Register of the Lee Shippey Papers

Mandeville Special Collections Library 0175S
UC, San Diego
La Jolla, CA 92093-0175
Phone: (858) 534-2533
Fax: (858) 534-5950
Email: spcoll@ucsd.edu
Repository Website: http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/
© 1997
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Lee Shippey Papers, 1915-1970

MSS 0147

Mandeville Special Collections Library







UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO

La Jolla, CA 92093-0175

Contact Information:

  • Mandeville Special Collections Library 0175S
  • UC, San Diego
  • La Jolla, CA 92093-0175
  • Phone: (858) 534-2533
  • Fax: (858) 534-5950
  • Email: spcoll@ucsd.edu
  • Repository Website: http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/
This file last updated: October 2003.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Lee Shippey Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1915-1970
Collection number: MSS 0147
Creator: Shippey, Lee
Extent: 3.25 linear feet (5 archives boxes, 1 record carton and 2 oversize folders)
Repository: Mandeville Special Collections Library, UCSD
La Jolla, CA 92093-0175
Physical location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Abstract: The papers of Lee Shippey, writer and journalist for the LOS ANGELES TIMES (1923-1958), include correspondence, poetry, published and unpublished manuscripts, lyrics, scrapbooks, and newspaper clippings. The scrapbooks document his LOS ANGELES TIMES daily column "Leeside o' L.A.," and his weekly column "The Seymour Family," as well as articles and columns for San Diego area newspapers and from his two years in Mexico. The papers are arranged in five series: 1) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) WRITINGS, 4) SCRAPBOOKS, and 5) NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS.
Language: English.

Administrative Information

Access

Collection is open for research

Preferred Citation

Lee Shippey Papers, MSS 0147. Mandeville Special Collections Library, UCSD.

BIOGRAPHY

Lee Shippey was born on February 26, 1884, in Memphis, Tennessee. The start of his career in 1906 coincided with his accidental blinding; he dictated his first humor columns for the KANSAS CITY STAR from his bed. Shippey never regained full sight and, unable to enlist, became war correspondent for the newspaper during World War I. His story on the end of the war in Verdun, France, attracted the attention of LOS ANGELES TIMES publisher Harry Chandler.
After the war, Shippey edited an English language newspaper for two years in Tampico, Mexico. In the early 1920s, he moved his family to California and contacted Chandler, beginning a long association with the TIMES. His popular column "Leeside o' L.A.: Personal Glimpses of Famous Southlanders," ran daily from 1927 to 1958. Shippey also wrote the columns "Martian Observer," "Joshua Little," "How It Looks to Mars," and "Needles-Eye View." His weekly column, "The Seymour Family," was a humorous look at American families.
Though Shippey became known as the "dean of Southern California columnists," he had always aspired to be a poet. He published both poetry and prose, and was active in several professional writers organizations on both sides of the Atlantic. His published works include PERSONAL GLIMPSES OF FAMOUS FOLKS (1929) from "Leeside o' L.A.;" FOLKS YOU SHOULD KNOW (1930); WHERE NOTHING EVER HAPPENS (1935); THE GIRL WHO WANTED EXPERIENCE (1937); a textbook entitled CALIFORNIA PROGRESS (1937) co-authored with Herbert Floercky; THE GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY (1938); IF WE ONLY HAD MONEY (1939); IT'S AN OLD CALIFORNIA CUSTOM (1948); LOS ANGELES BOOK (1950); his autobiography, LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE (1959); and "The Chivalry of Adolescence" (1964), a chapter from THE GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY, reprinted in CHUCKLEBAIT: FUNNY STORIES FOR EVERYONE. Two of Shippey's books were adapted into plays by others: THE GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY ("The Great American Family: A Comedy") and IT'S AN OLD CALIFORNIA CUSTOM.
Shippey retired to Del Mar, California, and contributed several columns to the SAN DIEGO UNION and DEL MAR SURFCOMBER: "Surfside o' Del Mar," "Southwest Corner," "Lee Shippey Says," and "Lee Shippey Asks" through the late 1960s. He died in Encinitas, California, on December 30, 1969.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The Lee Shippey Papers contain biographical materials, memorabilia, correspondence, published and unpublished manuscripts, and scrapbooks containing clippings of Shippey's columns and articles. The papers date from 1915-1970, occupy 3.25 linear feet and are arranged in five series: 1) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) WRITINGS, 4) SCRAPBOOKS, and 5) NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS.
SERIES 1: BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS
The BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS series contains memorabilia, articles about Shippey and obituary notices.
SERIES 2: CORRESPONDENCE
The CORRESPONDENCE series is arranged alphabetically by author. Notable correspondents include Linus Pauling, Adlai Stevenson, and writers James Hilton, Rupert Hughes, Walt Mason, Irving Stone, and Paul I. Wellman. Letters from Harry Chandler, LOS ANGELES TIMES publisher, are included in the correspondence of the Times-Mirror Co. Correspondence from Harriet Hinsdale and Irving Stone concerns a proposed Jack London state park in California.
SERIES 3: WRITINGS
The WRITINGS series is arranged in three subseries: A) Lyrics, B) Poetry and C) Prose.
A) The Lyrics subseries contains two works: "Candle Light" and "Doughboy."
B) The Poetry subseries contains single poems arranged alphabetically by title or first line.
C) The Prose subseries contains drafts of stories and books by Shippey, arranged alphabetically by title. Also included are reviews, galley proofs and page proofs of some works.
SERIES 4: SCRAPBOOKS
The SCRAPBOOKS are arranged chronologically and primarily contain clippings of Shippey's published columns, articles and poetry. One scrapbook documents Shippey's travels in Mexico in the mid-1920s. Articles about Shippey, some correspondence and typescripts of columns are scattered throughout the scrapbooks.
SERIES 5: NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS
The NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS series documents Shippey's columns and contains "Lee Side o' L.A." galley proofs and "Needle's Eye Views of the World" clippings, as well as unorganized loose clippings of Shippey's articles and columns arranged by chronologically.

 

BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS

Box 1, Folder 1

Articles and obituaries, 1966 -1970.

Box 1, Folder 2

Memorabilia, 1935.

Additional Note

Letter and menu/book jacket (WHERE NOTHING EVER HAPPENS) memorabilia for a dinner honoring Shippey.
 

CORRESPONDENCE

Box 1, Folder 3

A - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 4

B - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 5

Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1925 -1926.

Box 1, Folder 6

C - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 7

Century Co., 1925.

Box 1, Folder 8

E - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 9

G - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 10

H - Miscellaneous, .

Additional Note

Includes a 1956 letter from Harriet Hinsdale concerning a proposed Jack London state park.
Box 1, Folder 11

Hilton, James, 1950 -1954.

Box 1, Folder 12

Hughes, Rupert, 1935 -1950.

Box 1, Folder 13

I - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 14

J - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 15

K - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 16

L - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 17

M - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 18

Mason, Walt, .

Additional Note

Ca. 1923-1925.
Box 1, Folder 19

O - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 20

P - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 21

Poetry Review, 1924 -1925.

Box 1, Folder 22

Poetry Society, 1923 -1924.

Box 1, Folder 23

Q - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 24

R - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 25

S - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 26

Stone, Irving, 1956 -1961.

Additional Note

Includes correspondence concerning a proposed Jack London state park.
Box 1, Folder 27

T - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 28

Times-Mirror Company, 1922 -1935.

Additional Note

Includes correspondence from publisher Harry Chandler, LOS ANGELES TIMES.
Box 1, Folder 29

U - Miscellaneous, .

Box 1, Folder 30

W - Miscellaneous, .

Additional Note

Includes correspondence of Paul I. Wellman.
Box 1, Folder 31

Williams, Dan, 1923 -1925.

 

WRITINGS

 

Lyrics

Box 1, Folder 32

Candle Light, .

Additional Note

From Shippey's poem, "Mother," with music by Charles Wakefield Cadman; see also the Poetry subseries. Manuscript and two copies.
Box 1, Folder 33

Doughboy, 1944.

Additional Note

Music by Norman Soreng Wright. Blueline copy.
 

Poetry

Box 1, Folder 34

Miscellaneous, .

Additional Note

Includes Shippey's poems "Evensong," written on the back of a photograph, and "Mother," in THE LOUIS ALLIS MESSENGER, Van B. Hooper, editor. Milwaukee, May-June 1947.
Box 1, Folder 35

"Heroes", .

Additional Note

Also includes "To Other Sinners," in POETRY OF TO-DAY. London: Erskine Macdonald Ltd., June 1924, 1:55-56.
 

Prose

Box 1, Folder 36

America's Most Arrested Man, .

Additional Note

In EVERYBODY'S MAGAZINE, July 1925, 53 (1):16, 163-166.
Box 1, Folder 37

Chapapote: A Story of Love, Hate, Intrigue and a Little-Known Plot to Change the Map of North America, .

Additional Note

Typescript.
Box 2, Folder 1

Family Grows Up, .

Additional Note

Typescript, pages 1-117.
Box 2, Folder 2

Family Grows Up, .

Additional Note

Typescript, pages 118-174.
Box 2, Folder 3

Family Grows Up: A Sequel to THE GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY, .

Additional Note

Typescript.
Box 2, Folder 4

GIRL WHO WANTED EXPERIENCE, 1937.

Additional Note

Newspaper announcements and reviews.
Box 2, Folder 5

GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY, 1950.

Additional Note

Book review.
Box 2, Folder 6

GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY: A COMEDY (adaptation), .

Additional Note

A play adapted by Robert Frayne Chapin and Charley King from Shippey's book, THE GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY.
Box 2, Folder 7

GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY: A COMEDY (adaptation), 1959.

Additional Note

Program for the play adapted by Aurania Rouverol from Shippey's book,THE GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY. The play was held April 2-3, 1959 in Hollywood, CA.
Box 2, Folder 8

Great Idea, Slightly Used, .

Additional Note

Typescript.
Box 2, Folder 9

Guests From Back Home, .

Additional Note

Edited typescript.
Box 2, Folder 10

Happy Though Retired, .

Additional Note

A collection of true stories. Edited typescript.
Box 2, Folder 11

Happy Though Retired, .

Additional Note

Typescript.
Box 2, Folder 12

Happy Though Retired, 1963.

Additional Note

Final typescript with correspondence from Dell Publishing Co., Inc., dated April 6, 1964.
Box 2, Folder 13

IF WE ONLY HAD MONEY, .

Additional Note

Edited typescript, pages 1-127.
Box 2, Folder 14

IF WE ONLY HAD MONEY, .

Additional Note

Edited typescript, pages 128-250.
Box 2, Folder 15

IF WE ONLY HAD MONEY, .

Additional Note

August 27, 1939. Book review.
Box 3, Folder 1

IT'S AN OLD CALIFORNIA CUSTOM, 1947.

Additional Note

Publishing agreement with Vanguard Press Inc. and book review.
Box 3, Folder 2

It's Great To Be An Actor, .

Additional Note

Typescript.
Box 3, Folder 3

Jeanue, .

Additional Note

Typescript, pages 1-174.
Box 3, Folder 4

Jeanue, .

Additional Note

Typescript, pages 175-322.
Box 3, Folder 5

Ladies Make News, .

Additional Note

Typescript.
Box 3, Folder 6

LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE, Part One, 1959.

Additional Note

Typescript.
Box 3, Folder 7

LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE, 1959.

Additional Note

'Four-word' (Foreward) by Paul I. Wellman.
Box 3, Folder 8

LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE, 1959.

Additional Note

Page proofs, 1-94.
Box 3, Folder 9

LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE, 1959.

Additional Note

Page proofs, 95-196.
Box 3, Folder 10

LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE, 1959.

Additional Note

Publication announcement. See also the SCRAPBOOKS series.
Box 3, Folder 11

Miscellaneous Prose (Untitled), .

Additional Note

Typescripts arranged alphabetically by first line.
Box 3, Folder 12

Needles-Eye View of the City, .

Additional Note

June 1950. Galley proofs.
Box 4, Folder 1

Scholarship, 1948, .

Additional Note

Typescript.
Box 4, Folder 2

Seymour Sample Case: the Humorous Record of What Happened to One American Family, Much Like Yours..., .

Additional Note

Edited typescript.
Box 4, Folder 3

Testing Ground: A Story of the Most American City in the World Outside the United States, 1925.

Additional Note

Proposal for a novel about Tampico, Mexico in 1922. Includes correspondence from H. H. Howland (The Bobbs Merrill Co.), dated April 1, 1925.
Box 4, Folder 4

Think Game: I Challenge YOU, .

Additional Note

Typescript.
Box 4, Folder 5

Think Game: How to Learn to Think for Yourself: I Challenge YOU, .

Additional Note

Typescript.
Box 4, Folder 6

Understanding Friends, .

Additional Note

Typescript.
 

SCRAPBOOKS

Box 4, Folder 7, Map-case Oversize: FB-207-02

Ca. 1915-1930, .

Additional Note

Contains clippings of Shippey's columns, "The Cheeruptimist," "Rhymes and Reasons," "Lee Side o' L.A.," and articles by Shippey and others.
Box 4, Folder 8

Ca. 1923-1924, .

Additional Note

Includes articles, poetry, and the newspaper columns, "People You Know" and "How It Looks to Mars." Includes correspondence from Walt Mason, dated December 14, 1923, enclosing a memento check.
Box 4, Folder 9

Ca. 1925-1933, .

Additional Note

Odds and Ends and Poetry. Newspaper clippings of poetry, Shippey's columns "Lee Side o' L.A." and "Joshua Little," and quotations by Tennyson Mabie. Looseleaf.
Box 4, Folder 10

1926, .

Additional Note

Mexico. Shippey's articles with picture postcards.
Box 4, Folder 11

1927, .

Additional Note

Newspaper clippings including Shippey's poetry, articles, "Lee Side o' L.A." and "Joshua Little."
Box 5, Folder 1

Ca. 1937-1939, pages 1-76, .

Additional Note

"Leeside" and "Leeside o' L.A." newspaper clippings with notes. Includes typescripts of "Essential Education" and "Leeside." Looseleaf.
Box 5, Folder 2

Ca. 1939-1945, pages 77+, .

Additional Note

"Leeside" and "Leeside o' L.A." newspaper clippings with notes. Looseleaf.
Box 5, Folder 3

Ca. 1951, .

Additional Note

"The Seymour Family" newspaper clippings with typed notes.
Box 5, Folder 4

Ca. 1953-1956, .

Additional Note

Scrapbook "A." Newspaper clippings of "The Seymour Family" with typed and holograph notes.
Box 5, Folder 5

Ca. late 1950s, .

Additional Note

Scrapbook "B." "The Seymour Family," "Leeside," and "Leeside o' L.A." newspaper clippings with some holograph notes. Also includes a galley proof of "Joshua Little," loose prose, poetry and memorabilia.
Box 5, Folder 6

LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE, 1959 -1960.

Additional Note

Correspondence, publication announcements and reviews. Also includes "Surfside o' Del Mar" clippings.
Box 5, Folder 7, Map-case Oversize: FB-207-03

Ca. 1960-1964, .

Additional Note

"Southwest Corner," "Lee Shippey Asks," "Lee Shippey Says," and "Surfside o' Del Mar" columns from the SAN DIEGO UNION.
Box 5, Folder 8

Us Folk, .

Additional Note

"Leeside o' L.A.: Personal Glimpses of Famous Southlanders" columns, with typed name index.
 

NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS

Box 6, Folder 1

Lee Side o' L.A, .

Additional Note

Galley proofs.
Box 6, Folder 2

Lee Side o' L.A, .

Additional Note

Galley proofs and clippings.
Box 6, Folder 3

Needle's Eye Views of the World, .

Additional Note

Newspaper clippings.
Box 6, Folder 4

Ca. 1915-1950s: Miscellaneous, .

Additional Note

"Lee Side o' L.A.," "Seymour Family," and miscellaneous articles and poetry by Shippey.
Box 6, Folder 5

Ca. 1931-1943: Miscellaneous, .

Additional Note

Articles by Shippey and others, "Lee Side o' L.A." clippings and poetry with holograph notes.
Box 6, Folder 6

Ca. 1937-1959: Miscellaneous, .

Additional Note

"The Seymour Family," "Leeside" and "Lee Side o' L.A." clippings, "Leeside" galley proof, and articles by and about Shippey. Includes an announcement for LOS ANGELES BOOK, and manuscript chapter listing for HAPPY THOUGH RETIRED.