Richard Alan Wilson Papers, ca. 1945-1967

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Summary

Creators:
Wilson, Richard Alan, 1915-
Abstract:
Richard Alan Wilson (1915- ) was a actor, stage manager, and assistant producer at the Mercury Theatre under Orson Welles. Wilson worked on all Welles' films and radio shows until 1948 when he began work as an associate producer on Lady from Shanghai and Macbeth. He later became a producer at Universal-International and directed movies including Man with the gun (1955), Night in Havana (1957), Al Capone (1959), Invitation to a gunfighter (1964), and Three in the attic (1968). The collection consists of general correspondence, miscellanea, U.S. government and United Nations publications, and production files for film, radio, and stage productions. The production files contain correspondence, photographs, press clippings, screenplays, shooting scripts, material on research, budget and publicity, and interviews, articles and addresses by Wilson. There is also material relating to Orson Welles and the Mercury Theater production of Macbeth.
Extent:
25 boxes (12.5 linear ft.)
Language:
English.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection consists of production files, general correspondence, miscellanea, and U.S. government and United Nations publications. Includes Wilson's production files for film, radio, and stage productions, containing correspondence, photographs, press clippings, screenplays, shooting scripts, material on research, budget and publicity, and interviews, articles and addresses by Wilson. Also includes material relating to Orson Welles and the Mercury Theater production of Macbeth.

Biographical / historical:

Wilson was born in 1915 in McKeesport, Pennsylvania; attended Denver University; became an announcer and actor for radio in Denver and New York; in 1937, became an actor, stage manager, and assistant producer for Orson Welles at the Mercury Theatre; worked on all Welles' films and radio shows to 1948; was associate producer on Lady from Shanghai (in collaboration with William Castle), and Macbeth; became associate producer, then producer at Universal-International; directed the following films: Man with the gun (1955), Trouble-shooter (1955), The big boodle (1957), Night in Havana (1957), Raw wind in Eden (1958), Al Capone (1959), Pay or die (1960), Wall of noise (1963), Invitation to a gunfighter (1964), and Three in the attic (1968).

Acquisition information:
Gift of Richard Wilson, 1969-82.
Arrangement:

Arranged in the following series:

  1. Correspondence (Box 1).
  2. Miscellaneous (Box 2).
  3. Production files (Boxes 3-23).
  4. United Nations materials and U.S. government publication on atomic energy (Box 24).
  5. Material relating to Orson Welles (Box 25).

Physical location:
Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Access and use

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
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