Historic Films Archive is a stock footage library operating from New York. It owns the rights to an extensive collection of television and film footage dating back to 1895. Its library includes all genres of American Music on film and video and historic archive footage derived from American Newsreels, Feature Films, Industrial shorts, home movies, out-takes and cartoons.
The company originated as a Manhattan based research archive named Associated Researchers and Image Quest; it was founded by Joe Lauro and Richard Plagge in 1991. Lauro had previously worked for Archive Films as a researcher and Plagge for FOX MOVIETONE NEWS when they decided to form their own company. They soon realized that licensing footage was more lucrative than acting as researchers. In 1993, the company moved to East Hampton, close to Plagge's home.
In 1994 Plagge died, and Lauro formed a partnership with California producer Andrew Solt, the owner of the rights to The Ed Sullivan Show. They converted ARIQ into the Historic Film Archive in 1997.
The Historic Films library is fully digitized and its material is view-able instantly for research purposes on its official website. Historic Film's footage can also be viewed on mobile devices and tablets and offers its clients the most advanced and easiest access from all of its competitors.
The Ed Sullivan ShowThe Steve Allen Show ( 1955–60)Beat Club/MusikladenCenter For Southern FolkloreClassic Comedy LibraryClassic TV Commercial CollectionDance Party USA/Dancin' On AirDanish Broadcasting (DR) ArchiveD.A. Pennebaker CollectionDisco Magic/Disco '77Folklife Productions LibraryThe Red Skelton Show(1951–64)Metropolis VideoMusic Video CollectionThe Ernest Tubb ShowThe Hollywood Out-Take Library ( 1930s-50s)Jubilee ShowcaseLive From The Bitter EndScreenocean ( Channels 3 & 4 UK)Midsummer's Rock FestivalMurray "The K" ArchivePathe News, Inc.Glen Campbell Show (1969–73)MDA Telethons (1951-2014)Rollin On The RiverRainbow QuestRhythm & Blues Awards Shows/Ebony AffairSam Lay Blues CollectionStoryville Jazz CollectionSound Stage (1974-1983)The Soupy Sales CollectionSouthern Telenews Library (1958–1978)Studio 54 CollectionRockpalast ( German live concert series 1970s-2000's)The Beat ( 966)The Dallas Pop Festival (1969)The David Susskind ShowThe Hagermann Beatles CollectionThe Hy Lit ShowThe Jam Handy CollectionThe Last Of The WildThe Rock & Blues LibraryFilm & Video Stock Shots LibraryDon Kirshner's Rock ConcertThe Woodstock CollectionTribute Grand Ole Opry Stars of the 1950sIsle Of Wight Festival ( 1970)United News CollectionUniversal Newsreels (1929–67)Vidicom Fashion Film Collection (1980s and 1990s)Newport Folk Festival (1963–66)M&T News Service ( 1985-2003)Black Journal ( on behalf of WNET)Little Walter Home MoviesSteel Pier Show ( 1970s-80s)CD UK ( British Music program 1990s-2007)