Terrence O'Flaherty papers, circa 1940s-circa1990

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Summary

Creators:
O'Flaherty, Terrence and O'Flaherty, Terrence
Abstract:
Terrence O'Flaherty worked as television critic for the San Francisco Chronicle from 1952-1986. The bulk of the collection consists of television stills and promotional material collected by O'Flaherty during the course of his 37-year journalistic career. Additionally included are scrapbooks documenting his newspaper columns, subject files containing research materials, and a small amount of correspondence and other writings by O'Flaherty.
Extent:
135.0 linear feet (332 boxes), 24 linear feet (14 unprocessed record cartons, 10 unprocessed flat boxes), and 3 audiovisual carriers (2 audiocassettes, 1 record)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Terrence O'Flaherty papers (Collection PASC 26). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of material related to television critic and newspaper columnist, Terrence O'Flaherty. The bulk of the collection is television stills and promotional material that O'Flaherty collected over the course of his 37-year career. The stills date from approximately 1952-1990, and document television programs from all of the major networks. The promotional material includes press kits from television programs and networks, as well as print advertisements, invitations, and other promotional items sent to O'Flaherty. Also included are scrapbooks of his many newspaper columns.

Also included in the collection is a small amount of cards, notes, and column reader letters; subject files which appear to have been assembled by O'Flaherty on a range of television-related themes; television scripts and recordings sent to O'Flaherty to promote television programing; and a small quantity of O'Flaherty's writings. Additionally, there publications covering the history, development, economics, sociology and technology of television. Some of the book publications are signed or contain personal notes to O'Flaherty and may contain additional news release or promotional material in the item.

Biographical / historical:

Terrence O'Flaherty was born in Iowa in 1917, and raised in Los Angeles. He graduated with a BA from the University of California, Berkeley, and went on to work as a fact checker at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He served as a communications officer in the US Navy during World War II. His first newspaper position was with the Santa Monica Independent, in 1949, and in 1950, he began working for the San Francisco Chronicle, where he would remain until his retirement in 1986.

O'Flaherty was one of the first commentators to write seriously about the then-emerging medium of television. In addition to writing his widely read television column for the San Francisco Chronicle, O'Flaherty was involved with a number of other television-related activities. From 1952 to 1984, he was a member of the board of the Peabody Awards; and in 1961 and 1962, he hosted PM West, a nightly news show, broadcast from San Francisco.

In 1974, O'Flaherty was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, and in 1988, was presented with an Emmy Award. In 1995, he published the book Masterpiece Theatre, a retrospective look at the PBS series of the same name. Terrence O'Flaherty died of pancreatic cancer in 2001, at the age of 83.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Terrence O'Flaherty, 1986. Addition to the collection gift of Lynn Hickerson, 2007.
Processing information:

Collections are processed to a variety of levels depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived user interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides a standard level of preservation and access for all collections and, when time and resources permit, conducts more intensive processing. These materials have been arranged and described according to national and local standards and best practices.

Processed by UCLA Library Arts Special Collections staff, pre-1999. Additions processed by Alexandra Apolloni and Julie Graham.

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Arrangement:

Arranged in the following series:

  1. Scrapbooks
  2. Subject files
  3. Writings
  4. Oral history
  5. Correspondence
  6. Stills
  7. Promotional material
  8. Publications
  9. Sound recordings

Physical / technical requirements:

CONTAINS AUDIO MATERIALS: This collection contains both processed and unprocessed audio materials. For information about the access status of the material that you are looking for, refer to the Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements note at the series and file levels. All requests to access processed audio materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Physical location:
Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Terms of access:

Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other 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.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Terrence O'Flaherty papers (Collection PASC 26). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.

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
Website