Description
This collection contains materials relating
primarily to the private life of Oreste Pucciani (1916-1999), UCLA Professor of
French and Sartre scholar, documenting in particular his relationship with his
long-time lover, Rudi Gernreich, and his close friends, art director Jacques
Faure (1926-1986), poet Stanley Kuniholm (1912-1984), and Lionel Mailles (born
1951). The bulk of Pucciani's personal writings consists of erotic short stories
written most probably between 1975 and 1980. The bulk of the materials relating
to Rudi Gernreich consists of condolence letters to Pucciani after Gernreich's
death, together with a small number of cards and letters addressed to
Gernreich, letters to Pucciani from Gernreich's mother, and a videocassette
recording of a talk given by Pucciani on his late partner in 1993. The bulk of
the materials relating to Faure, Kuniholm, and Mailles consists of letters
received by Pucciani; however, the Mailles files include copies of letters,
poems, and essays addressed by Pucciani to Mailles. The materials received from
Kuniholm include a large number of poems, short stories, and essays documenting
the poet's creative processes. The collection also contains a small number of
subject files, publications, and miscellaneous memorabilia and
ephemera.
Background
Oreste Francesco Pucciani was born in Cleveland on April 7, 1916, the
son of a candy manufacturer. He attended the Cleveland public schools and
graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Adelbert College, Western
Reserve University (now Case Western University) in 1939. He took his doctorate
in Romance languages from Harvard in 1943. In 1946-47, Pucciani studied in
France and Italy on a Sheldon Traveling Fellowship, meeting Sartre and his
companion Simone de Beauvoir. Returning to the United States in 1947, Pucciani
lectured at Harvard, before joining the faculty of the University of California
Los Angeles as an Assistant Professor of French in 1948. He was became an
Associate Professor in 1954, and a full Professor in 1960. He was chairman of
the French department from 1961 to 1966, and became emeritus in 1979.
Extent
10 archive cartons + 1 archive
half-carton. 4.3 linear feet.
Restrictions
Researchers wishing to publish materials must obtain permission in
writing from ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives as the physical owner.
Researchers must also obtain clearance from the holder(s) of any copyrights in
the materials. Note that ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives can grant
copyright clearance only for those materials for which we hold the copyright.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain copyright clearance for
all other materials directly from the copyright holder(s).
Availability
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access
restrictions.