Finding Aid to the William Capobianco Papers, 1947-1992
Coll2013.102
Finding aid prepared by Jennifer Darwent
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California, 90007
(213) 821-2771
askone@usc.edu
(c) 2013
Title: William Capobianco Papers
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2013.102
Contributing Institution:
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
2.1 linear feet.
1 archive box + 2 archive cartons
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1978-1992
Date (inclusive): 1947-1992
Abstract: Correspondence, screenplays, drafts, clippings, photographs, health records and other personal documents relating to gay screenwriter
William J. Capobianco (1947-1992), who co-wrote
Tenebrae (date unknown) and
Medea (1978). The collection includes other screenplays and short story drafts, as well as correspondence with Joe Callahan and
David Sherlock. Photographs document the retail store LA Leathers in Los Angeles.
creator:
Capobianco, William J., 1947-1992
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in the following series:
Series 1. Personal papers
Series 2. Screenplays and writings
Biography
William J. Capobianco was born on July 6, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York. Raised in an Italian Catholic home, Capobianco attended
Our Lady of Loretto Elementary School and St. John's Preparatory School in Brooklyn. He was interested in theater from a young
age and participated in shows during his school-age years. He graduated from St. John's University in 1969 with a Bachelor
of Arts.
Capobianco was a screenplay writer in Los Angeles. He wrote the screenplays
Windows on the Square (unknown year),
Body Talk and
Eatz/
Love on the Menu. He co-wrote
Tenebrae (unknown year) and
Medea (1978), the latter of which was planned to star famous drag queen Divine in an adaptation entitled
The Divine Medea. Capobianco also worked at the specialty retail shop LA Leathers, creating leather pieces and clothing.
During the 1990s, Capobianco was diagnosed HIV positive. He received treatment and care starting in 1991 until his death in
1992 in Los Angeles.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Acquisition
Date and donor of acquisition unknown.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder #, or item name] William Capobianco Papers, Coll2013-102, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries,
University of Southern California.
Processing Information
Formerly boxes #103-342 and 103-344. Collection processed by Jennifer Darwent, October 2013.
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of correspondence, screenplays, drafts, clippings, photographs, slides and other personal documents
relating to gay screenplay writer William J. Capobianco (1947-1992). The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence
and screenplay drafts.
The first series documents Capobianco's personal life and history. The correspondence documents Capobianco's ties to gay friends,
especially in New York, and his relationships with his mother and sister. There are materials and diplomas from schools and
theater programs that Capobianco attended. Medical records document the care he received from 1991-1992 for AIDS-related illness.
The second series includes final drafts for
Tenebrae (unknown year) and
Medea (1978), as well as drafts of other screenplays, such as
Body Talk,
Windows on the Square and
Angelcake. There are short stories and notebooks filled with various writing and drafts.
The photographs show Capobianco at work at the store LA Leathers, his family members and his school-age class portraits.
Separated Materials
Two buttons, "Stop LaRouche No on 64" and "Rawhide NYC," have been separated from the collection and placed with the ONE Archives
button collection.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
AIDS (Disease)
Correspondence
Gays' writings, American
Gays--Correspondence
Leather
Screenplays
Personal papers Series 1.
1947-1992
Scope and Contents
Materials document Capobianco's personal life and history. The correspondence documents Capobianco's ties to gay friends,
especially in New York, and his relationships with his mother and sister. There are newspapers, theater programs and diplomas
from schools that Capobianco attended. There are fliers and photographs relating to the store LA Leathers and other gay establishments.
Medical records document the care he received from 1991-1992 for AIDS-related illness.
Arrangement
The series begins with correspondence. Remaining folders are arranged chronologically.
Box 1, Folder 1
Correspondence, Joe Callahan
1979-1985
General Physical Description note: 2 color photographs, 1 black nylon stocking.
Box 1, Folder 2
Correspondence, David Sherlock
1983-1992
Box 1, Folder 3-5
Correspondence, general
1978-1992
Physical Description:
[3 folders]
General Physical Description note: 12 color photographs.
Box 1, Folder 6-7
Correspondence, greeting cards
1978-1992
Physical Description:
[2 folders]
General Physical Description note: 6 color photographs.
Box 1, Folder 8
Birth certificate and passports
1947, 1978, 1990
Box 1, Folder 9
Elementary school diploma
1960
Box 1, Folder 10
Oedipus the King, prompt script
circa 1960-1964
Box 1, Folder 11
West Side Story screenplay
1963
Box 3, Folder 1
Red Owl, St. John's Prep
1963-1964
Box 1, Folder 12
Commencement, St. John's Prep
1964
Box 1, Folder 13
The Torch, St. John's University
1964
Box 1, Folder 14
Transcripts, St. John's University
1964
Box 1, Folder 15
College theater programs
circa 1964-1969
General Physical Description note: 2 black & white 8x10 photographs.
Box 1, Folder 16
St. John's University diploma
1969
Box 1, Folder 17
Luis Rivera Dance Company
1978
Box 1, Folder 18
Fashion Panic
circa 1978-1982
Box 1, Folder 19
Art show and theater programs
circa 1980-1990
Box 1, Folder 20
Newspaper clippings
circa 1980-1981, 1988
Box 1, Folder 21
Goals and to-do lists
1981
Box 1, Folder 22
Bill collections
circa 1982-1983, 1987
Box 1, Folder 23
Obituaries, memorial services
1985-1992
General Physical Description note: 2 color photographs.
Box 1, Folder 24
Los Angeles Unified contracts
1990
Box 1, Folder 25
Hollywood Community Hospital
1991
Box 1, Folder 26
Midway Hospital
1991-1992
Box 1, Folder 27
Progressive Nursing Service
1991-1992
Box 1, Folder 28
Critical Care America
1991-1992
Box 1, Folder 29-30
Blue Shield of California
1991-1992
Physical Description:
[2 folders]
Box 1, Folder 31
Medical tests and bills
1992
Box 3, Folder 11
Photographs
circa 1953-1992
General Physical Description note: Negatives, 14 black & white photographs, 161 color photographs, and 16 color slides.
Scope and Contents
Includes photos from Capobianco's school-age years, family photos, pictures of stores Fashion Panic and LA Leathers, images
of the damage to LA Leathers from a tropical storm, and unlabeled photos of friends.
Screenplays and writings Series 2.
circa 1960-1992
Scope and Contents
The series includes final drafts for the screenplays
Tenebrae (unknown year) and
Medea (1978), as well as drafts of other screenplays, such as
Body Talk,
Windows on the Square and
Angelcake. There are short stories and notebooks filled with various writing and drafts.
Arrangement
The series is arranged in the following order: copyrights, notebooks, poetry, short stories and screenplays.
Box 2, Folder 3
Copyright and Writers Guild
1977, 1981
Box 2, Folder 9-15
Notebooks #1-7
undated
Physical Description:
[7 folders]
Box 3, Folder 5
Notebooks, loose pages
undated
Box 3, Folder 4
Poetry and incomplete manuscripts
undated
Box 3, Folder 2
Adriana short story
undated
Box 3, Folder 3
Capt. Thomas Webb short story
undated
Box 3, Folder 7
Rriverratzz or
The Last Novel of the Seventies short story
undated
Box 3, Folder 8
The Somewhere Over the Rainbow Whip Co. short story
undated
Box 2, Folder 16
Streetlife: '56 short story
undated
Box 2, Folder 1
Angelcake screenplay
undated
Box 2, Folder 2
Body Talk screenplay and notes
undated
Box 2, Folder 5-6
Eatz or
Love on the Menu screenplay
undated
Physical Description:
[2 folders]
Box 2, Folder 7-8
Medea screenplay
1977-1978
Physical Description:
[2 folders]
Box 3, Folder 6
Medea, production contract
1977-1978
Box 2, Folder 17
Tenebrae screenplay
undated
Box 3, Folder 9-10
Windows on the Square screenplay
undated
Physical Description:
[2 folders]
Box 2, Folder 18
Untitled screenplay
undated
