Register of the Lee Shippey Papers
Mandeville Special Collections Library 0175S
UC, San Diego
La Jolla, CA 92093-0175
Phone: (858) 534-2533
Fax: (858) 534-5950
Email: spcoll@ucsd.edu
Repository Website: http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/
© 1997
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Lee Shippey Papers, 1915-1970
MSS 0147
Mandeville Special Collections Library
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
La Jolla, CA 92093-0175
Contact Information:
- Mandeville Special Collections Library 0175S
- UC, San Diego
- La Jolla, CA 92093-0175
- Phone: (858) 534-2533
- Fax: (858) 534-5950
- Email: spcoll@ucsd.edu
- Repository Website: http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/
This file last updated: October 2003.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Lee Shippey Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1915-1970
Collection number: MSS 0147
Creator:
Shippey, Lee
Extent:
3.25 linear feet
(5 archives boxes, 1 record carton and
2 oversize folders)
Repository:
Mandeville Special Collections Library, UCSD
Physical location: For current information on the location of these
materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Abstract: The papers of Lee Shippey, writer and journalist for the LOS ANGELES TIMES (1923-1958),
include correspondence, poetry, published and unpublished manuscripts, lyrics,
scrapbooks, and newspaper clippings. The scrapbooks document his LOS ANGELES TIMES daily
column "Leeside o' L.A.," and his weekly column "The Seymour Family," as well as articles
and columns for San Diego area newspapers and from his two years in Mexico. The papers are arranged in five series: 1) BIOGRAPHICAL
MATERIALS, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3)
WRITINGS, 4) SCRAPBOOKS, and 5) NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open for research
Preferred Citation
Lee Shippey Papers, MSS 0147. Mandeville Special Collections Library, UCSD.
BIOGRAPHY
Lee Shippey was born on February 26, 1884, in Memphis, Tennessee. The start of his career
in 1906 coincided with his accidental blinding; he dictated his first humor columns for
the KANSAS CITY STAR from his bed. Shippey never regained full sight and, unable to
enlist, became war correspondent for the newspaper during World War I. His story on the
end of the war in Verdun, France, attracted the attention of LOS ANGELES TIMES publisher
Harry Chandler.
After the war, Shippey edited an English language newspaper for two years in Tampico,
Mexico. In the early 1920s, he moved his family to California and contacted Chandler,
beginning a long association with the TIMES. His popular column "Leeside o' L.A.:
Personal Glimpses of Famous Southlanders," ran daily from 1927 to 1958. Shippey also
wrote the columns "Martian Observer," "Joshua Little," "How It Looks to Mars," and
"Needles-Eye View." His weekly column, "The Seymour Family," was a humorous look at
American families.
Though Shippey became known as the "dean of Southern California columnists," he had
always aspired to be a poet. He published both poetry and prose, and was active in
several professional writers organizations on both sides of the Atlantic. His published
works include PERSONAL GLIMPSES OF FAMOUS FOLKS (1929) from "Leeside o' L.A.;" FOLKS YOU
SHOULD KNOW (1930); WHERE NOTHING EVER HAPPENS (1935); THE GIRL WHO WANTED EXPERIENCE
(1937); a textbook entitled CALIFORNIA PROGRESS (1937) co-authored with Herbert Floercky;
THE GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY (1938); IF WE ONLY HAD MONEY (1939); IT'S AN OLD CALIFORNIA
CUSTOM (1948); LOS ANGELES BOOK (1950); his autobiography, LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE (1959); and
"The Chivalry of Adolescence" (1964), a chapter from THE GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY, reprinted
in CHUCKLEBAIT: FUNNY STORIES FOR EVERYONE. Two of Shippey's books were adapted into
plays by others: THE GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY ("The Great American Family: A Comedy") and
IT'S AN OLD CALIFORNIA CUSTOM.
Shippey retired to Del Mar, California, and contributed several columns to the SAN DIEGO
UNION and DEL MAR SURFCOMBER: "Surfside o' Del Mar," "Southwest Corner," "Lee Shippey
Says," and "Lee Shippey Asks" through the late 1960s. He died in Encinitas, California,
on December 30, 1969.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The Lee Shippey Papers contain biographical materials, memorabilia, correspondence,
published and unpublished manuscripts, and scrapbooks containing clippings of Shippey's
columns and articles. The papers date from 1915-1970, occupy 3.25 linear feet and are
arranged in five series: 1) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) WRITINGS, 4)
SCRAPBOOKS, and 5) NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS.
SERIES 1: BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS
The BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS series contains memorabilia, articles about Shippey and
obituary notices.
SERIES 2: CORRESPONDENCE
The CORRESPONDENCE series is arranged alphabetically by author. Notable correspondents
include Linus Pauling, Adlai Stevenson, and writers James Hilton, Rupert Hughes, Walt
Mason, Irving Stone, and Paul I. Wellman. Letters from Harry Chandler, LOS ANGELES TIMES
publisher, are included in the correspondence of the Times-Mirror Co. Correspondence from
Harriet Hinsdale and Irving Stone concerns a proposed Jack London state park in
California.
SERIES 3: WRITINGS
The WRITINGS series is arranged in three subseries: A) Lyrics, B) Poetry and C) Prose.
A) The Lyrics subseries contains two works: "Candle Light" and "Doughboy."
B) The Poetry subseries contains single poems arranged alphabetically by title or first
line.
C) The Prose subseries contains drafts of stories and books by Shippey, arranged
alphabetically by title. Also included are reviews, galley proofs and page proofs of some
works.
SERIES 4: SCRAPBOOKS
The SCRAPBOOKS are arranged chronologically and primarily contain clippings of Shippey's
published columns, articles and poetry. One scrapbook documents Shippey's travels in
Mexico in the mid-1920s. Articles about Shippey, some correspondence and typescripts of
columns are scattered throughout the scrapbooks.
SERIES 5: NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS
The NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS series documents Shippey's columns and contains "Lee Side o'
L.A." galley proofs and "Needle's Eye Views of the World" clippings, as well as
unorganized loose clippings of Shippey's articles and columns arranged by
chronologically.
Box 1, Folder 1
Articles and obituaries, 1966 -1970.
Box 1, Folder 2
Memorabilia, 1935.
Additional Note
Letter and menu/book jacket (WHERE NOTHING EVER HAPPENS) memorabilia for a dinner
honoring Shippey.
Box 1, Folder 5
Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1925 -1926.
Box 1, Folder 10
H - Miscellaneous, .
Additional Note
Includes a 1956 letter from Harriet Hinsdale concerning a proposed Jack London state
park.
Box 1, Folder 11
Hilton, James, 1950 -1954.
Box 1, Folder 12
Hughes, Rupert, 1935 -1950.
Box 1, Folder 18
Mason, Walt, .
Additional Note
Ca. 1923-1925.
Box 1, Folder 21
Poetry Review, 1924 -1925.
Box 1, Folder 22
Poetry Society, 1923 -1924.
Box 1, Folder 26
Stone, Irving, 1956 -1961.
Additional Note
Includes correspondence concerning a proposed Jack London state park.
Box 1, Folder 28
Times-Mirror Company, 1922 -1935.
Additional Note
Includes correspondence from publisher Harry Chandler, LOS ANGELES TIMES.
Box 1, Folder 30
W - Miscellaneous, .
Additional Note
Includes correspondence of Paul I. Wellman.
Box 1, Folder 31
Williams, Dan, 1923 -1925.
Box 1, Folder 32
Candle Light, .
Additional Note
From Shippey's poem, "Mother," with music by Charles Wakefield Cadman; see also the
Poetry subseries. Manuscript and two copies.
Box 1, Folder 33
Doughboy, 1944.
Additional Note
Music by Norman Soreng Wright. Blueline copy.
Box 1, Folder 34
Miscellaneous, .
Additional Note
Includes Shippey's poems "Evensong," written on the back of a photograph, and "Mother,"
in THE LOUIS ALLIS MESSENGER, Van B. Hooper, editor. Milwaukee, May-June 1947.
Box 1, Folder 35
"Heroes", .
Additional Note
Also includes "To Other Sinners," in POETRY OF TO-DAY. London: Erskine Macdonald Ltd.,
June 1924, 1:55-56.
Box 1, Folder 36
America's Most Arrested Man, .
Additional Note
In EVERYBODY'S MAGAZINE, July 1925, 53 (1):16, 163-166.
Box 1, Folder 37
Chapapote: A Story of Love, Hate, Intrigue and a Little-Known Plot to Change the Map of North America, .
Additional Note
Typescript.
Box 2, Folder 1
Family Grows Up, .
Additional Note
Typescript, pages 1-117.
Box 2, Folder 2
Family Grows Up, .
Additional Note
Typescript, pages 118-174.
Box 2, Folder 3
Family Grows Up: A Sequel to THE GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY, .
Additional Note
Typescript.
Box 2, Folder 4
GIRL WHO WANTED EXPERIENCE, 1937.
Additional Note
Newspaper announcements and reviews.
Box 2, Folder 5
GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY, 1950.
Additional Note
Book review.
Box 2, Folder 6
GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY: A COMEDY (adaptation), .
Additional Note
A play adapted by Robert Frayne Chapin and Charley King from Shippey's book, THE GREAT
AMERICAN FAMILY.
Box 2, Folder 7
GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY: A COMEDY (adaptation), 1959.
Additional Note
Program for the play adapted by Aurania Rouverol from Shippey's book,THE GREAT AMERICAN
FAMILY. The play was held April 2-3, 1959 in Hollywood, CA.
Box 2, Folder 8
Great Idea, Slightly Used, .
Additional Note
Typescript.
Box 2, Folder 9
Guests From Back Home, .
Additional Note
Edited typescript.
Box 2, Folder 10
Happy Though Retired, .
Additional Note
A collection of true stories. Edited typescript.
Box 2, Folder 11
Happy Though Retired, .
Additional Note
Typescript.
Box 2, Folder 12
Happy Though Retired, 1963.
Additional Note
Final typescript with correspondence from Dell Publishing Co., Inc., dated April 6, 1964.
Box 2, Folder 13
IF WE ONLY HAD MONEY, .
Additional Note
Edited typescript, pages 1-127.
Box 2, Folder 14
IF WE ONLY HAD MONEY, .
Additional Note
Edited typescript, pages 128-250.
Box 2, Folder 15
IF WE ONLY HAD MONEY, .
Additional Note
August 27, 1939. Book review.
Box 3, Folder 1
IT'S AN OLD CALIFORNIA CUSTOM, 1947.
Additional Note
Publishing agreement with Vanguard Press Inc. and book review.
Box 3, Folder 2
It's Great To Be An Actor, .
Additional Note
Typescript.
Box 3, Folder 3
Jeanue, .
Additional Note
Typescript, pages 1-174.
Box 3, Folder 4
Jeanue, .
Additional Note
Typescript, pages 175-322.
Box 3, Folder 5
Ladies Make News, .
Additional Note
Typescript.
Box 3, Folder 6
LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE, Part One, 1959.
Additional Note
Typescript.
Box 3, Folder 7
LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE, 1959.
Additional Note
'Four-word' (Foreward) by Paul I. Wellman.
Box 3, Folder 8
LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE, 1959.
Additional Note
Page proofs, 1-94.
Box 3, Folder 9
LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE, 1959.
Additional Note
Page proofs, 95-196.
Box 3, Folder 10
LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE, 1959.
Additional Note
Publication announcement. See also the SCRAPBOOKS series.
Box 3, Folder 11
Miscellaneous Prose (Untitled), .
Additional Note
Typescripts arranged alphabetically by first line.
Box 3, Folder 12
Needles-Eye View of the City, .
Additional Note
June 1950. Galley proofs.
Box 4, Folder 1
Scholarship, 1948, .
Additional Note
Typescript.
Box 4, Folder 2
Seymour Sample Case: the Humorous Record of What Happened to One American Family, Much Like Yours..., .
Additional Note
Edited typescript.
Box 4, Folder 3
Testing Ground: A Story of the Most American City in the World Outside the United States, 1925.
Additional Note
Proposal for a novel about Tampico, Mexico in 1922. Includes correspondence from H. H.
Howland (The Bobbs Merrill Co.), dated April 1, 1925.
Box 4, Folder 4
Think Game: I Challenge YOU, .
Additional Note
Typescript.
Box 4, Folder 5
Think Game: How to Learn to Think for Yourself: I Challenge YOU, .
Additional Note
Typescript.
Box 4, Folder 6
Understanding Friends, .
Additional Note
Typescript.
Box 4, Folder 7, Map-case Oversize: FB-207-02
Ca. 1915-1930, .
Additional Note
Contains clippings of Shippey's columns, "The Cheeruptimist," "Rhymes and Reasons," "Lee
Side o' L.A.," and articles by Shippey and others.
Box 4, Folder 8
Ca. 1923-1924, .
Additional Note
Includes articles, poetry, and the newspaper columns, "People You Know" and "How It Looks
to Mars." Includes correspondence from Walt Mason, dated December 14, 1923, enclosing a
memento check.
Box 4, Folder 9
Ca. 1925-1933, .
Additional Note
Odds and Ends and Poetry. Newspaper clippings of poetry, Shippey's columns "Lee Side o'
L.A." and "Joshua Little," and quotations by Tennyson Mabie. Looseleaf.
Box 4, Folder 10
1926, .
Additional Note
Mexico. Shippey's articles with picture postcards.
Box 4, Folder 11
1927, .
Additional Note
Newspaper clippings including Shippey's poetry, articles, "Lee Side o' L.A." and "Joshua
Little."
Box 5, Folder 1
Ca. 1937-1939, pages 1-76, .
Additional Note
"Leeside" and "Leeside o' L.A." newspaper clippings with notes. Includes typescripts of
"Essential Education" and "Leeside." Looseleaf.
Box 5, Folder 2
Ca. 1939-1945, pages 77+, .
Additional Note
"Leeside" and "Leeside o' L.A." newspaper clippings with notes. Looseleaf.
Box 5, Folder 3
Ca. 1951, .
Additional Note
"The Seymour Family" newspaper clippings with typed notes.
Box 5, Folder 4
Ca. 1953-1956, .
Additional Note
Scrapbook "A." Newspaper clippings of "The Seymour Family" with typed and holograph
notes.
Box 5, Folder 5
Ca. late 1950s, .
Additional Note
Scrapbook "B." "The Seymour Family," "Leeside," and "Leeside o' L.A." newspaper clippings
with some holograph notes. Also includes a galley proof of "Joshua Little," loose prose,
poetry and memorabilia.
Box 5, Folder 6
LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE, 1959 -1960.
Additional Note
Correspondence, publication announcements and reviews. Also includes "Surfside o' Del
Mar" clippings.
Box 5, Folder 7, Map-case Oversize: FB-207-03
Ca. 1960-1964, .
Additional Note
"Southwest Corner," "Lee Shippey Asks," "Lee Shippey Says," and "Surfside o' Del Mar"
columns from the SAN DIEGO UNION.
Box 5, Folder 8
Us Folk, .
Additional Note
"Leeside o' L.A.: Personal Glimpses of Famous Southlanders" columns, with typed name
index.
Box 6, Folder 1
Lee Side o' L.A, .
Additional Note
Galley proofs.
Box 6, Folder 2
Lee Side o' L.A, .
Additional Note
Galley proofs and clippings.
Box 6, Folder 3
Needle's Eye Views of the World, .
Additional Note
Newspaper clippings.
Box 6, Folder 4
Ca. 1915-1950s: Miscellaneous, .
Additional Note
"Lee Side o' L.A.," "Seymour Family," and miscellaneous articles and poetry by Shippey.
Box 6, Folder 5
Ca. 1931-1943: Miscellaneous, .
Additional Note
Articles by Shippey and others, "Lee Side o' L.A." clippings and poetry with holograph
notes.
Box 6, Folder 6
Ca. 1937-1959: Miscellaneous, .
Additional Note
"The Seymour Family," "Leeside" and "Lee Side o' L.A." clippings, "Leeside" galley proof,
and articles by and about Shippey. Includes an announcement for LOS ANGELES BOOK, and
manuscript chapter listing for HAPPY THOUGH RETIRED.