Finding aid to the Richard O. Moore papers BANC MSS 2014/210

Lori Dedeyan
The Bancroft Library
2017
The Bancroft Library
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
bancref@library.berkeley.edu


Language of Material: English
Contributing Institution: The Bancroft Library
Title: Richard O. Moore papers
Creator: Moore, Richard O.
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 2014/210
Physical Description: 9 Linear Feet 7 cartons, 1 oversize folder, 1 portfolio
Date (inclusive): 1945-2013
Abstract: This collection contains the papers of the American poet, documentarian, producer, and public radio pioneer Richard O. Moore. It includes correspondence; manuscripts for poetry and prose; notebooks containing poetry and journal entries; and material documenting Moore’s involvement with KPFA public radio and the Pacifica Foundation, KQED-TV in San Francisco, KTCA-TV in Minneapolis/St. Paul, and the San Francisco Renaissance. Also included are portraits and production photographs from Moore’s work on various television series about American writing and poetry, and broadcast masters and other audiovisual recordings from various programs that Moore worked on.
Language of Material: Collection materials are in English.
Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.

Access

Collection is open for research, with the exception of unprocessed digital material.
Portfolio 1: NEGATIVES RESTRICTED. Available for use by appointment only.

Publication Rights

Materials in this collection may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], The Richard O. Moore papers, BANC MSS 2014/210, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Alternate Forms Available

There are no alternate forms for this collection.

Separated Materials

Digital materials have been transferred to the Digital Collections Unit of the Bancroft Library.

Acquisition Information

The Richard Moore papers were given to The Bancroft Library by Richard O. Moore on September 24, 2014.

Accruals

No additions are expected.

Arrangement

Arranged to the folder level.

Processing Information

Processed by Lori Dedeyan in 2017.

Biographical / Historical

Richard O. Moore was born in Alliance, Ohio on February 26, 1920, the only child of Harold Ellsworth Moore and Frances Elizabeth. The family was drastically impacted by the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and lived with various relatives before moving to California in 1934. Frances Elizabeth’s death of tuberculosis in 1938 devastated her son and was a pivotal event in the formation of his worldview.
Moore attended the University of California, Berkeley from 1940-1941, studying poetry and briefly editing its student literary magazine. During this time, he led campus anti-war demonstrations, was introduced to his friend and mentor, the poet Kenneth Rexroth, and became an active member of the San Francisco Renaissance. Moore was expelled from UC Berkeley in 1941 for failing to complete courses and moved to San Francisco. During this time, he studied dance with May O'Donnell and José Limón. He continued to write poetry and was a vocal pacifist, counseling young men seeking to apply for Conscientious Objector status during World War II.
He applied for re-admittance to UC Berkeley and received his bachelor’s degree in 1949, with an emphasis on English Literature and Medieval History. In 1949, Moore helped found the Pacifica Foundation and KPFA in Berkeley with Eleanor McKinney and Lewis Hill, with the intent to devote the station to the principles of nonviolence and pacifism. KPFA went on the air on April 15, 1949 and was the first non- commercial, listener- supported radio station in the United States.
Moore left KPFA in 1952 and in 1954 began a career in television broadcasting as an early staff member of KQED in San Francisco, becoming its Director of Public Affairs. Moore attended the graduation division of Columbia University from 1960 as a CBS Public Affairs Fellow, with an emphasis on Philosophy of Science. In 1961 he returned to KQED, directing over 100 documentary films on a variety of topics, including a film entitled Take This Hammer with James Baldwin. From 1969-1973, Moore served as President and General Manager of KQED, Inc. In 1975, Moore helped found PTV Productions, where he produced and directed independent films and television series, including The Writer in America(1978) and On Death and Dying (1980), and consulted with CPB, PBS, and various other foundations. In 1981, he joined KTCA in Minneapolis-St. Paul as head of Special Projects. Moore retired in 1990 and returned to California to concentrate on his poetry.
While living in Point Arena on the Northern California coast, Moore began to assemble his poetry. At the Squaw Valley Writer’s Conference, he met poet Brenda Hillman, who encouraged him to publish. After the death of his wife, Ruth Margaret, in 1997, he left Point Arena and visited Claremont in Southern California, where he audited philosophy seminars on Wittgenstein at Claremont Graduate University. In 2003, he returned to The Redwoods in Mill Valley, where the editing of a selection of poems took place. This selection was published as a book, Writing the Silences: selected poems 1946-2008, by the University of California Press in 2010. A second volume, Particulars of Place, was published by Omnidawn in 2015. Moore also published chapbooks, such as A Selection for Ruth (1997), China Diary (2012), Outcry (2014), and In Passing (2015).
Moore had six children. He died on March 25, 2015.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains the papers of the American poet, documentarian, producer, and public radio pioneer Richard O. Moore. It includes correspondence; manuscripts for poetry and prose; notebooks containing poetry and journal entries; and material documenting Moore’s involvement with KPFA public radio and the Pacifica Foundation, KQED-TV in San Francisco, KTCA-TV in Minneapolis/St. Paul, and the San Francisco Renaissance. Also included are portraits and production photographs from Moore’s work on various television series about American writing and poetry, and broadcast masters and other audiovisual recordings from various programs that Moore worked on.
The collection is divided into six series:
Series 1 (Correspondence) includes incoming and outgoing correspondence with family, friends, and colleagues.
Series 2 (Writing) includes typescripts for various collections of poetry, notebooks containing manuscript poetry and prose, screenplays for various television programs, and text for various lectures.
Series 3 (Professional career) largely includes material relating to Moore's work at KCTA-TV in Minneapolis/ St. Paul.
Series 4 (Personal) includes class notes from Columbia University and Claremont Graduate University, various notes, and collected material.
Series 5 (Photographs) contains portraits and production photographs from Moore's television programs, such as The Writer in America (1978) and The Story of Route 66 (1982). It includes writers such as John Ashberry, Robert Duncan, Allen Ginsberg, Denise Levertov, Ross MacDonald, Wright Morris, Toni Morrison, Muriel Rukeyser, Anne Sexton, Eudora Welty, and others.
Series 6 (Audiovisual) contains broadcast recordings and other videos from Moore's life and work.
Digital materials include drafts and copies of poetry, including delete, :IT:, Over Time, and late and new poems dated from the 1990s. This material is unavailable until processed.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Poets, American--20th century--California
Poets, American--California--San Francisco Bay Area
Public television--United States
Public radio--United States
Public radio--San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.)
Pacifists--United States
Moore, Richard O.

 

Series 1. Correspondence 1945-2009

Physical Description: Carton 1, folders 1-17, 33

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by correspondent.

Scope and Contents

Ingoing and outgoing correspondence with colleagues, family, and friends.
carton 1, folder 1

Family 1963, 1979, 1997-2007

carton 1, folder 2

Foster, Ed (editor, Talisman House) 1992-1995

carton 1, folder 3

Gleason, Ralph 1975

carton 1, folder 4

It (poetry collection) 1997-1999

carton 1, folder 5

Kessler, Stephen 2000-2003

carton 1, folder 6

Moore, Ruth 1963-1979

carton 1, folder 7

Miscellaneous 1990-2007

carton 1, Folders 8-10

Nathan, Leonard- letters and writing 1977, 1992-2004

carton 1, Folders 11-13

Parkinson, Thomas- letters and writing circa 1945-1985

carton 1, folder 14

Retirement 1990

carton 1, Folders 15-16

UC Press- Writing the Silences 2006-2009

Carton 1, Folder 33

Welty, Eudora 1975-1980

carton 1, folder 17

Writers' photos 1978-1981, 2007-2008

 

Series 2. Writing 1945-2013

Physical Description: Carton 1, folders 18-32; Cartons 2-3; Carton 4, folders 1-15; Carton 5, folder 1

Arrangement

Arranged into categories of writing and alphabetically within each category.

Scope and Contents

Includes typescripts for collections of poetry, essays and short stories, screenplays, lectures, and journals.
 

Poetry and prose

carton 1, folder 18

The Book of Quotations 1986

carton 1, Folders 19-21

delete circa 1995

carton 1, Folders 22-24

: IT : 1990, circa 1997

carton 1, folder 25

Late Poems circa 1990

carton 1, Folders 26-28

Lenses of Perceptions circa 2000-2001

carton 1, folder 29

The Making of an American Wasp undated

carton 1, Folders 30-31

Over Time circa 1991

carton 1, folder 32

Particulars of Place undated

carton 2, Folders 1-3

The Place Where Forgetting Begins circa 1980

carton 2, Folders 4-6

Sonnets circa 2013

carton 2, Folders 7-12

Writing the Silences circa 2010

carton 2, Folders 13

Fragments and untitled poems undated

carton 2, Folders 14

Poems and poetry prizes 1949

carton 2, Folders 15-16

Poem typescripts circa 1951-1979

carton 2, Folders 17

Poem typescripts 1980s

carton 2, Folders 18

Poem typescripts and copies circa 1990-2001

carton 2, Folders 19

Late poetry- Claremont circa 2001

carton 2, Folders 20-24

Poem typescripts 1991, circa 2001-2012

Scope and Contents

Includes fragments of: Distances, Games, Illusions of Light, Particulars of Place, and Standing Here.
carton 2, Folders 25

Published poetry and articles 2002

carton 2, Folders 26-27

Short stories circa 2003

carton 2, folder 28

Essays 1980, circa 2003-2012

 

Journals and notebooks

carton 5, folder 1

China travel diary and poems 1979, 2012

carton 3, folder 1

Milan journal and poetry 1978

carton 3, folder 2

Journal entries 1985, 2000

carton 3, Folders 3-17

Notebooks 1945-2002

carton 3, folder 18

Notebook undated

 

Television screenplays

carton 3, folder 19

The Beauty of Things- Robinson Jeffers film essay proposal (KQED) undated

carton 3, folder 20

James Joyce: A Film Biography 1980

carton 3, Folders 21-24

John Dos Passos: "Swallowing America Whole" 1981

carton 4, folder 1

Lewis Thomas TV series 1978

carton 4, folder 2

The Wide Net (Eudora Welty script) undated

 

Lectures

carton 4, Folders 3-13

Mill Valley Seniors for Peace lectures 2003-2012

Scope and Contents

Includes lectures: Fever and Dreams (2003); The United Nations "past or passing to come?" (2004); The Inauguration (2004); The Bush Doctrine (2004); Iraq: Withdrawal and Consequences (2006); Israel-Palestine: An Historical Overview (2006); Post Election: 11/13/06 (2006); reports and updates on Iraq (2007); reports on Iraq and the Middle East (2008); The Economy and Foreign Policy (2008); What Now? (2008); Corporations, Obama, and Change (2009); Populism, Pragmatism, and Politics (2009); The War on Terror: Who is the Enemy? (2011), Visual: Map of Middle East and North Africa (2011); A Meditation on War and the Legacy of Iraq (2012); and various other untitled lectures.
carton 4, folder 14

SFMOMA talk 2011

carton 4, folder 15

"Poetry and Politics" (St. Mary's College) 2011

 

Series 3.  Professional career 1979-2013

Physical Description: Carton 4, folders 16-23

Scope and Contents

Includes material related to Moore's career in public television.
carton 4, folder 16

KPFA oral history transcript 1995

carton 4, folder 17

"Public Television and the Future... A Different Approach" circa 1979

carton 4, folder 18

Twin Cities Public television 2007-2008

carton 4, folder 19

KCTA publicity 1979-2000

carton 4, folder 20

Minnesota TeleCenter publicity 1989

carton 4, folder 21

KCTA potential programming material circa 1983

carton 4, folder 22

Publicity 2010-2013

 

Series 4. Personal material 1960-2012

Physical Description: Carton 4, folders 23-38; Carton 5, folders 2-9

Arrangement

Arranged in a roughly chronological order.

Scope and Contents

Includes classwork from Columbia University and Claremont School of Religion, as well as personal notes and collected reading.
carton 4, folder 23

Classwork: Philosophy 9 (Columbia University) circa 1960

Carton 4, folder 24

Classwork: Philosophy 106, 214 (Columbia University) circa 1960

Carton 4, folder 25

Classwork: Philosophy 107 (Columbia University) circa 1960

Carton 4, folder 26

Classwork: Philosophy 125 (Columbia University) circa 1960

Carton 4, folder 27

Classwork: Philosophy 161, 162 (Columbia University) circa 1960

Carton 4, folder 28

Classwork: Physics (Columbia University) circa 1960

Carton 4, folder 29

Classwork: Gnosticism, NT 492 (Claremont School of Religion) 2001

Carton 4, folder 30

Classwork: Religion 363 (Claremont School of Religion) 2001

Carton 4, folder 31

Classwork: Philosophy 77 (Claremont School of Religion) circa 2001

Carton 4, folder 32

Classwork: Wittgenstein on religion circa 2001

Carton 4, folder 33

Classwork: philosophy and religion circa 2001

Carton 4, folder 34

Classwork: philosophy and religion 2002

Carton 4, folder 35

Classwork: Kierkegaard- Phillips 2002

Carton 4, folder 36

Classwork: Wittgenstein- Phillips 2002

Carton 4, folder 37

Resume circa 1980

Carton 4, folder 38

Comments on 'Sharing the Earth' by Nelson Foote circa 2009

carton 5, folder 2

Therapy session logs 2004

carton 5, folder 3

Line dancing 2006-2007

carton 5, folder 4

Collected articles and issues of Muir Beach Beachcomber 1979-2008

carton 5, folder 5

Miscellaneous 1988, 2011

carton 5, Folders 6-7

Sharing the Earth, by Nelson N. Foote (typescript) circa 2011

carton 5, folder 8

Some Truths from Helican (possibly by Leonard Nathan) undated

carton 5, folder 9

Writing by Carol Nathan undated

 

Series 5. Photographs 1956-2009

Physical Description: Carton 5, folders 10-23; Oversize folder 1; Portfolio 1

Arrangement

Arranged by project.

Scope and Contents

Includes production photographs of various programs that Moore worked on, such as "Route 66" and "The Writer in America". Also includes portraits of Moore and various other writers.
carton 5, folder 10

Going Somewhere: the story of Route 66. KTCA circa 1982

carton 5, folder 11

The Writer in America: Robert Duncan circa 1978

carton 5, folder 12

The Writer in America: John Gardner, Randall Jarrell, Muriel Rukeyser, Anne Sexton circa 1978

carton 5, folder 13

The Writer in America: Janet Flanner circa 1978

carton 5, folder 14

The Writer in America: Ross MacDonald circa 1978

oversize_folder 1

The Writer in America: Ross MacDonald (oversize production photo) 1977

Note

16" x 20". Includes production crew: Phil Greene, Dick Moore, Susan Wengraf, Mark Berger. Photograph G. Suddarth Kelly.
carton 5, folder 15

The Writer in America: Wright Morris circa 1978

carton 5, folder 16

The Writer in America: Toni Morrison circa 1978

carton 5, folder 17

The Writer in Ameria: Eudora Welty circa 1978

carton 5, folder 18

Moore and various writers circa 1956-1978

Scope and Contents

Includes John Ashberry, Robert Duncan, Stanley Kunitz, Denise Levertov, and others.
carton 5, folder 19

Portraits of Tom Wolfe, Thomas Parkinson, and a portrait of Gertrude Stein by Imogen Cunningham undated

carton 5, folder 20

Images of Allen Ginsberg undated

carton 5, folder 21

Portraits of Moore circa 1989

carton 5, folder 22

Moore with unidentified group 2009

carton 5, folder 23

Unlabeled photographs undated

portfolio 1

Negatives circa 1956-1982

Conditions Governing Use

NEGATIVES RESTRICTED. Available for use by appointment only.

Scope and Contents

Contains matching negatives for much of the photographic print material. Includes images of American writers and production shots from Going Somewhere: the story of Route 66 (KTCA, 1982); The Writer in America (1975); material from KQED; and other programs. Included are John Ashberry, Robert Duncan, Denise Levertov, Ross MacDonald, Wright Morris, Muriel Rukeyser, Anne Sexton, Eudora Welty, Louis Zukofsky, and others.
 

Series 6. Audiovisual 1983-2001

Physical Description: Cartons 6-7

Scope and Contents

Largely contains video recordings of educational television programs worked on or received by Moore. Also includes some personal recordings.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Special equipment or further processing may be required to access this material. Please contact the reference desk in advance of your visit.
Carton 6

Lannan Literary Series (VHS) 1989

Scope and Contents

The Lannan Literary Series, no. 1: Louise Gluck. Los Angeles: Lannan Foundation, 1989
The Lannan Literary Series, no. 2: Galway Kinnell. Los Angeles: Lannan Foundation, 1989
The Lannan Literary Series, no. 3: W.S. Merwin. Los Angeles: Lannan Foundation, 1989
The Lannan Literary Series, no. 4: Lucille Clifton. Los Angeles: Lannan Foundation, 1989
The Lannan Literary Series, no. 5: Philip Levine. Los Angeles: Lannan Foundation, 1989
The Lannan Literary Series, no. 6: Czeslaw Milosz. Los Angeles: Lannan Foundation, 1989
The Lannan Literary Series, no. 8 v. 1: Gary Snyder. Los Angeles: Lannan Foundation, 1989
The Lannan Literary Series, no. 8 v. 2: Gary Snyder. Los Angeles: Lannan Foundation, 1989
The Lannan Literary Series, no. 9: Allen Ginsberg. Los Angeles: Lannan Foundation, 1989
The Lannan Literary Series, no. 10: Yehuda Amichai. Los Angeles: Lannan Foundation, 1989
The Lannan Literary Series, no. 11: Joy Harjo. Los Angeles: Lannan Foundation, 1989
Carton 6

The Writer In America (KTCA2/KTCI17) master tapes (VHS) 1986

Scope and Contents

The Writer in America: Janet Flanner. 1/2/86. 30:00
The Writer in America: John Gardner. 1/2/86. 30:00
The Writer in America: Ross MacDonald. 1/2/86/. 30:00
The Writer in America: Wright Morris. 1/2/86. 30:00
The Writer in America: Toni Morrison. 1/2/86. 30:00
The Writer in America: Muriel Rukeyser. 1/2/86. 30:00
The Writer in America: Eudora Welty. 1/2/86. 30:00
Carton 6

Various recordings (VHS) 1991-2001

Scope and Contents

China Tour '99 Master.
Voices and Visions: Ezra Pound (South Carolina Educational Television Network).
The British Embassy Players' Old- Time Music Hall 2000. For Richard.
The Mysteries. Patricia Olson. 1999.
For Richard and Ruth Moore. Ap. 91. Guitar?
Eugene McCarthy: I'm Sorry I Was Right. St. Paul: The Center for International Education. 2001.
Dorothea Lange: A Visual Life. dir. Meg Partridge. Valley Ford, CA: Pacific Pictures. 1994.
Bay Window: Making the Grade. A KQED Production. 1999.
John Coltrane in Ralph Gleason's Jazz Casual. Los Angeles: Rhino Home Video. 1995.
Carton 7

KCET broadcast videocassettes (U-matic) 1983

Scope and Contents

KCET. LA Arts 83.
KCET.(Address label belonging to Mary jane O'Donnell)
KCET. Wasted Young (R 1 of 2). Recorded 11-3-83.
KCET. Wasted Young (R 2 of 2). Recorded 11-3-83.
KCET. Wasted Young (segment 2 and 3).
KCET. Journal. Episode 5. Recorded 4-2-83.