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Adrian Michaelis Papers 004.014 Finding aid prepared by Tricia Roush and Supriya Wronkiewicz This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit September 18, 2017 Describing Archives: A Content Standard Museum of Performance and Design, Performing Arts Library July 2016 893B Folsom Street San Francisco, CA, 94107 Adrian Michaelis Papers 004.014 Table of Contents Summary Information ................................................................................................................................. 3 Biography and Organizational Note..............................................................................................................5 Scope and Contents....................................................................................................................................... 6 Organization...................................................................................................................................................7 Administrative Information .........................................................................................................................7 Controlled Access Headings..........................................................................................................................8 Collection Inventory...................................................................................................................................... 9 Series I: Biographical,............................................................................................................................. 9 Series II: Correspondence,.....................................................................................................................10 Series III: All Broadcasts,..................................................................................................................... 12 Series IV: The Standard Hour Radio Broadcast,..................................................................................13 Series V: Standard School Broadcast,..................................................................................................16 Series VI: The Standard Hour Television Broadcast,.......................................................................... 22 Series VII: Standard Oil Company and projects,..................................................................................24 Series VIII: People,............................................................................................................................... 24 Series IX: Photographs,......................................................................................................................... 62 Series X: Miscellaneous,....................................................................................................................... 64 Series XI: Sheet Music..........................................................................................................................66 - Page 2 - Adrian Michaelis Papers 004.014 Summary Information Repository Museum of Performance and Design, Performing Arts Library Creator Michaelis, Adrian J. Title Adrian Michaelis Papers Date [bulk] Bulk, 1940-1970 Date [inclusive] 1890-2000 Extent 24.0 Linear feet 14 cartons, 6 flat file boxes Language English Language All materials are in English. Abstract Adrian Michaelis (1901-2000) was the producer and program manager for Standard Oil Company's The Standard Hour radio broadcast, subsequent School Broadcast, and television show. In 1919, Michaelis began working for the Standard Oil Company as a hall boy. In 1926, through a collaboration with the then-struggling San Francisco Symphony, Standard Oil sponsored a series of broadcasts of the Symphony's performances. Due to his background with the company and strong interest in music, Michaelis was appointed as the Program Manager for the newly created Standard Symphony Hour Broadcast, later simply known as The Standard Hour. Michaelis remained with Standard Oil Company until his retirement in 1966 and worked subsequently as a consultant. Following his retirement, Michaelis became actively involved with the Los Californianos organization. A small amount of this material is strictly biographical or personal, but the vast majority of it pertains to Michaelis’ career as Program Manager for the Standard Oil Company’s music related programs. The collection includes correspondence, libretti, - Page 3 - Adrian Michaelis Papers 004.014 clippings, photographs, negatives, programs, brochures, flyers, souvenir books, scrapbooks, sheet music, and transcripts. The arrangement of the collection is as follows: Biographical, Correspondence, All Broadcasts, Standard Hour Radio Broadcast, Standard School Broadcast, Standard Hour Television Broadcast, People, Photographs, Miscellaneous, and Sheet Music Preferred citation [Folder Title], Adrian Michaelis Papers, Museum of Performance + Design. - Page 4 - Adrian Michaelis Papers 004.014 Biography and Organizational Note Adrian Michaelis was born in San Francisco on December 1, 1901. In 1908, his family moved to Oakland, where he attended Oakland public schools and graduated from Oakland Technical High School. Following graduation, Michaelis began work for the Standard Oil Company as a hall boy. Over the next few years, he progressed to positions such as typist, clerk, editor of the employees' magazine, photographer, writer, and finally into positions in advertising and public relations. In 1926, through a collaboration with the then-struggling San Francisco Symphony, Standard Oil sponsored a series of broadcasts of the Symphony's performances. Due to his background with the company and strong interest in music, Michaelis was appointed as the Program Manager for the newly created Standard Symphony Hour Broadcast, later simply known as The Standard Hour, a role he would retain until the show's final broadcast in 1955. Alongside this role, Michaelis worked as the Producer-Writer for The Standard Hour's companion broadcast, the Standard School Broadcast. Michaelis also served as creator and producer for the short-lived The Standard Hour television series in 1952. Michaelis remained with Standard Oil Company until his retirement in 1966 and worked subsequently as a consultant. Following his retirement, Michaelis became actively involved with the Los Californianos organization. He was a charter member when the group formed in 1968 and served as their genealogist for years. He designed distinctive genealogical charts, created an audiovisual program on the history of Spanish California, and wrote a series of genealogical-historical articles titled California Hispanica for Los Californianos members. Michaelis died on May 6, 2000 in Oakland, California. About The Standard Hour In the fall of 1926, the San Francisco Symphony Association faced a deficit, resulting in the Standard Oil Company gifting the Symphony with the $10,000 needed to save it from bankruptcy. This gift is said to be one of the earliest U.S. corporate donations to the arts on record, so in gratitude, the Symphony offered Standard Oil the broadcast rights to their concerts played that season. The Company named Michaelis the program director and created Standard Symphony Hour Broadcast, later referred to simply as The Standard Hour. The premiere broadcast was on October 24, 1926 on the NBC Pacific Network. The concerts were broadcast live from the War Memorial Opera House, which would continue for most of the show's run. The public response was impressive. Shortly thereafter, featured singers from the San Francisco Opera began making regular appearances on the program. A year later, the program was established as a weekly full-hour concert. This continued until its final performance on June 5, 1955. Throughout its run, the broadcast featured prominent local musicians and singers as well popular singers of the era, such as Louis Armstrong. Renowned conductors such as Carmen Dragon, Gaetano Merola, Pierre Monteux, Arthur Fiedler also appeared on the program several times over its run. The Standard Symphony and NBC Pacific Coast Network radio was honored with the Peabody Award in 1943 for Outstanding Entertainment in Music. NBC and the Standard Symphony received the award again in 1952 for the contributions of the Standard Symphony and The Standard Hour broadcasts for television. - Page 5 - Adrian Michaelis Papers 004.014 A companion project was shortly developed as the Standard School Broadcast, premiering in 1928. The program quickly grew to become a part of the curriculum of schools in the West, continuing its run after the original Standard Hour broadcast went off the airwaves. Lesson plans were drawn out for the radio programs to be used in the classrooms. In 1958, this program was also honored with a Peabody Award. This broadcast continued to 1970. In 1952, Standard Oil decided to run an experimental televised version of The Standard Hour broadcast. Michaelis produced the series and thirteen episodes were aired. This allowed for televised broadcasts of previously radio-only performances. The telecasts featured minimal sets and performers in costume, and for the first time allowed for the participation of San Francisco Ballet, working in collaboration with then-director Lew Christensen. Unfortunately, production costs for continuing the series overrode the experiment and the "Thirteen Week Spectacular" was not repeated. Scope and Contents This is the personal collection of Adrian Michaelis, the producer and program manager for

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