The Frances Richardson collection spans the years 1936-1969 (bulk 1940s and 1950s). The collection consists primarily of production design drawings for 20th Century-Fox films. DADDY LONG LEGS (1955), RAMONA (1936), JESSE JAMES (1939), PRINCE OF PLAYERS (1955), INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS (1958), SOUTH PACIFIC (1958), and STAGECOACH (1966) are among the films represented. Artists include Edward Graves, David Hall, Addison Hehr, Dale Hennessy, Mark Miller, Harold Michelson, Stan Parkhouse, Jim Reynolds, and Jack Martin Smith. In addition to the drawings there are storyboards for BRIGHAM YOUNG—FRONTIERSMAN (1940), photostats of costume design drawings for South Pacific, and continuity sketches for TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH (1949).

Frances Richardson (1897-1995) was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Willows, California. Prior to entering the field of motion picture research, she was a children's librarian in Fresno and headed the art and music department of the Los Angeles Public Library. Richardson was director of the Research Department at 20th Century-Fox, where she was employed for 42 years.