The Special Collections Research Center has purchased the archive of American songwriter Arthur Johnston (1898-1954), the composer of “Pennies from Heaven” and many other memorable melodies from the “Golden Age” of Hollywood. The collection includes manuscripts, typescripts, correspondence, photographs, published scores, and memorabilia. Johnston’s scores were featured in some of the best-known films of the era, including the Marx Brothers’ Duck Soup, Belle of the Nineties with Mae West, and Bing Crosby’s Pennies from Heaven. “Pennies from Heaven” was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Johnston got his start working for Irving Berlin, and collaborated with many of the period’s greatest performers, lyricists, and film producers. The Johnston collection provides a unique glimpse into one of the most dynamic periods of American popular culture. The purchase was made possible by an endowment generously established by the late Leon Robbin, whose important collection forms the core of the Library’s music manuscripts holdings. When cataloged, the Johnston archive will be open and available for researchers.