Jeffrey Vance is an American film historian, producer, archivist, and lecturer, as well as the author of the acclaimed volumes "Douglas Fairbanks" (UC Press/Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 2008), "Chaplin: Genius of the Cinema" (Harry N. Abrams, 2003), "Harold Lloyd: Master Comedian" (Harry N. Abrams, 2002), and "Buster Keaton Remembered" (Harry N. Abrams, 2001). His most recent book is "A Star Is Born: Judy Garland and the Film That Got Away" (Running Press, 2018) co-written with Lorna Luft.
He began his career as an archivist for M-G-M/United Artists and served the same function for the Chaplin family's Roy Export S.A.S., The Harold Lloyd Trust, and the Mary Pickford Foundation. As a producer, he packaged the "Harold Lloyd Classic Comedies" for Turner Classic Movies, later released to DVD by New Line Home Entertainment. As a filmmaker, he produced and directed the short subject "Rediscovering John Gilbert" (2010) which aired on Turner Classic Movies as well as released to home video. He has served as a consultant to virtually every motion picture studio and has appeared in numerous documentaries.
He writes for various publications, contributes audio commentary tracks for DVD/Blu-ray, and speaks at venues throughout the United States and Europe including the TCM Classic Film Festival, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, British Film Institute, Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco Silent Film Festival, "Los Angeles Times" Festival of Books, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
