I designed the exhibition guide promoting the acquisition of the Robert DeNiro Collection by the UT Harry Ransom Center.

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Robert De Niro IN COSTUME
SELECTIONS FROM THE ARCHIVE
March 19 –April 1, 2007
On display: first floor of the

2. Robert De Niro IN COSTUME
March 19 – April 1, 2007
SELECTIONS FROM THE ARCHIVE
Backdraft (1991) Goodfellas (1990) King of Comedy (1997)
Directed by Ron Howard Directed by Martin Scorsese Directed by Martin Scorsese
Costume design by Jodie Lynn Tillen Costume design by Richard Bruno Costume design by Richard Bruno
Two feuding brothers (Kurt Russell and The story of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), a small- A wannabe stand-up comic, Rupert
William Baldwin), both firemen, struggle time gangster from Brooklyn, and his friends, Pupkin (De Niro), is so desperate for a
to get along while investigating a series Jimmy Conway (De Niro) and Tommy De Vito break that he kidnaps famous late-night
of arson/murders with arson investigator (Joe Pesci), as they try to work their way talk show host Jerry Langford (Jerry
Donald Shadow Rimgale (De Niro). through the ranks of the mob. Lewis) in order to be cast on his show.
A Bronx Tale (1993) Great Expectations (1998) Meet the Fockers (2004)
Directed by Robert De Niro Directed by Alfonso Cuarón Directed by Jay Roach
Costume design by Rita Ryack Costume design by Judianna Makovsky Costume design by Carol Ramsey
Set in the Bronx during the tumultuous In this modern-day telling of the Charles Engaged couple Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) and
1960s, an adolescent boy is torn Dickens classic, a privileged young man, Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo) find it impossible to
between his honest, working-class father, Finnegan “Finn” Bell (Ethan Hawke), bring their families together as Greg’s hyper-
Lorenzo Anello (De Niro), and a violent yet moves to New York to become an artist. relaxed parents, the Fockers (Dustin Hoffman
charismatic crime boss (Chazz Palminteri). His life is changed when he meets three and Barbra Streisand), meet the tightly-
disparate strangers, Arthur Lustig (De Niro), a dangerous, escaped wound Byrneses (De Niro and Blythe Danner).
convict, Estella (Gwyneth Paltrow), a beautiful but icy woman, and
Nora Dinsmoor (Anne Bancroft), a wealthy, old eccentric.
Casino (1995)
Men of Honor (2000)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Directed by George Tillman Jr.
Costume design by John A. Dunn
Jackie Brown (1997)
and Rita Ryack Costume design by Salvador Pérez Jr.
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Sam “Ace” Rothstein (De Niro) fronts the Men of Honor is based on the true-life exploits of
Costume design by Mary Claire
mob’s entree into Las Vegas casinos. A love Carl Brashear (Cuba Gooding Jr.), the Navy’s first
Hannan
and power triangle between Ace, his wife African-American Master Diver. Brashear runs
Ginger (Sharon Stone), and his friend Nicky Jackie Brown (Pam Grier), a flight into formidable opposition in the form of Billy
Santoro (Joe Pesci) fuels a story of hot attendant, becomes embroiled in Sunday (De Niro), a celebrated Navy diver who
tempers, money, love, and deception. a complicated scheme in which eventually helps him make military history.
she attempts to play a dangerous
gun smuggler, Ordell (Samuel L.
Jackson) against the Feds and walk
Raging Bull (1980)
away scot-free with a half-million
Directed by Martin Scorsese
The Deer Hunter (1978) dollars. Louis Gara (De Niro) is one
Costume design by John Boxer
Directed by Michael Cimino of Ordell’s associates.
and Richard Bruno
Costumer Laurie Riley
The story of Jake La Motta
This epic drama follows the lives of a group
(De Niro), a middleweight
of Russian-American friends, including
boxing champion with a violent
Michael Vronsky (De Niro), from a small
self-destructive streak.
town in Pennsylvania to Vietnam and back.

3. Special thanks to Dr. Ann Dupont and
Dr. Kay Jay, Department of Human Ecology
The Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin
at The University of Texas at Austin
recently acquired the complete collection of film-related materials
of actor, director, and producer Robert De Niro. The archive includes
S P O NS O RED BY
annotated scripts, notes, correspondence, photographs, research
materials, and more than 3,000 individual costume items and props
from many of his films. De Niro views costume as an integral part of
About the University Co-op:
the process of character development, and this donation constitutes
Founded in 1896, the University Co-op was created to furnish books,
an extraordinary research archive. The collection is currently being
supplies, and clothing at reasonable prices to its members. The Co-op
cataloged and will soon be available for research. This exhibition, on
fulfills its 111-year-old mission as a non-profit corporation by returning all
display at the University Co-op, offers a small preview of highlights
profits to its members: the students, faculty, and staff of the University.
from the costumes in the collection.
100% of the after-rebate “profits” (excluding a portion set aside for
Support to preserve, house, and display the costume portion of the reinvestment) are used to support University-related projects and activities.
collection was generously provided by the University Co-op. In 2005–2006, the Co-op gave back to the University over five million
dollars in gifts, grants, and rebates. Since the year 2000, the Co-op has
given over 20 million dollars to the University and its students.
For further information, please visit www.universitycoop.com.
Analyze This (1999)
Directed by Harold Ramis
About the Harry Ransom Center:
Costume design by Aude
Founded in 1957, the Harry
Bronson-Howard
Ransom Center at The University
Paul Vitti (De Niro), a sensitive New York
of Texas at Austin has evolved
gang boss, is suffering from anxiety
into a world-renowned cultural
attacks and seeks help from a reluctant
institution. Throughout 2007, the
psychiatrist, Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal).
Ransom Center commemorates its
50th anniversary with programs and
exhibitions dedicated to “Celebrating
the Imagination.”
Located at 21st and Guadalupe
Awakenings (1990) streets on The University of Texas at
Austin campus, the Ransom Center is
Directed by Penny Marshall
Costume design by Cynthia Flynt free and open to the public. For more
information, call 512-471-8944 or
A passionate and somewhat
visit www.hrc.utexas.edu.
unorthodox doctor (Robin Williams)
struggles to find a cure for victims
of an encephalitis epidemic that
has left them catatonic for decades.
Leonard Lowe (De Niro) is the first
patient to receive the treatment.
Cover: Film still and costume detail from Raging Bull
(1980). Top: Hat from Mean Streets (1973). Above:
Raging Bull costume. Robert De Niro collection.