Agness M. Underwood Collection, 1916-1992, bulk 1949-1980

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Summary

Creators:
Underwood, Agness, 1902-1984
Abstract:
Agness Underwood was a Los Angeles newspaper woman for forty-two years. During the 1930s and 1940s she was one of the city's best-known court and police reporters. In 1947, she became city editor of the Herald Express, a post she held for seventeen and a half years. During that time, she was the only woman city editor of a major American metropolitan newspaper. No man had ever held the job more than four years, and during her editorship she helped push the Herald's circulation up over 700,000, which made it the largest afternoon daily in the West at that time. The Agness M. Underwood Collection consists predominantly of articles, correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, speeches, typescripts, and galley proofs for her book Newspaperwoman, which combine to document both her journalistic work and family life.
Extent:
30.20 linear feet
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materialsguide.

Background

Scope and content:

The Agness M. Underwood Collection consists predominantly of articles, correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, speeches, typescripts, and galley proofs for her book Newspaperwoman, which combine to document both her journalistic work and family life. Other material in the collection includes certificates, greeting cards, memorabilia, oral history and video tape interviews, memoranda, notes, a series of publications including the Eight Ball Final and Just One More, a record album, and related biographical items. The collection has been divided into six series: Biographical Records(1929-1985), Correspondence(1930-1982), Newspaperwoman(1949), Personal and Family Papers(1916-1992), Published Material(1922-1983), and Non-Manuscript Material (1920-1989). Series I, Biographical Records, contains awards, indexes, memos, newspaper clippings, news articles, notes, resolutions, speeches, and related items of a biographical nature. The files are arranged alphabetically by type of material. Series II, Correspondence,has been divided into two subseries. Subseries A, Chronological (1930-1981), is correspondence filed chronologically, and Subseries B, Alphabetical (1941-1982), is correspondence filed alphabetically by name of correspondent. Series III, Newspaperwoman,contains articles, newspaper clippings, and reviews of Underwood's book, Newspaperwoman. The series also contains the galley proofs and a typescript of the book. Arrangement is by nature of the material. Series IV, Personal and Family Papers,includes an address book, family correspondence, libel suit documents, newspaper clippings, property documents, radio scripts, and family memorabilia. The series is arranged alphabetically. Series V, Published Material, includes three subseries: Subseries A, Newspaper Clippings (1922-1983), consists of newspaper clippings arranged alphabetically by author and chronologically thereafter. Subseries B, Other Publications (1932-1982), contains other publications written by or about Underwood's work, arranged alphabetically by article title. Subseries C, "World Famed Hollywood was Formerly an Incorporated City," (1953), consists of reproduced materials and research related to the incorporation of the City of Hollywood and is arranged alphabetically by creator. Series VI, Non-Manususcript Material includes an interview given by Underwood and music by Ray Undewood. A transcript of the Underwood interview is filed separately. This series also includes photographs, records, 16mm film shorts, video tapes, a name plate, Underwood's typewriters, and transparencies.

Biographical / historical:

Agness Underwood was a Los Angeles newspaper woman for forty-two years. She started her long and successful career in the newspaper business as a switchboard operator in 1926, when she was hired on temporarily by the Los Angeles Record. Her first newspaper experiences began on a part-time basis under the wing of Gertrude Price, helping with the Cynthia Gray Christmas Basket project sponsored by the Record. From time to time, Underwood was also given assignments covering junior women's clubs events. For the next four years Underwood worked on a more or less part-time reporter status.

In 1931, events and assignments increased, which quickly showed her talents. Underwood's big chance came on May 20, 1931, when, "Los Angeles officialdom was shaken by the shooting and killing of Charles H. Crawford and Herbert F. Spencer by an unidentified assailant in Crawford's office on Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood." She began "grubbing" and came up with an exclusive interview with a suspect's parents, providing her first city side by line: "Mrs. Clark Says Son is Innocent." A second interview covering the murders was with the wife of slain newspaperman Herb Spencer. Underwood's crime reporting career had begun.

In 1935, Underwood moved over to William Randolph Hearst's Los Angeles Herald and Express and remained with the paper until her retirement in 1968.

During the 1930s and 1940s she was one of the city's best-known court and police reporters. She became well known for her sharp news sense in compiling a long record of scoops and exposés while covering many famous crimes and Hollywood related stories. Headlines for Underwood's reporting included: "Find Thelma Todd, Film Star, Dead in Mystery" (December 16, 1935); " Missing Inglewood Tots Found Murdered" (June 28, 1937); "Girl in Dance Murder Probe Tells Downward Path" (November 23, 1944). Underwood also sat front row for the trials of Charlie Chaplin and Errol Flynn.

In 1947, she became city editor of the Herald Express, a post she held for seventeen and a half years. During that time she was the only woman city editor of a major American metropolitan newspaper. No man had ever held the job more than four years, and during her editorship she helped push the Herald's circulation up over 700,000, which made it the largest afternoon daily in the west at that time. With a sawed-off baseball bat on her desk and a starter pistol in her drawer, she ran a staff of hard-nosed reporters and photographers who endeared her with the name "Aggie." Relationships were based on concern, respect and honest affection. Underwood's record as a woman in the hectic world of big city journalism was unparalleled, and it made her a legend in her time.

Underwood retired from the Los Angeles Herald Examiner in 1968, eventually moving to Greeley, Colorado to live with family. She passed away in 1984. Agness was survived by two children and five grandchildren.

Acquisition information:
Agness M. Underwood, 1983
Processing information:

Dr. Tom Reilly, Robert G. Marshall, Han Xiaoquan, David Bray, March 1987

Arrangement:

Series I: Biographical Records, 1929-1985

Series II: Correspondence, 1930-1982

Subseries A: Chronological, 1930-1981

Subseries B: Alphabetical, 1941-1982

Series III: Newspaperwoman, 1949

Series IV: Personal and Family Papers, 1916-1991

Series V: Published Material, 1922-1983

Subseries A: Clippings, 1922-1983

Subseries B: Other Publications, 1932-1982

Subseries C: "World Famed Hollywood was Formerly an Incorporated City" Research Materials, 1953

Series VI: Non-Manuscript Material, 1920-1989

Accruals:

1996, 2004, 2011

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research use.

Terms of access:

Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materialsguide.

Location of this collection:
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330, US
Contact:
(818) 677-4594
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