The Hank Moonjean collection of motion picture advertising spans the years 1915-2012 and encompasses approximately 135 linear feet. The collection consists of 270 notebooks, containing advertisements collected by Moonjean during his lifetime for films released in the U.S. from approximately 1915 to 2012. The collection is arranged alphabetically by studio name, then chronologically within each studio.

The ads were largely compiled from promotional materials in industry publications, including Hollywood trade papers, such as "Hollywood Reporter" and "Variety," and studio pressbooks. The ads are corner-mounted on paper encapsulated by sleeves in three-ring notebooks.

Among the film studios represented are Allied Artists, American International, Buena Vista (Disney), Columbia, MGM, Paramount, Republic, RKO, 20th Century Fox, United Artists, Universal, and Warner Bros. An extensive card file title index accompanies the notebooks.

Hank Moonjean was born in Evanston, Illinois, to parents of Armenian heritage. After graduating from the University of Southern California (USC), he found work in Culver City at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) studios. At MGM, he worked, often uncredited, as a second assistant director on such films as BLACKBOARD JUNGLE (1955), KISMET (1955), and RAINTREE COUNTY (1957). He went on to provide second unit work for directors including George Stevens and Fred Zinnemann.

During the 1960s, he worked primarily as an assistant director on a wide variety of films including SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH (1962), THE PRIZE (1963), THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN (1964), A PATCH OF BLUE (1965),THE MONEY TRAP (1966), COOL HAND LUKE (1967), and THE ODD COUPLE (1968). He produced a number of films starring Burt Reynolds, including HOOPER (1978), SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT II (1980), PATERNITY (1981), and SHARKEY'S MACHINE (1981). Moonjean was nominated for an Academy Award in the best picture category for DANGEROUS LIAISONS (1988). His 2004 book, "Bring in the Peacocks--, or, Memoirs of a Hollywood Producer," documents his diverse career and behind-the-scenes work in Hollywood.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was formed in 1924 when the theater circuit Loew's Inc., owner of Metro Pictures Corporation, acquired Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer Pictures and subsequently merged the three companies. The Culver City studio soon became one of the strongest and most prestigious of the major production companies, superior both in profits and in critical acclaim throughout most of the 1930s and 1940s. During the 1950s changes brought about by the Paramount consent decree eventually rendered the studio system obsolete, and MGM, which had once dominated that system, suffered a slow decline. The studio was purchased in 1970 by Kirk Kerkorian, who sold off most of its assets and, in 1973, shut down the distribution arm of the company. Ted Turner purchased MGM in 1986, then immediately sold the studio to Lorimar Pictures while retaining the film library and script material (see Turner/MGM scripts). Acquired by a consortium of investors in 2005, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. continues to function as a film production and distribution company out of its Century City, California headquarters.

Paramount Pictures, Inc., is one of Hollywood's oldest continuously operating film studios. Its history goes back to 1912, when studio executive Adolph Zukor imported the French feature film QUEEN ELIZABETH, starring Sarah Bernhardt, and used it to launch his Famous Players Film Company. Famous Players merged with the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company in 1916 to form Famous Players-Lasky, which acquired a controlling interest in Paramount Pictures Corporation, at the time a two-year old distribution entity. In 1933 the company declared bankruptcy, Lasky was ousted, and the company reorganized to emerge as Paramount Pictures, Inc., with Zukor serving as chairman of the board emeritus. Gulf+Western acquired the company in 1966, followed by Viacom, Inc. in 1994. The studio is located in Hollywood.

RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. was founded in 1928 and operated out of the former Robertson-Cole studios in Hollywood (now part of the Paramount lot). The company was born out of mergers among the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), the Film Booking Offices of America (FBO) and the Keith-Albee-Orpheum vaudeville circuit in the 1920s. The result was Radio-Keith-Orpheum, better known as RKO. The studio built its prestige upon a generally high production standard and the participation of major stars, such as Fred Astaire, Irene Dunne, Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers. Its individual hit films included KING KONG (1933), TOP HAT (1935), STAGE DOOR (1937), GUNGA DIN (1939) and SUSPICION (1941). Aside from its own productions, RKO also released Goldwyn, Disney and Selznick films. The company continued as a major motion picture studio for more than 27 years. In 1948 Howard Hughes acquired a large share of RKO stock and gained control of the company. After a period of financial difficulties, the company ceased production in 1958, and the studio lot was sold to Desilu.