RONNIE VIRGETS PAPERS 6 Linear Feet Special Collections & Archives Loyola University Library Collection 30 RONNIE VIRGETS PAPERS Ronnie Virgets is the quintessential "New Orleans original" - a native with the ability to see, appreciate and poke gentle fun at the quirky qualities that embody the Crescent City. For decades, he has, with well-chosen words and a distinctive voice. evoked images ofhis hometown to inspire new appreciations offamiliar surroundings. His columns and scripts present glimpses ofhis boyhood in Mid-City New Orleans where he was born at Mercy Hospital on April 16, 1942 and attended Catholic schools. While a student at Sl Aloysius High School, he was encouraged by a teacher to develop his writing talents and after high school graduation in 1961 to enroll as a Jownalism student at Loyola University. His first column, "00 the Virg," was published in the Maroon and with other Loyola students. he worked as a "stringer" at the Times-Picayune. He was graduated from Loyola in 1965. After a 1965-1968 U.S. Army tour which took him to Vietnam, Virgets returned to New Orleans and a variety ofjobs, including owning a pool hall. tending bar and working at a small public relations finn. In the mid-70s he returned to journalism, covering sports for the Times-Picayune and eventually writing free-lance sports features. As a child, VirgelS was introduced by his family to the world ofhorse racing and remembers his first visit to the stables where he "even liked the way it smelled," so he was particularly suited to become a columnist for the Racing Form. For three years he covered the racing circuit from the Fair Grounds, Louisiana Downs and Keystone Park, near Philadelphia And, when he returned to New Orleans, he continued to write about the track in "Railbird Ronnie," a freelance column for the Times-Picayune. As a full-time staffmember at the newspaper, he wrote features for Dixie Roto and finally, a metro column. The transition to television took place when WWL-TV's Bill Elder invited Virgets to produce features for his weekly show "Bill Elderts Joumal,t' and the New Orleans equivalent ofa star was born. His voice, both rough and soothing, became familiar, and his written words combined with the best oftelevision photography delighted viewers. In the years since, WGNO, WDSU and WYES have also aired his New Orleans vignettes. Radio listeners, too, have been entertained by Virgets as bost of WWNO's "Crescent City." Even as VirgelS entered the realm ofbroadcast media. he continued his print career, writing a column which still appears hiweekly in Gambit. His books, Say Cap puhlished in 1997 and Lost Bread published in 2006, are compilations offavorite columns. "Diary ofa Displaced. Person: The First 72 Hours," his hurricane Katrina survival story, originally published in Louisiana Cultural Vistas, was an addendum to Say Cap. During his long, varied career, Virgets has been the recipient ofseveral writing awards. In 2002, he was honored by the Press Club ofNew Orleans with a Lifetime Achievement Award. 2 THE COLLECTION The Ronnie Virgets papers contain all existing samples ofhis work in print, television and radio dating from the mid-1980s. Box 1 contains examples of Virgets' broadcast media performances. The television essays have been converted to DVD fonnat from VCR tapes and saved on computer for best preservation. Unfortunately, most ofthe CDs containing "Crescent City" transcripts were damaged by Katrina's floodwaters. 801. 2 consists ofthe work papers and scripts written for radio and television presentations. Boxes 3, 4 and 5 are filled with files containing his published columns and feature stories. The band-written undated manuscripts have been matched as often as possible with the columns as they appeared in print and are filed by periodical in chronological order. Those which could not be matched and were undated are arranged in alphabetical order. Box 6 contains oversized articles and cover stories. Box 7 is the large tablet scrapbook compiled for 1995-1999. It contains articles both by and aoou1 Virgets. Box 8 holds the manuscripts, galleys and other material pertaining to Say Cap. Box 9 contains manuscripts, galleys and other material concerning Lost Bread. Box 10 holds material about Ronnie Virgets, awards be has received and self-published books of poetry and cartoons. 3 RONNIE VIRGETS PAPERS BOX 1 - TELEVISION DVDS AND RADIO CDS REAL NEW ORLEANS WGNO ABC 26 NEWS DVD#I • Silent Prayer • June 16, 1991 "Gone Fishing" • Ursuline NWlS • 1993 Ronnie Virgets' Scrapbook • Navy Steel Band • Pro Wrestling al Municipal Auditorium • Locantro Ice House • Cba1mene Battlefield and Cemetery • Quilters • Silent Movie • Decorating for Mardi Gras • Neon Lights • Lawn Ornaments • Gone Fishing • 1993 Scrapbook (repeatof#2) DVD#3 1993 Out ofthe Ashes • Grand Isle • New Orleans Fairgrounds • Little League • "Decorating" footage - Real New • 1995 Ronnie Virgets' Scrapbook Orleans • Water • Cba1mene (script?) DVD#2 • Metairie • Life ofthe Party - Margarita Bergen • Matchstick Creations • Docs ofRock • McCrossen • Big pets • Car Washes • A Fine Cigar • Grand Isle • Casino Collectibles • Children • Pilot Town • Pet Crematory • Old-time barber shops • Love • Dix (show continued on next tape) • Krewe ofCleopatra • Mardi Gras Cafe • March 14- May 20, 2003 - Stories • Breton Island • Time • Surfer Dreams • Fog (script) • April 22, 1994 -- Real New Orleans • Battle ofNew Orleans • Shore to Shore • Audubon Zoo (script) • Scenes from a Wedding • Birthdays • Frogman • Making Music • Real Rbytlun • Jazz Fest • Ronnie's Dreamhouse • Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial Exhibit • Voices ofNew Orleans • Prom Night (script?) • Real Favorites - Dunbar's • Shoppin' With Charmaine DVD#4 • Real People, Real Pets • May 23, 2003 - July 23, 2003 - Stories • TheTrophy • Coffee • Then and Now • Stationary Bikes 4 • Faces • October 3, 2003 - October 24, 2003 • Fathers • Political Signs (script) • Tourists • Feeding the Animals (script) • Abandoned Grocery Buggies (script) • Newspaper photos (script) • American Flags (script) • Good weather -- Fall • Birds • July 14,2004 • Porches • Death ofFire ChiefMike McCrossen WYES - CHANNEL 12 DVD#5 • 2001 Jefferson Parish Stories. An hour­ • 2005 Rex Ball -- Crown Jewels of long program underwritten by Jefferson Carnival Parish and Lakeside Shopping Center. • 2005 Rex Ball -- 1905 Mardi Gras Narration by RV (2 copies) • June 14,2005 -- "Love Floats" • March 3, 2005 Mother Cabrini's Legacy • 2005 Rex Ball - Rex's Royal Costwner NEW ORLEANS FAIRGROUNDS • Fair Grounds Race Course ­ • November 2, 2006 Raw Fair Grounds promotional videos footage with no narration. Cox Communications. WWL-TV REMOULADE, ETC. DVDI/6 • Selling Kisses at Maison Blanche • Walls and Fences • Abandoned Buildings • Mules • Lifestyle test • Swimming habies • Terrance Blanchard • Shaving • Winter Flowers • Tattoos • Fingernail Shops • Purple • Shadow • Jelly Roll Morton • Street Musicians • Camp names • All Saints Day • Commencements • Campaigns and Elections (1996) • Lettennan List • Digital Cameras Images • Wedding Cake • Veterans Day • The Upstairs Bar Fire • Roofers • Continental Can Company DVD#7 • Cigar Smoking • Lifestyle test • Convertibles • Italian Open 5 • The Irish in N.D. • Reflections • N.O. Writers • Going to Town • Toy Museum • Fireworks • Paul Bauer, bartender running for mayor • Rain • Christmas • Sister Mary's Pralines • Eye ofthe beholder II • Freckles • Eye ofthe beholder ill • JazzCamp • Discards/Carrollton Lwnber • Who Lives 1bere? • N.D. Radio Players • Runway Model • Final exams and the last day ofschool • Warehouse District before summer • Thoroughbred • Blue • Charity Hospital Volunteer • Algiers Ferry • Saints Home Finale • Marllies • Sl. Aug Serenade • Senior Rings • Mr. Bingle • Mardi Gras Kings • Mid-City parade DVDII9 • Voodoo Exhibit • Bill Elder's Journal - "Love" 1988? • Black Bear • 5/1/96 (also on Betacam) • Audubon Gorillas (script?) • Angels • Dogs at Cafe Bar du Theatre • Street Musician • Holt Cemetery • All Saints Day Lee McDaniel- Galatoire's waiter • Election Campaigns • The Bishop -- Shoeshine man • Digital Photography • Signs • Veterans • Ponchartrain Beach • Roofers • American Can Company DVDI/8 • On the Old Block with Vernel Bagoeris • Architecture • Eye ofthe Beholder I, II, III • Gatemouth Brown • Diggeridoo DVD#10 • Reflections • DVD - RemouJade Reflections • Jazz Fest • Love Story • Sister Mary Smith, teacher • Lost in the Past • Big Casino • Youthful Fields • Rendezvous Pilot 8n197 • The Mississippi • Who Lives There? • The Legislature • lslenos • Gotta Dance • Margaret Statue • All Saints Day • Daily Bread - Zephyr's pitcher r 6 MISCELLANEOUS DVD#lI • April2, 1990. Angela Show - 4 columnists, Frank Schneider, Ronnie Virgets, Errol Laborde, Angus Lind • United Way PSA "Choices" June, 16, 1999 • January 1991 Tad Gonnley Stadium • January 1991 A Soldier Story WWL·TV • Also Betacam footage without Virgets' narration • February 1991 "Soldier's Story" WDSU features - December 8, 2000-July 27, 2001 • Christmas Lights • Laborde Lookout and Monkey Hill • Children in Us • Piety • Santa Paws • Puppies • Tastee faced with Krispee Kremes • The Aquariwn • Mirrors • Visualization ofthe Blues • Greek Orthodox Cathedral dedication • Cell phones • Late night diners • Crawfish • Arthur Hardy • World War II Dioramas • Wrestling • Sun and shade • Maskers • Flamingos • Spas • Snowballs • Beads in trees • Strangers (script) • Shotgwt houses • Work • Stella-Calling • Feathers • Demolition • "Found" Money DVD #12 - Bridge