Jess Kimmel was a director and producer for radio, television and stage from the late 1930s to the early 1960s. The collection consists of script material, occasional notes, production information and/or publicity and materials believed to be related to Kimmel's service in the US Army during World War II.

Jess Kimmel was born in March 3, 1915 in Brooklyn, NY. He graduated with a B.A. from New York University in 1937. Upon his graduation he worked briefly as a stage actor and then turned to production and direction. During his career he worked on several productions such The Alchemist, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Merry Widow Revue and The Shrike. He served in the US Army from 1940 to 1946. It is unclear what job he performed in the army, but material found in the collection suggests he was involved in the Army Service Forces Special Service Division. In 1954, he became the director for Universal-International's Talent Workshop, a program designed to expand the studio's talent development program. Around 1956 he made the transition to television and was under contract to ABC, CBS, and NBC. His television credits include: The Bob Hope Show, Colgate Comedy Hour, The Red Button's Show, and Your Show of Shows, among others. He died May 1961 in New York.

10.5 linear ft. (21 boxes)

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