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Lewis (Robert Q.) papers (ARA)
PA Mss 171
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Title: Robert Q. Lewis papers (ARA)
Identifier/Call Number: PA Mss 171
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Research Collections
Physical Description:
21 Linear Feet;
(25 boxes: 11 record boxes, 14 document boxes)
Creator:
Lewis, Robert Q. (1921-1991)
Date (inclusive): 1940-1960
Date (bulk): 1947-1959
Abstract: Lewis was active in radio and television broadcasting for several decades, the bulk of this collection documents his career
with CBS between 1947 and 1959. The collection contains scripts from his radio and television programs during this time period
as well as material written for his shows; musical scores used in Lewis' programs are also included. The remainder of the
collection consists of Lewis's correspondence during the period covered, as well as photocopies of scrapbooks containing articles
about his various programs and appearances, and a sampling of catalogs from art galleries from which Lewis purchased pieces
of art.
Physical Location: Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library.
The collection is open for research.
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.
[Identification of Item], Robert Q. Lewis Papers, PA Mss 171. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara
Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
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.
Robert Q. Lewis (1920 – 1991) was a comedian, radio disc jockey, and host of numerous television and radio
programs from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. Lewis, born and raised in New York, attended the University
of Michigan. After returning to New York, he worked as a disc jockey for a local radio station until he was
hired by NBC to host his own radio variety program, The Robert Q. Lewis Show. This first version of his show
ran from April to December 1945, at which time NBC cancelled it. Lewis went back to working as a disc jockey
until he was noticed by William Paley, the head of CBS. Paley hired Lewis, and one of Lewis's first jobs was to
act as a guest host for the Arthur Godfrey Time when Godfrey was away on vacation. Lewis was soon given his
own program, called The Little Show, which featured a mix of comedy and music. This program ran from June
through December 1947, and was replaced in 1948 by The Robert Q. Lewis Show, a comedy and variety
program with a different format, which ran in various time slots until August 1949, when Lewis took over both
The Arthur Godfrey Time, Godfrey's radio program that was broadcast five days a week, and Arthur Godfrey
and His Friends, the weekly television program. While Lewis filled in for Godfrey from August to October
1949, he gained greater visibility and favorable attention from the critics. Lewis returned to his own program in
1950, and throughout the 1950's he broadcast both the television and the radio versions of The Robert Q. Lewis
Show. In addition to his own programs, Lewis often appeared as a guest host on other radio and television
programs, and in the latter part of the 1950s and 1960s, he increasingly worked as a television game show host.
With the decline of network radio and the end of Lewis' CBS programs, he returned to being a disc jockey,
working for radio stations KHJ, KFI, and KRLA in Los Angeles at various times in the 1960s and 1970s.
The Robert Q. Lewis Collection of the American Radio Archives contains approximately 21 linear feet of papers relating to
the network radio and television careers of Lewis, which were in Lewis' possession at the time of his death in 1991. The collection
contains material for Lewis' television and radio programs – both complete scripts and jokes and monologues written for use
on these programs, as well as correspondence, news clippings, musical scores, and photographs that document his entertainment
career between the mid-1940s and 1960. Programs that are represented in this collection include Arthur Godfrey Time (radio),
Arthur Godfrey and His Friends (television), and the Robert Q. Lewis Show (both radio and television versions).
The materials in this collection are arranged into thirteen series by type.
Series 1: Scripts; Sub-Series A: Radio Scripts; Sub-Series B: Television Scripts; Series 2: Musical Scores; Series 3: Comedy
Material; Sub-Series A: Monologues and Jokes by Title; Sub-Series B: Comedy Material by Subject; Sub-Series C: Comedy Material
Arranged by Cast Member or Guest; Series 4: Commercial Sponsors: Material for Show, Arranged by Sponsor; Series 5: Commercials;
Series 6: Unused Show Material: By Cast Member, Topic, or Miscellaneous; Series 7: Miscellaneous Comedy Material for Shows;
Series 8: Speaking Engagements; Series 9: Nightclub Material; Series 10: Guest Host Appearances; Series 11: Correspondence;
Series 12: Scrapbooks: Clippings, Promotional Material, Photographs; Series 13: Fine Art Collection.
Forms part of the American Radio Archives (ARA).
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Variety shows (Radio programs) -- United States -- History -- 20th century
Variety shows (Television programs) -- United States -- History -- 20th century
Radio personalities -- United States -- Archives
Comedians -- United States -- Archives
Radio scripts
Television scripts
Humorous monologues
Jokes
Radio commercials
Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc. -- Archives
Lewis, Robert Q. (1921-1991) -- Archives