The Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel Collection, 1985-1994 is comprised of materials relating to the writing duo’s screenwriting careers, including handwritten and fully typed drafts, story notes, treatments, partial drafts and rewrites, re-shoot notes, and assorted production materials for eight films, including CITY SLICKERS (1991), CITY SLICKERS II (1994), A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN (1992), and PARENTHOOD (1989).

Lowell Ganz (born August 31, 1948 in Glen Oaks, New York) and Marc “Babaloo” Mandel (born October 13 in New York, New York) are long-time screenwriting partners that began their careers writing for comedic television in the 1970s. By 1974, Ganz was co-producing Happy Days alongside creator and mentor Garry Marshall – a series for which Mandel also wrote several episodes. The two New Yorkers met in a Hollywood comedy club where Mandel worked as a gag writer. Both were also on the writing staff for the sitcom The Odd Couple and discovered that they had a lot in common – from their offbeat sense of humor to their adoration of Billy Wilder. Their creative partnership began with collaborations on Laverne and Shirley and the duo made their feature screenplay debut with the black comedy NIGHT SHIFT (1982), which reunited Ganz and Mandel with Happy Days alumni Henry Winkler and director Ron Howard. SPLASH (1984) brought Howard, Ganz, and Mandel together once again and firmly established the writing pair as a successful Hollywood scripting team. They would go on to write hits such as PARENTHOOD (1989), CITY SLICKERS (1991), and A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN (1992 – directed by Laverne and Shirley colleagues Penny Marshall and co-starring Garry Marshall). Both Ganz and Mandel have appeared in small roles in the films they have written. Notably, Ganz plays an announcer in A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN and each play writers in MR. SATURDAY NIGHT. The theatrical releases of GUNG HO, PARENTHOOD, and A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN also served as springboards for follow-up television series which Ganz and Mandel contributed to. Other screenwriting credits include EDTV (1999), WHERE THE HEART IS (2000), ROBOTS (2005), FEVER PITCH (2005), and PARENTAL GUIDANCE (2012)--New York Times.

5.5 linear feet

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