The Lincoln Quarberg papers span the years 1924-1958 and encompass 3 linear feet. The papers offer insight into the work of publicists in general, particularly as they relate to Quarberg's work with Howard Hughes. The material consists primarily of correspondence. The largest body of correspondence is concerned with the censorship and other problems that delayed the release of SCARFACE (1932), and with Howard Hughes's dispute with United Artists, Joseph Schenck, and Will Hays regarding that film. Other esoteric subjects covered include aviation, correspondence regarding product placement in early 1930s films, and early 1940s memos with suggested new names for Universal contract players. Press releases filed by film title for 30 films publicized by Quarberg throughout his career are of interest, as are Caddo Company biographies and publicity files on such individuals as Billie Dove, Howard Hughes, Jesse L. Lasky, and the Venice (California) Shuffleboard Club. Treatments and correspondence for a dozen unrealized productions between 1930 and 1942 round out the collection.

Lincoln Quarberg (1898-1979), known as Link or Linc, was born in Mondovi, Wisconsin, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1921. He worked as a newspaper reporter for United Press before moving to Los Angeles to serve as the paper's bureau manager from 1925 to 1927. As a film publicist, Quarberg was employed with Edwin Carewe (1927), Howard Hughes's Caddo Company (1927-1933), Pickford-Lasky Productions (1936), B. P. Schulberg (1937), Universal (1938-1942), RKO Radio Pictures (1942-1944), Andrew Stone Productions (1946), and Edmund Grainger Productions/RKO (1951-1952). He is credited with coining the term "platinum blonde" for Jean Harlow.