Correspondence, contracts, and other records (primarily 1940-1952) on the sale of film distribution rights to foreign clients, documenting distribution contracts from initial contact through subsequent contract enforcement. Foreign distribution was done in two basic ways: by UA or a subsidiary selling rights directly to exhibitors on an individual basis, or by the sale of licenses to other distribution organizations at a flat rate, with subsequent distribution performed by the licensee. Because UA's independent producers had input into the sale price and terms of the distribution agreements, full information on the foreign distribution negotiations were referred either to the home office in New York or to the major UA subsidiary in London for final approval; thus, the series contains extensive details on individual foreign distribution transactions.
