (212) 998-2630 with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Processing decisions prior to 2024 are not documented. In 2024, materials related to Farewell, Etaoin Shrdlu and digitized audio related to Planet Without a Visa were arranged by an archivist. A box level inventory was also created for the rest of the collection.
Repository
Series I. Farewell, Etaoin Shrdlu, 1978-2023, inclusive
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Scope and Contents
Series I. Farewell, Etaoin Shrdlu includes a dye print, narration and sound elements, trims and outs, preservation elements, a digital scan, and reference materials for the 1980 documentary by David Loeb Weiss and Carl Schlesinger. Farewell showcases the linotype printing process at The New York Times on the last day that it was used.
Automation and You at the N.Y. Times, circa 1980, inclusive
Digital scan, 1980
Scope and Contents
This digital copy of the film was created with duplicate negatives and optical track negatives by vendor BB Optics as part of a National Film Preservation Foundation grant project. The Museum of Modern Art lent the original negative A- and B-rolls and optical track negatives to NYU for this project.
Video
Dye print, circa 1980, inclusive
Film audio, circa 1980, inclusive
Narration, November 18, 1980
Preservation elements, 2023
Color interpositive
Color duplicate negative
Optical track negative
Sound answer print
Sound check print
Sound release print
Print shop sound effects, circa 1980, inclusive
Sound rolls, 1978-1980, inclusive
Trims and outs, circa 1980, inclusive
Series II. Planet Without a Visa
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Scope and Contents
Series II. Planet Without a Visa contains sound elements and reference materials for the unfinished documentary film by David Loeb Weiss. Reference materials include recordings from a University of Mexico Colloquium on Trotsky, a lecture on Trotsky by Jean Van Hevenoort, an interview with Galina Ivanovna, and a film on James P. Cannon.
J. P. Cannon Roll 3 Part 2, Undated, inclusive
Jean Van Hevenoort Lecture on Trotsky, Harvard University, January 7, 1980
Audio
LDT-R1 'Traitor' Cannon, Undated, inclusive
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Duration: 9 min. 22 sec., Color, Silent; Preservation note: "B-wind double-perf color reversal. Ektachrome EF stock with 1972 date code. Slight edgewave; soundtrack is not available."
Video
LDT-R2 'Traitor' Cannon, Nick Castle, Undated, inclusive
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Duration: 11 min. 39 sec., Color, Silent; Preservation note: "B-wind double-perf color reversal. Ektachrome EF stock with 1972 date code; soundtrack element is not available."
Video
LDT-R3 'Traitor' Cannon, Undated, inclusive
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Duration: 11 min. 37 sec., Color, Silent; Preservation note: "B-wind double-perf color reversal. Ektachrome EF stock with 1972 date code. Edgewave; soundtrack element is unavailable."
Video
Pre-Interview with Galina Ivanovna, Undated, inclusive
Audio
Pre-Production Trial, November 1, 1990
Digital materials
Sound -- 1, Undated, inclusive
Audio
Sound -- 2, 5, 6, 7, part of 8, Undated, inclusive
Audio
Sound -- 3, end of 8, 9, 10, Undated, inclusive
Audio
Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 2 -- Adolfo Gilly, May 18, 1987
Audio
Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 3 -- Adolfo Gilly, May 18, 1987
Audio
Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 4 -- Pierre Broué, May 18, 1987
Scope and Contents
The lecture is titled "Leon Trotsky a 20 años de Octubre."
Audio
Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 5 -- Enrique Avilar, May 19, 1987
Scope and Contents
The lecture is titled "Mexico, el unico visado en el planeta para Trotsky."
Audio
Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 6 -- Pierre Broué, May 19, 1987
Scope and Contents
The lecture is titled "Contraprocesso de la Comision Dewey"
Audio
Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 7 -- Pierre Broué and Peter Katel, May 19, 1987
Scope and Contents
Broué's lecture is titled "Contraprocesso de la Comision Dewey"; Katel lectures on the U.S. press.
Audio
Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 8 -- Peter Katel, Ricardo Perez Montfort, May 19, 1987
Scope and Contents
Katel lectures on the U.S. press; Perez Montfort lectures on the Mexican right.
Audio
Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 9 -- Teresa Aguirre, May 20, 1987
Scope and Contents
This lecture is titled "Lombardo contra Trotsky."
Audio
Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 10 -- Teresa Aguirre, May 20, 1987
Scope and Contents
This lecture is titled "Lombardo contra Trotsky."
Audio
Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 11 -- Felix Ibarra and Octavio Fernandez, May 20, 1987
Scope and Contents
Lecture titles include "Primeros Pasos del Trotskysmo en Mexico," "Nacimiento de la Oposicion de Izquierda en Mexico" by Felix Ibarra, and "Trotsky y los Trotskystos Mexicanos" by Octavio Fernandez.
Audio
Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 12 -- Octavio Fernandez, May 20, 1987
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Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 13 -- Octavio Fernandez, May 20, 1987
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Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 14 -- Manuel Aguilar Mora, May 21, 1987
Scope and Contents
Lecture titles include "Ideas, Artes, Ideologias, ¿Una Triple Militencia?" and "Sigueros Contra Trotsky" by Manuel Aguilar Mora.
Audio
Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 17 -- Adolfo Gilly, 1987
Audio
Univeristy of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium Tape 18 -- David's Introductory Remarks, Interviews with Young People, 1987
Audio
University of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium -- Pierre Broué (end of speech), May 18, 1987
Audio
University of Mexico Trotsky Colloquium -- Wednesday Main Sessions, May 20, 1987
Scope and Contents
Sessions listed include: "Greetings from Canada - Al Capp, Letter from Germany, Greetings from the Ligue Communiste, Organizational report, Financial report, Organizer report, Telegram - Seattle 8, Discussion on above, Telegram to Steve Warshell, Discussion continued, Greetings from Italy, Summary of Org. report, Telegram to Mexican Political Prisoners, Arab Panel"
