Margaret Conneely Collection

Series In this Collection

Intellectual organization and arrangement
This collection is split into three series.

Series I: Films by Margaret Conneely (Scenario & Medical Films) comprises the footage shot by Margaret Conneely. It is split into two sub-series: her films made with amateur cinema clubs and those made for her job as a medical photographer.

Series II: Collected Films (Amateur & Professional Films) is split into two sub-series: amateur film productions and commercially produced films.

Series III: Conneely Ephemera includes papers, photos, and ephemera created and collected by Conneely.

Collection Items

Browse All Objects
Omar and Margaret Conneely
Film
Omar and Margaret Conneely
circa 1969
Tar’s Basketball Intramural Girls 5th Grade 1954
Film
Tar’s Basketball Intramural Girls 5th Grade 1954
1954
Spectacular World of Science and Medicine Through Cinematography
Film
Spectacular World of Science and Medicine Through Cinematography
1975
Student Life at Loyola University Medical School
Film
Student Life at Loyola University Medical School
circa 1955
Boy Scout Camp 1954-55-56/ St. Tars Basketball
Film
Boy Scout Camp 1954-55-56/ St. Tars Basketball
1953 – 1956
Explorer Scouts Making Fiberglass Canoes
Film
Explorer Scouts Making Fiberglass Canoes
1957
Goldfinch
Film
Goldfinch
circa 1941
Paris Travelogue Footage
Film
Paris Travelogue Footage
1961
Robin Footage
Film
Robin Footage
circa 1952
Metro Picnic
Film
Metro Picnic
1950s
Picnic Old Canal Metro Pictures
Film
Picnic Old Canal Metro Pictures
1950
D&B on Overpass: Chicago
Film
D&B on Overpass: Chicago
circa 1957
Mary and Joe Chicago Style [unedited Three Kings footage]
Film
Mary and Joe Chicago Style [unedited Three Kings footage]
January 22 – February 12 1971
Halloween Fun
Film
Halloween Fun
circa 1952
Behind the Scenes at Central Cinematographers
Film
Behind the Scenes at Central Cinematographers
circa 1963
Bird Footage
Film
Bird Footage
Switch
Film
Switch, The
1961
Murder!
Film
Murder!
1961
Fairy Princess, The
Film
Fairy Princess, The
1956
Saga of the First and Last, The
Film
Saga of the First and Last, The
1954
Chicago: City to See in ‘63
Film
Chicago: City to See in ‘63
1962
45, The
Film
45, The
1961
Mister E
Film
Mister E
1960
Mary & Joe Chicago Style [Unedited Mary/Joseph Scenes]
Film
Mary & Joe Chicago Style [Unedited Mary/Joseph Scenes]
1971
Silver Bells
Film
Silver Bells
1960s
PSA Chapter Christmas Party
Film
PSA Chapter Christmas Party
circa 1959
Mary & Joe Chicago Style [Titles]
Film
Mary & Joe Chicago Style [Titles]
1971
Metro Picnic at Old Canal
Film
Metro Picnic at Old Canal
circa 1955
Making Titles for Mister E
Film
Making Titles for Mister E
1960
Making Christmas Tree Ornaments
Film
Making Christmas Tree Ornaments
1955
Circus Capers
Film
Circus Capers
circa 1955
Behind the Scenes, Title Making at Central Cinematographers for “Thirteen Tokens”
Film
Behind the Scenes, Title Making at Central Cinematographers for “Thirteen Tokens”
circa 1967
Behind the Scenes at Central Cinematographers - At Hogan's, Basement Tokens
Film
Behind the Scenes at Central Cinematographers - At Hogan's, Basement Tokens
circa 1965
Thirteen Tokens [Workprint]
Film
Thirteen Tokens [Workprint]
circa 1967
The Rise of the House of Usher (Original)
Film
The Rise of the House of Usher (Original)
circa 1968
Cine Continuity
Film
Cine Continuity
circa 1959
Slow Drying
Film
Slow Drying
1960
Mexico
Film
Mexico
1950s
Westward Whoa
Film
Westward Whoa
1948
Cuba: Camaguey
Film
Cuba: Camaguey
1952
Cuba: Zoo
Film
Cuba: Zoo
1953
Cuba: Havana
Film
Cuba: Havana
1952
Cuba
Film
Cuba
1951
Cuba At Night
Film
Cuba At Night
1951
San Francisco Film, Heart Castle
Film
San Francisco Film, Heart Castle
circa 1970
Now a Word From…
Film
Now a Word From…
1950s
Gypsamania
Film
Gypsamania
1940
Watch Out!
Film
Watch Out!
1959
Shooting of the Girl on the Beach, The
Film
Shooting of the Girl on the Beach, The
circa 1963
Yes, Lucy
Film
Yes, Lucy
1948
Black Widow
Film
Black Widow
circa 1946
Sumner
Film
Sumner
1949
Doggone Elections
Film
Doggone Elections
Something to Look at Besides T.V.
Film
Something to Look at Besides T.V.
Animated Dogs in Christmas Window
Film
Animated Dogs in Christmas Window
circa 1966
Eyes
Film
Eyes
1967
Games for Married Men
Film
Games For Married Men
1977
Fowl Play
Film
Fowl Play
circa 1956
Caeser and Cleo
Film
Caeser and Cleo
circa 1960
Dressing the Model
Film
Dressing the Model
circa 1957
Her Heart’s Desire
Film
Her Heart’s Desire
1947
[Carl Frazier - Making "Chicago: Why It Grew"]
Film
[Carl Frazier - Making "Chicago: Why It Grew"]
circa 1958
Animated Music
Film
Animated Music
circa 1959
At the Dog Show
Film
At the Dog Show
1942
You Are There: “The Chicago Fire”
Film
You Are There: “The Chicago Fire”
1955
Making A Sound Film
Film
Making A Sound Film
1973
Chicago Railroad Fair & Pageant
Film
Chicago Railroad Fair & Pageant
1950
Shortest Way Home
Film
Shortest Way Home
circa 1951
Goldielocks and the Three Bears
Film
Goldielocks and the Three Bears
1934
Little King: Christmas Night, The
Film
Little King: Christmas Night, The
1933
Teddy Bears at Play
Film
Teddy Bears at Play
circa 1959
Hopping the Bells
Film
Hopping the Bells
1932
Rainbow of the Desert: Zion National Park
Film
Rainbow of the Desert: Zion National Park
circa 1939
Common Mistakes in Filming
Film
Common Mistakes in Filming
circa 1939
Ethiopia
Film
Ethiopia
circa 1939
Secrets of Nature
Film
Secrets of Nature
1951
View More Items
To request more information about the items in this collection, please contact the archive at info@chicagofilmarchives.org.
Items with Viewable Media
Collection Identifier
C.2005-01
Extent of Collection
1 reel of 35mm film totaling 235 feet; 375 reels of 16mm film totaling 14757 feet; 3 reels of 8mm film totaling 750 feet; 22 reels of Super 8 film totaling 6176 feet; 6 reels of 1/4 audiotape totaling 1850 feet; 1 3/4 inch videotape cassette; 2 1/2 inch VHS videotapes cassettes; 3 15x13 inch boxes of papers, photos, magazines and books; 1 15x13 inch box with awards; 4 photo albums containing photographs and clippings.
Language Of Materials
English
Custodial History
This collection contains films and paper created and collected by Margaret Conneely over a sixty year period. She gifted them to Chicago Film Archives in a series of donations over the fall and winter of 2004-2005.
Related Materials
Additional Metro Movie Club films and Amateur Film Club films can be found in John & Marilyn Sanner Collection at Chicago Film Archives. Other Amateur film clubs can also be found in the Ron Doerring Collection and J. Gerald Hooper Collection at Chicago Film Archives.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open to on-site access. Appointments must be made with Chicago Film Archives. Due to the fragile nature of the films, only video copies will be provided for on-site viewing.
Use Restrictions
Chicago Film Archives holds the copyright for the films and documents created by Margaret Conneely. For the films, photos, and additional paper materials published by others, any determination of copyright status for reproduction is the responsibility of the user.
Creators
Conneely, Margaret (was created by)
Chicago movie-maker Margaret Conneely (1915–2007) was active in amateur filmmaking both locally and internationally for nearly half a century. She is best known as a producer and director of scenario films, film competition judge and as an exhibitor.

 

In 1949 Conneely joined the Metro Movie Club, an amateur film club based in River Park and Chicago, Illinois. She was also a member of the Chicago Cinema Club and the Glenview Moviemakers and was an active member of the Chicago Area Camera Club Association, the Photographic Society of America (PSA) and the Amateur Cinema League. While a member of PSA, Conneely served as organizer and chairman of the PSA's first International Competition (1952-1953) as well as chairman and secretary for the PSA Motion Picture Division and chairman of the 1963 PSA National Convention Committee.

 

In the 1950s, Margaret’s films won awards from major amateur contests in both America and Europe. In 1956, her film The Fairy Princess (1956) won the International PSA Harris Tuttle Trophy for Best Family Film. By the 1960s Conneely had become a highly regarded film competition judge, attending amateur film festivals around the world. Conneely judged competitions for the PSA, Chicago Area Camera Club Association, Institute of Amateur Cinematographers and local film clubs. Conneely also wrote articles on amateur film that appeared in local club newsletters, the PSA journal, Panorama Magazine, Chicago Tribune and the New York Times. Additionally, Conneely presented and took part in lectures, demonstrations and programs in the 1950s and 1960s to further the art of motion picture making. She presented at Chicago-area camera clubs and at conventions for the Institute of Amateur Cinematographers and PSA.

 

Margaret later went on to become the director and chief photographer of medical photography and illustration at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois.