John Houseman Papers, 1930-1989

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Summary

Creators:
Houseman, John
Abstract:
John Houseman wrote, produced, directed and translated plays, founded theater companies, collaborated on radio series, produced film, television, and stage productions, and acted in movies and television shows. The collection consists of correspondence, director's scripts for stage, movies, radio, & television, newspaper clippings, ephemera, and videotapes of television interviews, commercials, and television performances.
Extent:
127 boxes (63.5 linear ft.) 1 carton (1 linear ft.) 12 oversize boxes
Language:
English.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection consists of correspondence, director's scripts for stage, movies, radio, & television, newspaper clippings, ephemera, and videotapes of television interviews, commercials, and television performances.

Biographical / historical:

Born Jacques Haussmann in Bucharest, Romania on September 22, 1902, of a Alsatian father and English mother; attended Clifton College Preparatory School, Bristol, England, 1916-1918; moved to U.S. in 1924; was grain export businessman while doing freelance writing and translating plays; entered theatrical production and direction upon collapse of stock market; by early 1930s was writing, producing and directing for New York stage; supervised Federal Theatre Project's Negro Theatre Project; taught at Vassar; founded Mercury Theater with Orson Welles in 1937, and collaborated with Welles on the radio series The Mercury theatre of the air; collaborated on screenplay of Citizen Kane, and in 1941 became vice-president of David O. Selznick productions; chief of overseas radio division, Bureau of the Office of War Information, 1942-43; producer of film, television, and stage productions; artistic director of American Shakespeare Festival Theatre and Academy in Stratford, Connecticut, 1956-1959; artistic director of Theatre Group of Los Angeles in 1960s, which became nucleus of Center Theatre Group of Los Angeles; director of drama division of Juilliard School, New York City, 1967-1976; founder of the Acting Company in New York City, 1972; received Oscar for role in Paper Chase; acted in television show of same name; died October 31, 1988.

Acquisition information:
Gift of John Houseman, 1963-1987. Gift of John Houseman estate, 1989.
Arrangement:

Arranged in the following series:

  1. Correspondence (Boxes 1-8, 28-39, 50, 58-64, 78-83, 100-105, 131, 136).
  2. Scripts - stage, TV, radio, film, opera (Boxes 9-26, 56-57, 65-69, 75-76).
  3. Production material (Boxes 40-45, 85, 93-94, 107).
  4. Lectures and addresses (Boxes 45-47).
  5. Professional organizations (Boxes 48-49).
  6. Manuscript material (Boxes 27, 51-53, 70-74, 88-92, 95-96, 106, 129-130).
  7. Memorabilia (Boxes 54-56, 97-99).
  8. Scrapbooks (Boxes 77, 86-87).
  9. Audio, film, video (Boxes 108-115, 137).
  10. Photographs (Boxes 132-135, 138-139).

Physical location:
Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Access and use

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
Website