The collection is an assemblage of movie memorabilia (predominantly Noir and Western), 20cm x 25cm film-stills, 28 cm x 36 cm lobby cards, and ephemera amassed by Thompson as a part of her research for her books Hard-Boiled and Tall in the Saddle. Additionally, there are Science Fiction stills and posters, Spanish-language lobby cards, 36cm x 91cm insert posters, and miscellaneous stills from other 20th-century cinema.

The collection consists of programs, tickets and program notes of Cinema 16 accumulated by A.C. Killip.