Sherman Grinberg Film Library

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame has partnered with the Sherman Grinberg Film Library to share digitized newsreel footage related to the history of Thoroughbred racing with the public. The Sherman Grinberg Film Library, located in Los Angeles, California, is one of the world’s oldest and largest privately held film archives, serving Hollywood and the world film community for more than 75 years. 

The Film Library has more than 20 million feet of historic newsreel footage with content dating mostly from 1895 to 1957. The archive includes the historic Paramount Newsreels, first called Eyes of the World (silent era) and later Eyes and Ears of the World (the “talkies”). It also includes the American Pathé newsreel library, one of the oldest newsreel collections going back to 1897, the Industry on Parade series, Allied Artist Scenic stock footage, and over 3,500 mid-century television and movie theater commercials. 

To date, the Sherman Grinberg Film Library has shared 200 videos with the Museum relating primarily to Hall of Fame members. These videos include the 1942 Preakness won by Alsab, 1940 Belmont Stakes won by Bimelech, 1936 Belmont won by Granville, 1929 Kentucky Derby won by jockey Linus McAtee, 1949 Kentucky Derby won by jockey Steve Brooks, among many others. The Museum will be able to use these videos in future exhibitions, special events, and social media posts. Additionally, researchers and educators can request access to other film reels in the Museum’s Sherman Grinberg Film Library holdings for educational purposes. 

You can find a full list of the videos the Sherman Grinberg Film Library has shared with the Museum here. To view these videos and find more, please visit shermangrinberg.com.