Gene D. Phillips, SJ (1935-2016)

Fr. Dr. Gene D. Phillips, SJ was an author, educator, and Catholic priest. He received his AB and MA at Loyola University of Chicago and his PhD at Fordham University, the former of which is where he went on to teach English and film courses from 1970-2010.

Phillips is perhaps best known as a biographer for prominent members of the filmmaking industry and kept a rapport with notable directors, including Fred Zinnemann (High Noon, From Here to Eternity), Ken Russell (The Devils, Altered States), and George Cukor (My Fair Lady, The Philadelphia Story). He authored 19 and edited 3 books, juried on panels for Cannes, Berlin, and Chicago International Film Festivals, and served on the editorial board of Literature/Film Quarterly, to name a few of his accomplishments. 

The Gene D. Phillips Archive

This website is dedicated to the trove of archival materials from Phillips' estate that was left to the Film Studies department of the University of Wisconsin -- Milwaukee.

Here, you can explore letters, photographs, slides, and more. Many of these artifacts contain contextual elements of his biographies and shed light on 20th Century postwar Hollywood. Treasures are hidden throughout, from Polaroids taken by Phillips' camera to authorship disputes to the Hollywood Blacklist.

Please enjoy!