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Finding Aid for the Gower Champion Papers, 1960-1967
346  
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Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Administrative Information
  • Biography
  • Scope and Content
  • Organization and Arrangement
  • Indexing Terms
  • Related Material

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: Gower Champion Papers,
    Date (inclusive): 1960-1967
    Collection number: 346
    Creator: Champion, Gower, 1921-1980
    Extent: 2 boxes (1.0 linear ft.)
    Repository: University of California, Los Angeles. Library Special Collections.
    Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
    Abstract: Gower Champion (1919-1980) was born in Geneva, Illinois. He appeared in Broadway musical reviews and various movies. He produced and directed the Academy Awards show (1969) and choreographed and directed many movies. The collection consists of scripts and related materials for six Broadway musicals directed by Gower Champion.
    Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
    Language: English.

    Administrative Information

    Restrictions on Use and Reproduction

    Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library 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.

    Restrictions on Access

    COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Advance notice required for access.

    Additional Physical Form Available

    A copy of the original version of this online finding aid is available at the UCLA Library Special Collections for in-house consultation and may be obtained for a fee. Please contact:
    • Public Services Division
    • UCLA Library Special Collections
    • Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
    • Box 951575
    • Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
    • Telephone: 310/825-4988 (10:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Pacific Time)
    • Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item], Gower Champion Papers (Collection 346). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library.

    UCLA Catalog Record ID

    UCLA Catalog Record ID: 964176 

    Biography

    Gower Champion was born in Geneva, Illinois, June 22, 1919; grew up in Los Angeles, California; appeared in Broadway musical reviews, including Streets of Paris, Lady Comes Across, and Count Me In, 1939-41; appeared with wife Marjorie Bell (Marjorie Celeste Belcher) as dancing team, Marge and Gower Champion, New York City, 1947; appeared in various movies, including Show Boat, Lovely to Look at, Everything I Have is Yours, Give the Girl a Break, and Mr. Music; various television appearances on Toast of the Town, GE Theatre, Dinah Shore Show, Telephone Hour, and We Four (1953-60); producer and director, Academy Awards show, 1969; choreographed and directed Bye, Bye Birdie (1961), Hello, Dolly (1964), Carnival, I Do, I Do, Three Bags Full, Sugar (1972), and Irene (1973); received Tony awards for Bye, Bye Birdie (1961), Hello, Dolly (1964), and The Happy Time (1967-68); member, Screen Directors Guild; died, August 25, 1980.

    Scope and Content

    Collection consists of scripts and related materials for six Broadway musicals directed by Gower Champion. Includes rehearsal scripts, cast lists, music notes, staging breakdowns, and casting schedules.

    Organization and Arrangement

    Arranged in the following series:
    1. Bye, Bye Birdie (Box 1).
    2. Carnival (Box 1).
    3. Hello, Dolly (Boxes 1-2).
    4. Three Bags Full (Box 2).
    5. I Do, I Do (Box 2).
    6. The Happy Time (Box 2).

    Indexing Terms

    The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
    Champion, Gower, 1921-1980--Archives.
    Dancers--United States--Archival resources.
    Choreographers--United States-- Archival resources.
    Theatrical producers and directors--United States--Archival resources.
    Musicals--Production and direction--Archival resources.
    Scripts (Documents).

    Related Material

    Marge and Gower Champion non-show song file (SU box 86). Available at Music Library Special Collections, UCLA.