Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Morse, Carlton E. (1901-1993)
- Abstract:
- The Carlton E. Morse Papers of the American Radio Archives (ARA) consists of 16 boxes of scripts for radio and television series, as well as memorabilia on Morse's career and production documents.
- Extent:
- 15 Linear Feet (16 boxes: 13 record boxes, 2 document boxes, 1 flat box)
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of Item], Carlton E. Morse Papers, PA Mss 166. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Carlton E. Morse Papers consists of 16 boxes or 15 linear feet of material pertaining to Morse's career as a script writer. A majority of the collection consists of scripts for radio shows; One Man's Family, I Love a Mystery, Slice of Life, Family Skeleton, Adventures by Morse, All Good Things Begin at Home, Barbary Coast Nights, Capt. Post: Crime Specialist, China Town Squad, His Honor the Barber, I Love Adventure, Mixed Doubles, and Timothy John. Included with the scripts are notes, outlines, newspaper clippings, correspondence and promotional material pertaining to these shows. There also includes some personal correspondence and family photographs. Artifacts in this collection include awards for the show One Man's Family and personal distinguished accomplishments. There are also three 12" discs that have recordings of two episodes of One Man's Family and an interview with Carlton Morse.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Carlton E. Morse was born in Jennings, Louisiana on June 4, 1901, but he and his family relocated to a fruit ranch in Talent, Oregon in 1906. When Morse turned 16 he moved to Sacramento where he finished high school and then attended the University of California from 1919-1922, but never graduated.
From 1922-1928, Morse was a journalist for many newspaper forums including the Sacramento Union, the San Francisco Illustrated Daily Herald, The Seattle Times, Vancouver Columbian, Portland Oregonian and the San Francisco Bulletin. After his career writing for various newspapers, Morse brought scripts to an interview with NBC and was ultimately hired and began his radio script writing career, scripting House of Myths. He continued to write mystery scripts for shows like The Witch of Endor, The City of the Dead, Captain Post: Crime Specialist, The Game Called Murder and Dead Men Prowl. In 1932 Morse encountered his magnum opus in the success of his show One Man's Family and followed that up with another successful show, I Love a Mystery in 1939.
As the "Golden Age of Radio" came to an end Morse transitioned to writing television scripts where he brought One Man's Family to the television screen and transitioned his radio show Slice of Life to television with a new title, Mixed Doubles.
Morse had lived in Sacramento, California until his death on May 24, 1993.
- Custodial history:
-
This collection forms part of the American Radio Archives (ARA), which documents the early history of broadcasting, with an emphasis on California. The ARA was formerly housed at the Thousand Oaks Public Library and was owned and administered by the Thousand Oaks Library Foundation. It was transferred to the UCSB Library in 2021.
- Arrangement:
-
The materials in this collection are arranged into four series by type. Series 1: Radio Scripts; Series 2: Television Script; Series 3: Other Material; Series 4: Sound Recordings.
- Physical location:
- The majority of this collection (Boxes 1-13) is located at the Southern Regional Library Facility (SRLF).
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
The collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
-
Property rights to the collection and physical objects belong to the Regents of the University of California acting through the Department of Special Research Collections at the UCSB Library. All applicable literary rights, including copyright to the collection and physical objects, are protected under Chapter 17 of the U.S. Copyright Code and are retained by the creator and the copyright owner, heir(s), or assigns.
All requests to reproduce, quote from, or otherwise reuse collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Department of Special Research Collections at UCSB at special@ucsb.edu. Consent is given on behalf of the Regents of the University of California acting through the Department of Special Research Collections at UCSB as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, heir(s), or assigns. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or their assigns for permission to publish where the UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of Item], Carlton E. Morse Papers, PA Mss 166. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara
- Location of this collection:
-
UC Santa Barbara LibrarySanta Barbara, CA 93106-9010, US
- Contact:
- (805) 893-3062