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Jess Kimmel papers, ca. 1926-1982; bulk ca. 1940s-1950s
(Collection PASC.362)
PASC.362
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Title: Jess Kimmel papers
Collection number: PASC.362
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Physical Description:
10.5 linear ft.
(21 boxes)
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1940-1950
Date (inclusive): ca. 1926-1982, (bulk ca. 1940s-1950s)
Abstract: 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.
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections
for paging information.
Creator:
Kimmel, Jess
Open for research. STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library
Special Collections for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UC Regents. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the
creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright
owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
[Identification of item], Jess Kimmel papers (Collection PASC 362). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, UCLA.
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.
The collection consists of materials related to the career of director and producer Jess Kimmel. The bulk of the collection
is script material related to radio, stage, television projects, and unidentified projects. It is not evident if all the projects
represented were produced, but it is believed Kimmel was involved with each project in some capacity. Additionally, there
are occasional notes, production information and/or publicity. Television projects represent Fireball Fun For All, Omnibus,
Pace of Chicago, and Your Show of Shows. The stage project files document The Alchemist, Cyrano de Bergerac, and The Merry
Widow Revue, among others. Radio material contains scripts and sketches for projects such as The Ghost of Benjamin Sweet and
My Client Curley. There is also planning documents and publicity for the Philadelphia Independence Homecoming Celebration,
which was part of state and local rallies built around four-day independence homecoming to be held at Philadelphia in commemoration
of the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, July 1951. The printed materials include a small
amount of published plays, theatre programs, and publications related to the entertainment industry.
There are materials believed to be related to Kimmel's service in the US Army during World War II including service manuals,
many of which pertain to entertainment, morale and recreation. The Soldier Show folios and publications were produced by the
Special Service Division, Army Service Forces and used for stage presentations and radio broadcasts in military areas by members
of the armed forces and civilians engaged in the war effort, assessment tests, and other training material and notes.
A small portion of the collection was originally filed in unlabeled binders. The processor assigned each binder a number documented
in the notes field to distinguish the files originally contained within them and to maintain original order. The binders were
removed for preservation purposes. A portion of the unidentified project material found in the binders appears to be have
been related to entertainment for the armed forces; it is unknown if these were performed or broadcast.
Arranged in the following series:
- Armed Forces Entertainment
- Film Projects
- Radio Projects
- Television Projects
- Theater Projects
- Unidentified Projects
- Printed Material
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Jess Kimmel--Archival resources.
Television producers and directors--Archival resources.
Theatrical producers and directors--Archival resources.
United States. Army Service Forces. Special Service Division--Archival resources.