Restrictions on Access
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Preferred Citation
Biography
Scope and Content
Organization and Arrangement
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Title: Douglas Benton papers
Collection number: 2216
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
12.8 linear ft.
(28 boxes and 4 flat boxes)
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1950-1996
Date (inclusive): 1941-1996 (bulk 1950-1996)
Abstract: Douglas Benton was a television writer, director, and producer who was best known his work in detective show genres. The collection
consists of script material and production information and material documenting his production company, Blackjack Productions.
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.
Creator:
Benton, Douglas
Restrictions on Access
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 Mrs. Jacqueline Benton, 2013.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Doublas Benton Papers (Collection 2216). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, UCLA.
Biography
Douglas Carleton Benton II was born on September 24, 1925 in Hollis, Oklahoma and spent most of his childhood in West Texas.
Benton earned a B.A. at the University of New Mexico (1948) and a Master of Science in Journalism at Northwestern University
(1950). He began his career making documentary films for General Electric and was later placed in charge of the series
General Electric Theater in Hollywood, CA. From there he went on to write and produce television series for Universal, MGM, and other studios. Benton's
credits include
Dr. Kildare (1961-1966),
Hec Ramsey (1972-1974),
Columbo,
Police Woman, (1974-1978), and
Magnum, P.I. (early-1980s), among others. He produced and directed several movies for television, among them
A Holwing in the Woods,
Undercover with the Ku Klux Klan, and
MADD: Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Nominated a number of times for an Emmy, Benton earned the award in 1974 for his work on the series,
Columbo. Benton died in November 2000.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of material related to the career of television writer, director, and producer Douglas Benton. The
bulk of the collection consists of scripts and treatments for television projects. Produced television projects represented
include
Dr. Kildare,
Columbo,
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.,
Hec Ramsey, and
Policewoman, among others. Additionally, there is a small amount of production information, material related to Blackjack Productions,
Benton's production company, a small amount of correspondence, both business and personal, script submissions, and a very
small number of photographs.
Organization and Arrangement
Arranged in the following series:
- Biographical and Personal information
- Television Projects
- Black Jack Productions
- Projects in Development
- Submissions to Benton
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Benton, Douglas--Archives
Television producers and directors--Archives