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:
-
Bye, Bye Birdie (Box 1).
-
Carnival (Box 1).
-
Hello, Dolly (Boxes 1-2).
-
Three Bags Full (Box 2).
-
I Do, I Do (Box 2).
-
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.