Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Biography
Scope and Content
Organization and Arrangement
Indexing Terms
Descriptive Summary
Title: Charles Isaacs papers,
Date (inclusive): 1941-1973
Collection number: 80
Creator: Isaacs, Charles, 1914-2002
Extent: 26 boxes (11.0 linear ft.)
Abstract: Charlie Isaacs's numerous radio and television writing credits include
Kraft Music Hall,
The Martin and Lewis Show, and
The Johnny Carson Show among others. The collection consists primarily of television and radio series scripts and a small amount of photographs
and correspondence.
Language: Finding aid is written in English.
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library.
Performing Arts Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Performing
Arts Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Administrative Information
Restrictions on Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library, Performing
Arts Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library,
Performing Arts Special Collections. 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.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of Charles Isaacs, 1972, 1985, 1989.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Charles Isaacs papers(Collection 80). Performing Arts Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, UCLA.
Biography
Charles Isaacs was born in Winnipeg, Canada on Sept. 17, 1914. After attending the University of Minnesota School of Journalism
in the early 1930's, he became a correspondent for Radio Guide magazine. He moved to Hollywood, CA in 1937 and served in the
Coast Guard Seventh Amphibious Force from 1942-1945 before being transferred to
Armed Forces Radio. Isaacs wrote for numerous television and radio shows including
Kraft Music Hall,
The Martin & Lewis Radio Show,
The Chase and Sanborn Hour,
The Texaco Star Theater and
The Milton Berle Show. He also worked as the head writer for multiple series including
The Jimmy Durante Hours,
The Johnny Carson Show ,
The Colgate Comedy Hour,
The Dinah Shore Hour,
The Real McCoys, and
The Red Skelton Show. In addition to writing, Isaacs worked as a script consultant for the series
The Thin Man and as the executive story editor for the series
Alice . Throughout his career, he wrote for some of the most famous actors and comedians of the day including Jack Benny, John Barrymore,
Edgar Bergan, Rudy Vallee, Al Jolson, Jimmy Durante, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, and Johnny Carson. Isaacs died of cancer December
13 2002 in Santa Monica, CA.
Scope and Content
Collection consists primarily of television and radio series scripts from the career of writer Charles Isaacs. The collection
also includes photographs, correspondence, and ephemera. Television script materials include such titles as
The Jimmy Durante television show (1950-54),
The Johnny Carson show (1955-56), and
The Dean Martin show (1971). Radio script materials include such titles as
Kraft music hall (1947-49),
The Bob Burns show (1946-47),
The Rudy Vallee show (1941), and
The Martin and Lewis show (1949-50). Includes some bound volumes. The correspondence comprises notes from creative talents such as Fred Allen, Johnny
Carson, Betty Davis, Bob Hope, Jack Lemon and Frank Sinatra, among others.
Organization and Arrangement
Arranged in the following series:
- Correspondence
- Ephemera
- Photographs
- Radio script materials
- Television script materials
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Isaacs, Charles, 1914-2002 -- Archives.
Radio writers -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources.
Television writers -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources.
Genres and Forms of Material
Television scripts
Radio scripts