http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/ft729006px No online items Ernie Kovacs papers, 1940-1962 Finding aid prepared by K. Lopaty and Peggy Alexander; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé UCLA Library Special Collections Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library Box 951575 Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1575 (310) 825-4988 [email protected] ©1998 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. Ernie Kovacs papers, 1940-1962 1105 1 Title: Ernie Kovacs papers Collection number: 1105 Contributing Institution: UCLA Library Special Collections Language of Material: English Physical Description: 35.5 linear ft.(71 boxes and 33 oversize boxes) Date: 1940-1962 Abstract: Ernie Kovacs (1919-1962) was one of the leading innovators of comedy in television. He also published a novel and acted in movies. The collection consists of Profuselies cartoons, scripts, recordings of Kovacs' television shows, manuscripts of his novel, Zoomar, as well as personal papers, contracts, financial papers, and scrapbooks. 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. Creator: Kovacs, Ernie, 1919-1962 Restrictions on Use and Reproduction Property rights to the physical object belong to the UC Regents. 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. Papers cannot be copied except with the permission of Edie Adams. Restrictions on Access COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information. Provenance/Source of Acquisition Gift of Edie Adams, 1968-92. Preferred Citation Identification of item], Ernie Kovacs Papers (Collection 1105). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles. UCLA Catalog Record ID UCLA Catalog Record ID: 1973024 Biography Kovacs was born in Trenton, New Jersey, on January 23, 1919; acted in stock companies and wrote for The Trentonian; was a disc jockey and special-events announcer for Trenton's radio station WTTM; began his television career at Philadelphia's WPTZ in 1950 and was one of the leading innovators of comedy in the new medium; his first network television program was It's Time for Ernie (1951); continued to work on radio while doing television; wrote all of his own material; married singer Edie Adams in 1954, and she frequently starred in his television shows; won 3 Emmy awards during 1956-1957 season; published a novel, Zoomar, in 1957; began his film career with Operation Mad Ball (1957); during 1961-1962, he concentrated most of his efforts on his monthly television specials; died in an auto accident in Beverly Hills, California, in 1962. Scope and Content Collection consists of Profuselies cartoons, scripts, and recordings of Kovacs' television shows. Also includes manuscripts of his novel, Zoomar, as well as personal papers, contracts, financial papers, and scrapbooks. Subjects and Indexing Terms Kovacs, Ernie, 1919-1962--Archives. Cartoons (Humorous images). Comedians--United States--Archives. Television actors and actresses--United States--Archives. Main Box 1 Ernie Kovacs papers, 1940-1962 1105 2 Container List Kovacs Unlimited. May 5, 1951- . Scope and Content 1 page of script Box 1 Ernie in Kovacsland. July 7 & 24, 1951. Scope and Content July 7, 1951 folder: Handwritten list of props. 3 pages. Scope and Content July 24, 1951 folder: Script and notes. Box 1 Kovacs on the Corner. January, March 1952. Scope and Content Note 2 shows (January 1952, March 1952). Scripts and notes. Box 1 Kovacs Unlimited. April 21-June 30, 1952. Scope and Content Note 50 shows, 5 per week. Scripts Box 2 Kovacs Unlimited. July 1-September 9. 1952. Scope and Content Note 44 shows, 5 per week, lacking August 5 & September 1. General note See also box 5. Box 3 The Ernie Kovacs Show. September 10-November 28, 1952. Scope and Content Note 57 shows, 5 per week. Ernie Kovacs papers, 1940-1962 1105 3 Container List Box 4 The Ernie Kovacs Show. December 1-31, 1952. Scope and Content Note 24 shows, 5 per week. Box 4 The Ernie Kovacs Show. May 6-July 2, 1952. Scope and Content Note Resumés. Box 5 Kovacs Unlimited. vol.1-7. April 21, 1952-January 11, 1954, Scope and Content Note 57 shows, 13 weeks per vol., 5 shows per week. Box 5 Kovacs Unlimited. January 1-13, 1953. Scope and Content Note 9 shows, 5 per week, lacking January 8. Box 5 Ernie Kovacs Night Show. January 13 & 20, 1953- . Box 5 Ernie Kovacs Show. January 27 & February 3, 1953- . Scope and Content Note Daytime shows. Box 5 Ernie Kovacs Night Show. February 10-April 14, 1953. Scope and Content Note 7 shows, 1 per week. Box 6 Ernie Kovacs papers, 1940-1962 1105 4 Container List Ernie Kovacs Silent Movies July 22, 1953. Box 6 Ernie Kovacs Silent Movies August, 1953. Scope and Content Note 2 shows. Box 6 Ernie Kovacs Silent Movies September, 1953. Scope and Content Note 3 shows. Box 6 Ernie Kovacs Silent Movies Oct., 1953. Scope and Content Note 5 shows. Box 6 Ernie Kovacs Silent Movies. December 30, 1953. Box 6 Ernie Kovacs Newsreel. November 24, 1953. Box 6 Ernie Kovacs Show. April 12-June 11, 1954. Scope and Content Note 36 shows, 5 per week. Box 7 Ernie Kovacs Show. June 14-August 30, 1954. Scope and Content Note 55 shows, 5 per week. Box 8 Ernie Kovacs Show. August 31-November 3, 1954. Scope and Content Note Ernie Kovacs papers, 1940-1962 1105 5 Container List 47 shows, 5 per week, lacking September 9, 17, October 4, & November 1. Box 9 Ernie Kovacs Show: November 4-December 31, 1954. Scope and Content Note 42 shows, 5 per week. Box 10 Ernie Kovacs Show. January 1955. Scope and Content Note 11 shows. Box 10 Ernie Kovacs Show. February 1955. Box 10 Ernie Kovacs Show. March 1955. Scope and Content Note 7 shows. Box 10 Ernie Kovacs Show. April 1955. Scope and Content Note 10 shows. Box 10 Ernie Kovacs Show. May 30, 1955. Scope and Content Note 2 shows. Box 11 Tonight. August 25, 1955. Scope and Content Note Movie Preview. Ernie Kovacs papers, 1940-1962 1105 6 Container List Box 11 Whip the Wristwatch. August 29, 1955- . Box 11 Tonight. August 30-September 2, 1955- . Scope and Content Note 4 shows. Box 11 The Ernie Kovacs Show. September-October 1955. Scope and Content Note 3 shows. Box 11 Jack Parr Show. October 1955. Scope and Content Note 5 shows. Box 11 NBC Ernie Kovacs Show. December 12-30, 1955. Scope and Content Note 15 shows, 5 per week. Box 12 NBC Ernie Kovacs Show. January 2-February 17, 1956. Scope and Content Note 35 morning shows, 5 per week. Box 13 Ernie Kovacs Show. February 20-March 30, 1956. Scope and Content Note 30 NBC morning shows, 5 per week. Ernie Kovacs papers, 1940-1962 1105 7 Container List Box 14 Ernie Kovacs Show: April 2-May 4, 1956. Scope and Content Note 25 NBC morning shows, 5 per week. Box 14 Ernie Kovacs Show, Kine scripts no.1-7. Scope and Content Note These shows were shot in advance for future air dates. List of air dates is in Box 14, Kine script no.5. Box 15 Ernie Kovacs Show. Scripts May 7-June 15, 1956. Scope and Content Note 22 NBC morning shows, 5 per week; June 11 &; 12 are Kine scripts. Box 16 Ernie Kovacs Show. June 18-27, 1956. Scope and Content Note 32 NBC morning shows, 5 per week, lacking June 25, July 20 & 23; June 18 & 20 are Kine scripts. Box 17 The Ernie Kovacs Show. July-September 1956. Scope and Content Note first prime-time TV (9 evening shows, specials). Box 18 The Ernie Kovacs Show. October 1, 1956. Box 18 Tonight. October 1956. Scope and Content Note 9 shows. Box 18 Ernie Kovacs papers, 1940-1962 1105 8 Container List Tonight. November 1956. Scope and Content Note 7 shows. Box 18 Tonight. December 1956. Scope and Content Note 4 shows. Box 18 Tonight. January 1957. Scope and Content Note 4 shows, lacking January 3 & 4. Box 19 Tonight. December 1956. Scope and Content Note 3 shows. Box 19 Tonight. January 1957. Scope and Content Note 5 shows, lacking January 21 & 22. Box 19 Holiday on Ice. December 12, 1956. Box 19 The Saturday Night Color Carnival. January 19, 1957. Box 19 Perry Como Show. February 23, 1957. Scope and Content Note Saturday night show. Ernie Kovacs papers, 1940-1962 1105 9 Container List Box 19 Polly Bergen Show. October 5, 1957. Scope and Content Note Included is a book of photos. Box 19 Producers Showcase--Festival of Magic. May 27, 1957. Box 19 Highspots of The Greatest Show on Earth. March 9, 1959. Scope and Content Note Ernie Kovacs as host. Box 19 Kovacs on Music: An El Cheapo Production, Ernie Kovacs producer- writer...more or less. Box 20 Danl Vigilant. May 30-December 30, 1955. Scope and Content Note 152 character sketches, episodes 1-152, lacking no.34,, 36, 62, 86, 114, & 126. Box 20 Danl Vigilant. January 1956. Scope and Content Note 4 character sketches. Box 20 Martin Krutch. January-July 1956. Scope and Content Note 69 character sketches. Mike Marmer Scripts Physical Description: [* The scripts written by Mike Marmer have Mike on the upper right-hand corner; those by Deke Hayward have deke on the upper right-hand corner] Ernie Kovacs papers, 1940-1962 1105 10 Container List Box 21 Space Commuter * May-November 1955.