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Description
The Esther Stephenson papers span the years 1958-1976 and encompass 2 linear feet. The collection consists of 15 bound volumes with Stephenson's annotated copies of the shooting scripts for 13 films. The scripts often include small reference photographs. The scripts for THE MOONSHINE WAR (1970) and SKYJACKED (1972) included autographs from the cast. One volume contains continuity drawings for two films and another wardrobe plots for three films.
Background
Esther Stephenson was an American script supervisor active in film from 1938 to 1976. She was born in Kiev, Russia. When she was six months old, she and her family emigrated to the United States, settling in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where her father already resided. After majoring in journalism she married Patrick Stephenson, a newspaperman who became an editor at the "Los Angeles Times." Later divorced, she worked as a freelance writer and with other writers on film productions for Sol Lesser and Paramount. In 1938 she became a script supervisor, eventually taking on that role for the films of Richard Quine and Blake Edwards, the director-writer team. She worked as Quine's script supervisor and secretary for more than 25 years, was a charter member of the Script Supervisors Guild, and was a longtime member of the Academy.
Extent
2 linear feet of papers.
Restrictions
Property rights to the physical object belong to the Margaret Herrick Library. Researchers are responsible for obtaining all necessary rights, licenses, or permissions from the appropriate companies or individuals before quoting from or publishing materials obtained from the library.
Availability
Available by appointment only.