The Charles Champlin papers span the years 1965-1992 (bulk 1968-1988) and encompass 8 linear feet. The collection consists primarily of clippings and notes for Champlin's articles on entertainment personalities and organizations. Of special interest are clippings, correspondence, and related material from 1968 to 1985 regarding the Cannes International Film Festival. Also of note is the correspondence between Champlin and numerous friends, associates, and business contacts, such as Max Evans, Pare Lorentz, Sidney Sheldon, Ray Stark, Jack Valenti, King Vidor, and Fredd Wayne. The collection contains little information on Champlin's television career. A large quantity of material of substantial quality, including a small number of still photographs, has been transferred out of the collection to the library's Core Collection files. This has added information to some 1,100 biographical files, 160 production files, and more than 100 subject files.

Charles Champlin (b. 1926) was born in Hammondsport, New York, to a family long involved in the wine business. He served in the infantry in World War II and was awarded the Purple Heart and battle stars. Champlin graduated from Harvard College with honors in 1948. He served as a writer and correspondent for "Life" and "Time" magazines for 17 years, working in New York, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and London. In 1965 he joined the "Los Angeles Times" as a columnist and entertainment editor. He was also the paper's principal film critic from 1967 to 1980. In 1991 he became the "Times"' Arts Editor emeritus and continues to contribute articles. Champlin is past president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and a trustee of both the Los Angeles Film Teachers Association and the Los Angeles Student Film Festival.