Biographical Information:
Scope and Contents
Arrangement of Materials:
Conditions Governing Access:
Conditions Governing Use:
Accruals:
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Processing Information:
Preferred Citation:
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: Milton Geiger Papers
Creator:
Geiger, Milton, 1907-1971
Identifier/Call Number: SC.MG
Extent:
10.84 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1932-1973
Date (bulk): 1938-1973
Abstract: Milton Geiger wrote radio and
television scripts as well as motion picture plays, theater plays, and short stories, some
of which were performed or directed by Orson Welles, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Edward G.
Robinson, Lorne Greene, and Richard Dreyfuss. The collection documents Geiger's writing
career from 1938, particularly the creative development and research behind his scripts. The
collection also documents the business workings of the radio and television industries
through correspondence and legal documents between Mr. Geiger, the networks, studios, and
his agents.
Language of Material: English
Biographical Information:
Milton Geiger (December 29, 1907-September 28, 1971) was born in New York City, but grew
up in Cleveland, Ohio where he received his first significant exposure to theater at the
Cleveland Play House. He married the author Dorothy Rubenstein (pen name Dorothy English),
and the couple moved to New York City so Geiger could pursue his writing career. They later
moved to Southern California to work in the entertainment industry.
Geiger wrote radio and television scripts, as well as motion picture plays, theater plays,
and short stories. His first commercial success was written for the radio's "The Rudy Vallee
Hour" (One Special for Doc in his correspondence files), about a small town pharmacist. The
CBS network hired him in the late 1930s as the script writer for the radio show "County
Seat" launching his radio career. This series also featured a pharmacist, a vocation
familiar to Geiger who was a licensed pharmacist in Ohio and California. During the 1950s he
wrote for the CBS Lux Radio Theater show based in Hollywood. He also began writing for
television, scripting episodes for
Climax.(1954) and
Tales of Wells Fargo.(1957). In 1958 Geiger wrote the highly
acclaimed play
Edwin Booth.which opened in New York starring
Jose Ferrer. Some well know personalities who performed or directed Geiger scripts were
Orson Welles , Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Edward G. Robinson, Lorne Greene, and Richard
Dreyfuss. Milton Geiger passed away while sailing to England in 1971.
Scope and Contents
The
Milton Geiger Papers document Geiger's writing career from
1938, particularly the creative development and research behind his scripts. The collection
also documents the business workings of the radio and television industries through
correspondence and legal documents between Mr. Geiger, the networks, studios, and his
agents. Several of the scripts, especially the movie scripts, were probably never produced.
Unless indicated otherwise by the Series heading, the documents in this collection are
scripts. The collection has been divided into ten series:
Correspondence
(1938-1973),
Legal
Documents
(1939-1963),
Motion Picture Plays
(1961-1966),
Musical Theater (1943),
Radio Plays
(1938-1971),
Research
(1932-1962),
Short Stories
(1960),
Sound
Recording Transcripts
(1966-1969),
Television
Plays
(1949-1967), and
Theater
(1957-1966).
Series I,
Correspondence, includes documentation of Geiger's
professional relationships in the early radio and television industries. With the exception
of the first three files which are arranged chronologically, the remaining file folders are
interfiled alphabetically by creator or addressee. When known, the agency, person, show
title and subject are included in the file heading. Personal names are listed last name,
first name and filed by last name. Some significant correspondence groupings are "Edwin
Booth," "Fan Mail," and "One Special for Doc." The series is filed alphabetically by
correspondent.
Series II,
Legal Documents, includes such legal documents as
box office statements, contracts, and financial data. Of particular note are the box office
statements for the California productions of
Edwin Booth. The
series is filed alphabetically.
Series III,
Motion Picture Plays, consists of movie scripts and
related materials. It includes multiple drafts and versions of some scripts, as well as
co-authored scripts. The series is filed alphabetically by title.
Series IV,
Musical Theater, consists of musical theater
scripts. The series is filed alphabetically by title.
Series V,
Radio Plays, includes Geiger's commercial scripts for
County Seat, ABC Presents, Clap Hands, the Four Star Playhouse, Lux Radio Theater, Show
Globes, and others. There are also his scripts for the Armed Forces Radio and Television
Service, Federal Civil Defense Administration, the New York War Fund, and a chapter on
writing for radio entitled "How Do They Get That Way." The series is filed alphabetically by
title.
Series VI,
Research, includes background articles, news
clippings, and notes on Geiger's particular interests. There is extensive material on the
Octopus. Research materials directly associated with a script are grouped next to that
script. The series is filed alphabetically.
Series VII,
Short Stories, includes short stories penned by
Geiger, some of which also appear as scripts in other parts of the collection. His
co-authored stories with Dorothy Geiger and Robert Metzler are also included. The series is
filed alphabetically by title.
Series VIII,
Sound Recording Transcripts, includes
transcriptions from a series of works Geiger wrote to accompany programs on the history of
American popular music, "Hear the USA," which were narrated by Lorne Greene.
Series IX,
Television Plays, documents Milton Geiger's
involvement with the early television industry on the west coast. Scripts which exist in
other media versions such as "The Misery Mule" and "The Highlander" are included. The series
is filed alphabetically by title.
Series X,
Theater, primarily consists of Geiger's records and
scripts for
Airport and
Edwin
Booth.
Edwin Booth was widely produced with
performances at California State University, Northridge (1964), Cleveland Play House (1965),
and the College of the Desert in Palm Springs (1971). A young Richard Dreyfuss appeared in
the 1965 production at the CBS Repertoire Theatre. The series is filed alphabetically by
title.
Arrangement of Materials:
Series I: Correspondence, 1938-1973
Series II: Legal Documents, 1939-1963
Series III: Motion Picture Plays, 1961-1966
Series IV: Musical Theater, 1943
Series V: Radio plays, 1938-1971
Series VI: Research, 1932-1962
Series VII: Short Stories, 1960
Series VIII: Sound Recording Transcripts, 1966-1969
Series IX: Television Plays, 1949-1967
Series X: Theater, 1957-1966
Conditions Governing Access:
The collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use:
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge.
Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials
protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires
the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any
use rests exclusively with the user.
Accruals:
1990
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Dorothy Geiger. 1983. 1990
Processing Information:
Tony Gardner and Allan Gilbert, 2005
Preferred Citation:
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual,
or see the
Citing Archival Materials
guide.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Documents