Finding aid for the Oscar Levant papers 2272
Diann Benti
USC Libraries Cinematic Arts Library
2021 December
Doheny Memorial Library G4
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-0185
ctlibarc@usc.edu
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Cinematic Arts Library
Title: Oscar Levant papers
Creator:
Levant, Oscar, 1906-1972
Identifier/Call Number: 2272
Identifier/Call Number: 575
Physical Description:
28 Linear Feet
20 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1910s-1970s
Abstract: This collection contains the papers of American pianist, composer, and radio and television personality Oscar Levant (1906-1972).
Materials include original musical scores and parts by Levant, including classical compositions, as well as music for Broadway,
film, and radio; published sheet music; personal and business correspondence; photographs; two television scripts; some personal
items, and one sound recording and two film reels.
Language of Material:
English.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of June Levant Ephron, May 30, 1979.
Arrangement
Arranged in the following series:
- Correspondence: Boxes 1-2
-
Photographs: Box 3, Box 18 (Folder 1), Box 19 (Folder 2)
- Television scripts: Box 4 (Folders 5-6)
- Personal items and ephemera: Box 4 (Folders 1-4, 13) and Box 7
- Press: Box 4 (Folders 7-12), Box 18 (Folder 2)
- Music: Box 5, Boxes 8-17, Box 19 (Folder 1)
- Books: Box 18 (Volumes 1-4)
- Audiovisual materials: Box 5 (Folder 14) and Box 6 [UNAVAILABLE]
- Addenda: Box 20
Biographical / Historical
Oscar Levant (1906-1972) was an American pianist, composer, and radio and television personality.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder no. or item name], Oscar Levant papers, Collection no. 2272, Cinematic Arts Library, USC Libraries, University
of Southern California.
Processing Information
Previously cataloged as Collection no. 153.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains the papers of American pianist, composer, and radio and television personality Oscar Levant (1906-1972).
Materials include original musical scores and parts by Levant, including classical compositions, as well as music for Broadway,
film, and radio; published sheet music; personal and business correspondence; photographs; two television scripts; some personal
items including identification cards and monogrammed objects; press and magazine articles; and one audio recording identified
as Levant with Al Jolson and two 16mm film reels of Levant on television. Note: the film reels (Box 6) are currently unavailable
until they have been reformatted.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Cinematic Arts Library
at ctlibarc@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Cinematic Arts Library as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Composers -- United States -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Entertainers -- United States -- Archival resources
Music -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Musicians -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Sheet music
Levant, Oscar, 1906-1972 -- Archives
Gershwin, George, 1898-1937
Personal correspondence
Scope and Contents
The personal correspondence chiefly consists of brief notes of congratulations, thanks, telegrams, and Christmas cards from
well-known individuals.
Box 2, Folder 7
Miscellaneous correspondence
Box 2, Folder 8
Correspondence re: "Memoirs of an Amnesiac"
1965
Box 2, Folder 9
Correspondence re: "The Unimportance of Being Oscar"
1968
Box 2, Folder 10-11
Condolences after Levant's death
1972
Box 2, Folder 12-17
Business correspondence and papers
Box 2, Folder 12
American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers
1944-1969
Box 3, Folder 13
Film work (MGM, 20th Century Fox)
1950-1954
Box 3, Folder 14
Land purchase, rental agreement, house purchase documents
1944-1949
Box 3, Folder 15
Television shows
1955-1965
Box 3, Folder 16
Columbia Records
1945-1967
Box 3, Folder 17
Miscellaneous business correspondence
1939-1971
Photographs
Scope and Contents
These files contain photographs related to Levant's personal life and family and friends, films (including production stills),
and publicity photographs. There is also a caricature of Levant by Glaser (Box 3, Folder 11).
Box 18, Folder 1, Box 19, Folder 2
Oversize photographs and caricatures
Box 19
Framed autographed photograph of Harry S. Truman
Box 19
Rolled "Rhapsody in Blue" caricature with signatures
Box 4, Folder 5
The Oscar Levant Show script
1958-03-02
Box 4, Folder 6
The Joey Bishop Show script
1964-08-17
Personal items and ephemera
Box 4, Folder 4
ID cards, passport, selective service, etc.
Box 4, Folder 13
Various programs and ephemera
Box 7
Realia
Scope and Contents
Contains monogrammed pen holder, tissue box, lighter, luggage tag, wallet, cigarette case, and published Newsweek Autograph
book, as well as a Stratoliner coin, a U.S. Treasury Award coin, and an "All the Way with Adlai" campaign pin.
Box 4, Folder 7
Press materials on Oscar Levant
Box 18, Folder 2
Magazines (oversize)
1940-1965
Box 5, Folder 1
After the Clouds Roll By from Half Marriage (RKO)
1929
Box 5, Folder 1
All Dressed Up and No Place to Go
1936
Box 5, Folder 1
All My Life from Leathernecking (RKO)
1930
Box 5, Folder 1
Aram Khachaturian/Sabre Dance (Transcribed for Piano by Oscar Levant) from "Gayne Ballet"
1948
Box 5, Folder 1
Babykins from Ripples (Stage show)
1930
Box 5, Folder 1
Blame it on my Youth
1934
Box 5, Folder 1
Broken Up Tune from Street Girl (RKO)
1929
Box 5, Folder 1
Careless Kisses (Ditto) from Leathernecking (RKO)
[1930]
Box 5, Folder 2
Don't Mention Love to Me (photocopy) from In Person (RKO)
1935
Box 5, Folder 2
A Fool and His Honey are Soon Parted
1939
Box 5, Folder 2
Gay Love from The Delightful Rogue (RKO)
1929
Box 5, Folder 2
Got a New Lease on Life (photocopy) from In Person (RKO)
[1935]
Box 5, Folder 2
How Much Do You Mean To Me?
1938
Box 5, Folder 2
If You Want the Rainbow (You Must have the Rain) from My Man (WB)
1928
Box 5, Folder 2
I'm a little Bit Fonder of You from Ripples (Stage show)
1930
Box 5, Folder 2
In Other Words I'm in Love from Black Sheep (Fox)
1935
Box 5, Folder 2
Is It Love from Ripples (Stage show)
1930
Box 5, Folder 2
Just a Little Way Away From Home
1928
Box 5, Folder 2
Keep Sweeping the Cobwebs off the Moon
1927
Box 5, Folder 2
Lady, Play Your Mandolin
1930
Box 5, Folder 2
Last Night a Miracle Happened
1939
Box 5, Folder 2
Little Pal of the Alley
1938
Box 5, Folder 2
Lovable and Sweet from Street Girl (RKO)
1929
Box 5, Folder 3
Made For Each Other from Made For Each Other
1939
Box 5, Folder 3
Mighty Nice and So Particular (Ditto) from Leathernecking (RKO)
[1930]
Box 5, Folder 3
Mirrors Don't Tell Lies
1938
Box 5, Folder 3
My Dream Memory from Street Girl (RKO)
1929
Box 5, Folder 3
Night Winds from Love Comes Along (RKO)
1929
Box 5, Folder 3
Out of Sight, Out of Mind (photocopy) from In Person (RKO)
[1935]
Box 5, Folder 3
Shake It Off And Smile from Leathernecking (RKO)
1930
Box 5, Folder 3
Someone from Jazz Heaven (RKO)
1929
Box 5, Folder 3
Sonatina (2 copies)
1932-1934
Box 5, Folder 3
Steamboat 'Round the Bend (mimeo) from Steamboat Round the Bend (Fox)
1935
Box 5, Folder 4
Talk With Your Heel and Toe from Ripples (Stage show)
1930
Box 5, Folder 4
Tanned Legs from Tanned Legs (RKO)
1929
Box 5, Folder 4
That's How Virginia Began
1936
Box 5, Folder 4
There's an Eden in Sweden
1935
Box 5, Folder 4
There's Nothing Wrong In A Kiss from Ripples (Stage show)
1930
Box 5, Folder 4
To Me She's Marvelous from Half Marriage (RKO)
1929
Box 5, Folder 4
Until Love Comes Along from Love Comes Along (RKO)
1929
Box 5, Folder 5
Wash Yo' Hands from Steamboat Round the Bend (Fox)
1935
Box 5, Folder 5
We've Got the Moon and Sixpence from Out of the Bottle (English stage show)
1932
Box 5, Folder 5
With You-With Me from Tanned Legs (RKO)
1929
Box 5, Folder 5
You Gotta Do Better Than That
1939
Box 5, Folder 5
You Had An Ev'ning to Spare
1938
Box 5, Folder 5
You Wrote Your Name in my Heart
1935
Box 5, Folder 5
You're Responsible from Tanned Legs (RKO)
1939
Box 5, Folder 6
George Gerswhin's Rhapsody in Blue
1924
Scope and Contents
Includes two manuscript works: "Isn't This a Lovely Day" and "'S Wonderful" and three published works: "George Gershwin's
Concerto in F for piano and orchestra" (1927), "George Gershwin's Two Waltzes in C piano solo" (1971), and "I Got Rhythm"
variations (1934).
Box 5, Folder 7
Hi Ho! By George and Ira Gershwin
1967
Box 5, Folder 9
Rhythmodics by Joseph Kahn
1944
Box 5, Folder 10
Virgil Thomson Album One and Album Two
1948-1949
Box 5, Folder 11-13
Beethoven, Ravel, and Trapp music books
Box 18, Folder 3-7
Early exercises and study
Box 8
Unidentified/miscellaneous music
Box 10
Film music
Scope and Contents
Includes music for "Nothing Sacred," "Charlie Chan at the opera," "Romance on the High Seas," "Fellow Americans," and early
RKO songs and manuscripts.
Box 9, Box 19, Folder 1
Radio show song arrangements
Scope and Contents
Box 9 includes an incomplete radio script for music played (1940), orchestrations for "Fascinating Rhythm" and "I Didn't Know
What Time it Was," and some other miscellaneous pieces. Box 19 (Folder 2) holds oversize files consisting of orchestrations
for "All the Things You Are Mine" and "Bojangles in Harlem."
Box 19
The Age of Anxiety Symphony No. 2 by Leonard Bernstein
Box 11
The American Way (Broadway show)
Box 16
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
Box 13
"I've Got Rhythm" variations and march
Box 10
A Man Has Come Into My Life
Box 13
Peter Roleum and his cousins
Box 14
Movement II (Dirge) and Movement III (Dance in the Form of a Rondo) parts
Box 18, volume 1
"A Smattering of Ignorance" by Oscar Levant
1940
Box 18, volume 2
"I Kid You Not" by Jack Paar
1960
Box 18, volume 3
"The Memoirs of an Amnesiac" by Oscar Levant
1965
Box 18, volume 4
"The Unimportance of Being Oscar" by Oscar Levant
1968
Box 6
"Information Please" (short, RKO)
1940-11
Physical Description: 1 film : 16mm.
Conditions Governing Access
UNAVAILABLE. Film unavailable until it has been reformatted.
Box 6
"The Oscar Levant Show" (KCOP, TV)
1958-05-06
Physical Description: 1 film : 16mm.
Physical Description: 1 videocassette (VHS).VHS copy of 16mm film.
Conditions Governing Access
UNAVAILABLE. Film unavailable until it has been reformatted.
Box 5, Folder 14
Recording identified as Oscar Levant and Al Jolsen on the radio (78 rpm record)
Box 20
Photocopies and reproductions
Scope and Contents
Photocopies and reproductions chiefly of Oscar Levant music added to the collection by USC staff. Includes a cassette tape
recording of the Concordia Chamber Symphony playing Levant's Caprice (June 10, 1988).