The A. Arnold Gillespie photographs consists entirely of motion picture production photographs from 173 films produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. All of the images are 8x10 frame enlargements of special effects as they appeared in the release prints of the films. The material is organized alphabetically by film title. Many titles include corresponding information sheets or notations on the reverse of the photographs, giving specific information about how each shot was achieved or used in the film as well as budget figures, scene numbers, and the personnel and equipment used.

Albert Arnold "Buddy" Gillespie (1899-1978) was born in El Paso, Texas, and is regarded as a pioneer in motion picture visual and special effects. Gillespie studied art at Columbia University and the Art Students' League of New York. He came to Hollywood in the early 1920s and found work in the art departments of studios such as Metro, Goldwyn, and Paramount. By 1925 he was working as a set designer and art director at the newly formed Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio under the supervision of Cedric Gibbons. The studio made him head of the special effects department in 1936. Some of his early work included the multitude of mechanical gags and trick shots in THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939) which earned him his first Oscar nomination. Gillespie became known for his extensive work and expertise with miniatures. During his career at MGM, from 1925 to 1965, he received 12 Academy Award® nominations, three of which resulted in Oscars®: THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO (1944), GREEN DOLPHIN STREET (1947), and BEN-HUR (1959). He shared a Class III Academy Scientific Award with Douglas Shearer for 1963 for the development of an improved background process projection system. The extent of his career is illustrated by the fact that he worked on both the MGM originals and remakes of BEN-HUR (1926 and 1959) and MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935 and 1962).