The J. Roy Hunt papers span the years 1912-1972 (bulk 1940s) and encompass 0.4 linear foot. The material consists of papers concerning Hunt's personal life, including correspondence, military records, and identification cards. A large amount of material relates to his service during World War II and to his ham-radio station. There is nothing about Hunt's professional career or about any of the films he photographed.

John Roy Hunt (1884-1972) was born in Carperton, West Virginia. He started in the business in 1904 by showing films at the St. Louis World's Fair. He then moved to Fresno and in 1905 opened a motion picture theater. Hunt started as a photographer with Happy Jack's Wild West Show and from there went to work for Gaumont Grafic. Some of the features Hunt photographed during his long career are A DAUGHTER OF THE GODS (1916), BEAU GESTE (1926), FLYING DOWN TO RIO (1933), I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943), EIGHT IRON MEN (1952), and his final film, THE JUGGLER (1953). Interested in the technical aspects of motion pictures and radio, Hunt invented several camera improvements and operated his own ham-radio station. Hunt retired in the early 1950s.