Description
The collection documents the
professional and personal lives of science fiction author Robert Heinlein and his wife,
Virginia Heinlein. Materials in the collection include manuscripts, short stories, articles,
book reviews, screen plays, television and radio programs, personal and professional
correspondence, legal and financial papers, illustrations, photographs, slides, scrapbooks,
yearbooks, memorabilia, and realia.
Background
Robert Anson Heinlein was born July 7, 1907, in Butler, Missouri and died May 8, 1988, in
Carmel, California. Son of Rex Ivar, an accountant and Bam Lyle Heinlein, he was the third
of seven children. He married Elinor Curry in 1929 but they divorced in 1931. His second
marriage to Leslyn McDonald lasted from 1932 until their divorce in 1947. He married his
third wife, Virginia Doris Gerstenfeld, on October 21, 1948 and stayed with her until his
death in 1988. None of the marriages produced any children.Virginia G. Heinlein was born on April 22, 1916 in Brooklyn, New York, to George (a
dentist) and Jeanne Gerstenfeld and had one younger brother, Leon. She died in Florida on
January 18, 2003. Virginia attended New York University, majoring in chemistry where she
lettered in swimming, diving, basketball, and field hockey. She also reached national
competitive levels in figure skating, the sport that became her lifelong passion. In time,
she came to speak over seven languages, including French, Latin, Italian, and Russian.
Extent
175 Linear Feet
366 boxes, 2 oversize folders, 3 oversize items
Restrictions
Copyright for the items in this collection is owned by the creators and their heirs.
Reproduction or distribution of any work protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair
use requires permission from the copyright owner. It is the responsibility of the user to
determine whether a use is fair use, and to obtain any necessary permissions. For more
information see UCSC Special Collections and Archives policy on Reproduction and Use.
Availability
Collection open for research.