PURPOSE: To obtain the base for photographic paper having excellent smoothness by applying specific polyacrylamide on the surface of the raw paper of the base for the photographic paper formed by coating both surfaces of the raw paper with a polyolefin resin.

CONSTITUTION: The desired base for the photographic paper is obtd. by applying the anionic polyacrylamide having ≥3000 and ≤100000 average mol.wt. on the raw paper. The effect of improving the smoothness is excellent particularly when the coated amt. of the anionic polyacrylamide is=≥0.05g/m2 and ≤1.0g/m2 or when the raw paper contains cation starch. The smoothness after applying polyolefin resin is excellent.