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Finding Aid for the Melvyn Helstien papers, 1939-1987
258
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Title: Melvyn Helstien papers
Date (inclusive): 1939-1987
Collection number: 258
Creator:
Helstien, Melvyn
Extent:
1 box (.5 linear ft.)
9 cartons (9 linear ft.)
2 oversize boxes
Abstract: Melvyn B. Helstien (1920-90) received his Ph.D in theater from the University of Minnesota (1962). He became a professor in
the Department of Theater Arts, UCLA (1963-86), served as Department Vice-chairman (1971-73), and again in 1981. The collection
consists of correspondence, production books, performance notes, articles, photographs, videotapes, slides, sketches, and
musical scores documenting Melvyn Helstien's faculty career in the Department of Theater Arts at UCLA.
Language: Finding aid is written in
English.
Language of the Material:
English
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections
for paging information.
Open for research. STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library
Special Collections for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UC Regents. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the
creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright
owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of Jacqueline Des Lauriers, 1994.
[Identification of item], Melvyn Helstien papers (Collection Number 258). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young
Research Library, UCLA.
Melvyn B. Helstien was born in 1920; BA, University of Washington, 1947; MFA, Yale School of Drama, 1948; Ph.D in theater,
University of Minnesota, 1962; professor, 1963-86, Department of Theater Arts, UCLA; served as Department Vice-chairman, 1971-73,
and again in 1981; directed, produced, designed or performed in dozens of UCLA theatrical productions; lectured and wrote,
especially on puppetry; member, board of directors, Union Internationale des Marionnettes (UNIMA-USA); died March 6, 1990.
Collection consists of correspondence, production books, performance notes, articles, photographs, videotapes, slides, sketches,
and musical scores documenting Melvyn Helstien's faculty career in the Department of Theater Arts at UCLA. Includes materials
reflecting his work with the Union Internationale des Marionnettes (UNIMA), the Puppeteers of America, and the Los Angeles
Guild of Puppetry.
Expanded Scope and Content Note
This collection documents Melvyn B. Helstien's faculty career in the Dept. of Theater Arts at UCLA from 1948 to his retirement
in 198(?). The bulk of the collection deals with his puppet and theater productions at UCLA, including his research and publication
activities. It also includes considerable material on his participation in professional associations, especially the Union
Internationale des Marionnettes (UNIMA).
Most of the collection consists of paper files (correspondence, production books, performance notes, articles, etc.), but
there are also photographs, videotapes, slides, sketches, and musical scores.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Helstien, Melvyn--Archives.
University of California, Los Angeles.--Dept. of Theater Arts--Faculty--Archival resources.
Union Internationale des Marionnettes.
Puppeteers--California--Los Angeles--Archival resources.
Theatrical producers and directors--California--Los Angeles--Archival resources.
Theater.
Puppet theater.
Puppeteers of America.
Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry.
Available at the Fowler Museum of Cultural History, Kitnick-Alexander Library, UCLA.