The William Weintraub fonds documents Weintraub's career in documentary film and literature covering the period between approximately 1950 to 2000. The fonds falls into four series: (1) literary correspondence, (2) literary activities, (3) documentary filmmaking, and (4) biographical materials, personal correspondence, and career ephemera, documenting Weintraub's early life as well as theatre programs, pamphlets, and other collected material. Weintraub's career as a documentary film maker both as a freelance and with the NFB (1965-1986) with some 150 films to his credit is well documented including his work in Africa. The material includes scripts, research notes and correspondence. In some cases copies of the films are included. Material related to the NFB also includes newsletters, office files, and correspondence. The material documenting Weintraub's literary career includes drafts, proofs, correspondence and reviews for his two novels Why Rock the Boat? (1961) and The Underdogs (1979). In addition, the former was made into a film and extensive files relate to this. The latter novel was adapted for the stage and drafts, publicity and material relating to the controversy it aroused are included. Weintraub's book on Montreal in 1940s and 1950s City Unique (1996) is documented with extensive research files, drafts, reviews and correspondence. The literary correspondence with Mavis Gallant (127 letters), Brian Moore (603 letters) and Mordecai Richler (210 letters) constitutes a major source for the study of three prominent Canadian writers in the last half of the twentieth century. In addition, there are copies of 280 letters from Weintraub to Moore and 123 copies of letters from Weintraub to Richler. While the Gallant correspondence dates primarily from the 1980s with only 8 letters from 1950-1951, the Moore and Richler correspondence is continuous from the 1950s. This latter correspondence reveals the close involvement of Weintraub in the development of the work of both Moore and Richler.

Subseries consists of letters from Richler to Weintraub written between 1951 and 1971 (210 letters) and from Weintraub to Richler written between 1951 and 1972 (123 letters).

Correspondence consists of letters between Mavis Gallant and William Weintraub, including 8 letters from 1950 and 1951, 12 letters from 1984 to 1993, 10 letters from 1994, 11 letters from 1995, 9 letters from 1996, 14 letters from 1997, 16 letters from 1998, 13 letters from 1999, 15 letters from 2000, and 19 letters from 2001.

The series of literary correspondence consists of letters exchanged between William Weintraub and Mavis Gallant (127 letters), Brian Moore (603 letters) and Mordecai Richler (210 letters). These constitute a major source for the study of three prominent Canadian writers in the last half of the twentieth century. In addition, there are copies of 280 letters from Weintraub to Moore and 123 copies of letters from Weintraub to Richler. While the Gallant correspondence dates primarily from 1980s with only 8 letters from 1950-1951, the Moore and Richler correspondence is continuous from the 1950s. This latter correspondence reveals the close involvement of Weintraub in the development of the work of both Moore and Richler.

Subseries consists of letters from Moore to Weintraub written between 1951 and 1998 (603 letters) and from Weintraub to Moore between 1950 and 1999 (280 letters).