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Finding aid to the Julia Willis papers
Coll2011.006
Coll2011.006
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Table of contents
Title: Julia Willis papers
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2011.006
Contributing Institution:
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
2.0 linear feet.
2 boxes.
Date (inclusive): 1970-2010
Abstract: This collection documents Julia Willis’ career as a writer of books, plays, poetry, comedic writings, short stories, and newspaper
columns. The bulk of the material dates from the 1990s and includes manuscripts, drafts, correspondence, scripts, notes, press
material, photocopies of awards and recognitions, reviews, clippings, program and other papers.
creator:
Willis, Julia, 1949-
The files are arranged roughly according to the donor’s original order of the collection.
Julia Willis was born August 21, 1949, in Charlotte, North Carolina, daughter of William Clem and Carolyn Willis. She earned
her bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, in 1973. She began her career as an associate editor
for Red Clay Books in 1974.
She has written four books including,
Reel Time, a comic novel;
We Oughta Be in Pictures, for which she was a Lambda Award drama finalist;
Who Wears the Tux?, a lesbian quiz book; and
Meow-Mories. Her work has also appeared in numerous women’s anthologies.
Julia was a founding member of the women’s comedy troupe, the Ends and Means Committee. She wrote for the lesbian soap opera,
Two in Twenty, and her award-winning one-act comedies have been produced by off-off-Broadway and by gay and lesbian theatres around the
country. In addition to reviewing for
Lambda Book Report and
The Lesbian Review of Books, she has written comedy material for the Boston Baked Theater,
Terra Infirma on NPR and for Joan Rivers. She has received fellowships and grants from the Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation, Massachusetts
Artists Foundation, Edward Albee Foundation and MacDowell Colony.
She worked as a freelance writer, poet, producer, comedy writer/performer and a playwright through the 1990s. She has been
married since 2006.
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.
Researchers wishing to publish material must obtain permission in writing from ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives as the
physical owner of the material. Note that permission to publish does not constitute copyright clearance. ONE National Gay
& Lesbian Archives can grant copyright clearance only for those materials for which we hold copyright. It is the responsibility
of the researcher to obtain copyright clearance for all other materials from the copyright holder(s).
Collection donated by Julia Willis, 2010. Deed of Gift received from Willis, March 9, 2011.
Box #, folder #, Julia Willis Papers, Coll2011-006, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, Los Angeles, California
Collection processed by Alison Leonard, February 1, 2011.
This collection consists of manuscripts, drafts, correspondence, scripts, notes, press material, photocopies of awards and
recognitions, reviews, clippings, program and other papers related to writings by Julia Willis. The bulk of the collection
includes drafts and manuscripts related to her books and plays, including
Reel Time,
Who Wears the Tux? and
We Oughta Be in Pictures. The collection also includes material related to shorter works such as plays, poetry and comedy.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Lesbian authors--United States--20th century
Lesbian theater
Lesbian writings
Plays