Athletic Department Football Films

This collection of Northwestern University football films dates between 1929 and 1984 with a gap for the period 1932–1934. The films record actual intercollegiate games although for many seasons not all contests are represented. The films are most complete for football seasons from the 1950s through the 1980s; beginning in the late 1950s, practice, junior varsity, and freshman team game films often are included. Northwestern team and Big Ten Conference football highlight films are scattered across the collection from the 1930s through the 1970s.

Games from 1929 to the late 1950s are usually recorded on single 16 millimeter reels. From the late 1950s through the 1980s games typically are recorded on multiple 16mm reels with each reel corresponding to one quarter of the game; some complete game reels may be found into the 1970s. A few games are documented by separate offensive, defensive, and kicking game reels and all 1984 games are recorded in this fashion. Films dating from 1929 and into the 1960s are predominately black-and-white; from the late 1960s through the 1980s the films are mainly in color. The great majority of films are silent.

One hundred and forty-three reels of Northwestern University football game films, 1984–1987, have been added to this series. The films are in 16 millimeter format. Almost all the games documented by the addition are represented by separate offense, defense, and kicking reels. Films are grouped together according to football season and arranged chronologically by game date.

In March, 1990 the University Archives and the Northwestern Football Office exchanged a number of films from the 1986 football season. The Archives' holdings now include:

1986 Duke: 4 reels (continuous game coverage)

*Army: Offense 2 reels, Defense 1 reel, Kicking 1 reel

Princeton: 4 reels (continuous game coverage)

Indiana: 4 reels (continuous game coverage)

Minnesota: 4 reels (continuous game coverage)

Wisconsin: 4 reels (continuous game coverage)

*Iowa: Offense 2 reels, Defense 2 reels, Kicking 1 reel

Purdue: 4 reels (continuous game coverage)

Ohio State: 4 reels (continuous game coverage)

Michigan State: 4 reels (continuous game coverage)

*Illinois: Offense 2 reels, Defense 2 reels, Kicking 1 reel

* = These reels have been replaced with continuous game coverage films, June 7, 1990. KBL.

In June, 1990 the University Archives replaced its films of the 1987 Duke and Iowa football games with reels of continuous game coverage. Continuous coverage features a chronological recording of the game with each quarter's action on a separate film reel.

Football highlight films from 1935 and 1957 (Big Ten Football Highlights of 1957) have been separated from the University Archives' general motion picture collection and added to this series. They have been placed in the appropriate locations based upon the chronological arrangement of the films in the series.

KBL

3/21/90

Seventy-eight reels of Northwestern University football game films, 1987 to 1989, have been added to this series. The films are in 16 millimeter format. Almost all the games documented by the addition are represented by reels of continuous game coverage, which features a chronological recording of the game with each quarter's action on a separate film reel.

These additions replaced the films of the 1987 games previously held by the University Archives.

Films are grouped together according to football season and arranged chronologically according to date.

Forty-nine reels of Northwestern University football game films, 1987–1989, have been added to this series. The films are in 16 millimeter format. Almost all the games documented by the addition are represented by reels of continuous game coverage, which features a chronological recording of the game with each quarter's action on a separate film reel. Films are grouped together according to football season and arranged chronologically by game date.