1940 Santa Fe Trail Flynn de Havilland Reagan 13 Photos - Mac Julian Archive

Collection of 13 original vintage black-and-white photographs from Warner Bros.’ 1940 historical Western Santa Fe Trail, directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Raymond Massey and Ronald Reagan.

Each photograph measures approximately 9 × 7 inches. Many bear period July 1940 studio date stamps on the reverse, and several have punched filing holes consistent with former use within a studio or photographer’s working archive.

The collection is dominated by Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, shown together in a varied series of romantic, dramatic and informal compositions. Flynn appears as Jeb Stuart in both military uniform and civilian dress, while de Havilland is shown as Kit Carson Halliday in several different costumes.

Among the photographs are intimate portraits of Flynn and de Havilland embracing beside a hitching rail, posed together against the open California hills and standing beside a cannon in formal military dress. Several additional images show de Havilland in work clothes beside Flynn in uniform, including a portrait of the pair seated together and smiling between scenes.

Ronald Reagan appears prominently in several photographs as George Armstrong Custer. One image shows Reagan, de Havilland and Flynn together beside a horse, with Reagan reacting humorously as the other two hold hands. Another shows Reagan seated beside de Havilland inside a railroad car, with Flynn standing immediately behind them.

The group also includes wedding-sequence photographs showing Flynn and de Havilland surrounded by fellow officers, attendants and members of the wedding party. Additional interior scenes feature Raymond Massey as John Brown confronting Flynn, de Havilland and other characters aboard a railway carriage.

A solo portrait shows de Havilland in a plaid work shirt leaning beside a saddle. The remaining photographs present further variations of Flynn and de Havilland together in military, civilian and formal period costume.

The consistent 9 × 7 format, period date stamps and punched filing holes suggest that these photographs served as working, reference or selection prints within the studio or Mac Julian archive rather than standard retail publicity photographs. Their exact internal studio function cannot be confirmed, but their physical format and archival provenance distinguish them from later-issued stills.

Together, the 13 photographs document the screen pairing of Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, Ronald Reagan’s early film career and the costumes, sets and staging created for the Warner Bros. production.

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.

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

Condition
The photographs exhibit varying degrees of period handling and storage wear, including light surface marks, minor creasing, edge and corner wear and occasional small stains. Several have punched filing holes along the upper or side margins, with some holes extending into the image area. Overall image quality remains strong, with excellent contrast and detail. Please review the accompanying images for a complete assessment of condition.