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Michael Wilson papers, 1942-1977
PASC 52
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Description
Michael Wilson was a successful screenwriter during the late-1940s and early-1950s. In 1951, he was named an “unfriendly witness”
by the House Un-American Activities Committee and blacklisted from the motion picture industry for the next 13 years. The
collection consists of correspondence, screenplays, treatments, research materials, clippings, legal papers, outlines, and
notes. Additionally, there is personal documents and material relating to the blacklist. Among the projects represented in
the collection are
Lawrence of Arabia (1962),
A Place in the Sun (1951),
Che! (1969),
Planet of the Apes (1968), and
Salt of the earth (1953), among others.
Background
Michael Wilson was born in McAlester, OK, July 1, 1914. He graduated from UC Berkeley in 1936 with a BA in Philosophy. Primarily
a short story writer during the 1930s, he supported himself by teaching English and through occasional work on a low budget
Western movie (his early film work consisted mainly of William Boyd Westerns). With the advent of World War II, Wilson served
as a lieutenant in Marines, and upon his return, began his screenwriting career in earnest.
Extent
26.5 linear ft.
(53 boxes)
Restrictions
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.
Availability
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.