Between the Covers

Unbound. A collection of photographs, memos, and ephemera from the Grimme Modeling Agency and Brebner Agencies, two premiere firms operating in San Francisco, California during the 1970s. Near fine or better with some edgewear.

This archive includes headshots, descriptive details of the models and actors such as height and weight, and memos with requests for certain types of models. Attached to some of the headshots are résumés for the model or actor in question. One memo reads, “sent only girls and boys who have shown they can ride cycle.” Others are advertisements for specific actors, one of which reads “Hey! Need a heavy? The Grimme Agency is happy to announce that Joe Riley will be available in San Francisco through the spring and summer months.” The memo then proceeds to describe the model’s previous work and organizations he was involved with including S.A.G. Suzanne Somers is featured in a brochure of headshots from 1972. Other actors are featured in their own brochures with multiple images of characters they can portray.

Ann Brebner and her husband, Jack, founded Brebner Agencies Inc. (also known as San Francisco Casting) in 1961, as a place to go for television and film companies in the region. The firm provided casting and location scouting on numerous productions including the films *Harold and Maude*, *Bullitt*, and *American Graffiti*, along with a number of television shows such as *The Streets of San Francisco*. While Grimme Modeling Agency also cast for television and film, their clientele also included radio and print. According to founder Jimmy Grimme’s obituary, "[he] put the modeling business on the map in San Francisco [and] .... launched the careers of Suzanne Somers, Christy Turlington, and Jack Scalia, among others.”

A nice collection of ephemera from two important San Francisco talent agencies in the 1970s.

Item #447168