1942 Captains of the Clouds: Cagney RCAF 3 Photos - Mac Julian

Group of three original vintage black-and-white photographs documenting the production of Warner Bros.’ 1942 aviation drama Captains of the Clouds, starring James Cagney and Dennis Morgan and directed by Michael Curtiz.

Each measures approximately 9½ × 7 inches. The principal image shows Cagney and Morgan beside a Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft during filming, surrounded by a motion-picture camera, reflector panels, an overhead microphone boom, production personnel and RCAF servicemen. Additional images show Cagney with aircraft during the Canadian location production.

Two photographs bear period July 1941 date-and-time stamps. One photograph is identified on the reverse as the work of Aircraftman First Class J.H. Crump of the Royal Canadian Air Force Photographic Establishment at Rockcliffe Station, Ottawa, and was subsequently retained within the Mac Julian Archive.

Provenance
From the Mac Julian Archive, the personal photographic archive of Warner Bros. still photographer Mac “Julian” Saugstad (1901–1970).

Known professionally as Mac Julian, Saugstad spent more than three decades photographing Hollywood productions and created portraits, key-set stills, publicity photographs and behind-the-scenes images for Warner Bros. and other studios. His assignments included The Charge of the Light Brigade, The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Sea Hawk, Sergeant York, Yankee Doodle Dandy, To Have and Have Not, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Key Largo, Calamity Jane and The Spirit of St. Louis, among numerous other productions.

The photographs were retained within Julian’s personal archive following his studio career and have remained with his family since.

Condition
Overall good to very good vintage condition. The photographs retain strong contrast and excellent photographic detail. Minor age-related surface marks, light edge and corner wear and slight planar waviness may be present. The reverse of the RCAF photograph has paper and adhesive residue from previous mounting or affixing.