http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8668kb0 No online items Gene Fowler papers Finding aid prepared by Ashley Franklin. Special Collections & University Archives The UCR Library P.O. Box 5900 University of California Riverside, California 92517-5900 Phone: 951-827-3233 Fax: 951-827-4673 Email: [email protected] URL: http://library.ucr.edu/libraries/special-collections-university-archives © 2011 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. Gene Fowler papers MS 086 1 Descriptive Summary Title: Gene Fowler papers Date (inclusive): 1927-1975, undated Date (bulk): 1940-1953 Collection Number: MS 086 Creator: Fowler, Gene, 1890-1960 Extent: 2.5 linear feet(6 boxes) Repository: Rivera Library. Special Collections Department. Riverside, CA 92517-5900 Abstract: Collection contains correspondence, manuscripts, photographs, drawings, media, and other materials collected and created by American journalist and author Gene Fowler. This includes his correspondence with Ben Hecht, S. Jay Kaufman, Sadakichi Hartman, Robert Hillyer, John Barrymore and general correspondence. Languages: The collection is in English. Access This collection is open for research. Publication Rights Copyright Unknown: Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction, and/or commercial use, of some materials may be restricted by gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing agreement(s), and/or trademark rights. Distribution or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. To the extent other restrictions apply, permission for distribution or reproduction from the applicable rights holder is also required. Responsibility for obtaining permissions, and for any use rests exclusively with the user. Preferred Citation [identification of item], [date if possible]. Gene Fowler papers (MS 086). Special Collections & University Archives, University of California, Riverside. Acquisition Information Purchased in 1978. Processing History Processed by Ashley Franklin, 2011. Biographical Note Gene Fowler was born Eugene Devlan March 8, 1890 in Denver Colorado. After his father abandoned his mother she remarried and Gene was adopted by his stepfather giving him the name Fowler. After a failed career in taxidermy, Fowler moved on to writing. He attended the University of Colorado where he took his first writing job for the Denver Post and interviewed Buffalo Bill Cody. He then went on to work for the New York Daily Mirror and eventually became a newspaper syndication manager for King Features. He was known to be drinking buddies with artist John Decker, W.C. Fields, Sadakichi Hartmann, and John Barrymore who were referred to a the "Buddy Drive Boys" for their drinking antics at Decker's house on Buddy Drive. Barrymore and Fowler had first met while Fowler was a reporter for the New York American in 1918. Fowler wrote a book title "Minutes of the Last Meeting" on his friends which had originally started out as a biography on Sadakichi Hartmann. He also wrote many books and screenplays, most notably a biography on John Barrymore "Good Night, Sweet Prince" and 1935's "Call of the Wild" staring Clark Gable. Fowler also worked with Barrymore and director David O. Selznick on the movie "State's Attorny" in 1931. Fowler Married Agnes Hubbard in 1916 and had 3 children. He died July 2, 1960 in Los Angeles, California. Collection Scope and Contents Collection contains correspondence, manuscripts, photographs, drawings, media, and other materials collected and created by American journalist and author Gene Fowler. This includes his correspondence with Ben Hecht, S. Jay Kaufman, Sadakichi Hartman, Robert Hillyer, John Barrymore and general correspondence. Collection Arrangement This collection is arranged into five series as follows: Series 1. Articles, notes, and other material, 1936-1972, undated Series 2. Correspondence, 1927-1964, undated Series 3. Manuscripts, 1940-1944, undated Gene Fowler papers MS 086 2 Series 4. Media, 1952-1960, undated Series 5. Photographs and drawings, 1931-1975, undated Indexing Terms The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog. Subjects Barrymore, John, 1882-1942 Decker, John, 1895-1947 Hartmann, Sadakichi, 1867-1944 Hillyer, Robert, 1895-1961 Authors Journalism Genres and Forms of Materials Correspondence Manuscripts Notes Photographs Series 1. Articles, notes, and other material 1936-1972, undated Series Scope and Contents This series includes notes, articles, and other material collected by Gene Fowler and articles on and by Robert Hillyer. Including notes on Sadakichi Hartmann for his biography on Hartmann. Series Arrangement This series is arranged sequentially according to box and folder number. Box 1, Folder 9 Article on Theodore Spencer mentioning Robert Hillyer April 22, 1946 Box 1, Folder 10 Article and cover by Robert Hillyer in "The Atlantic" May 1947 Box 1, Folder 11 Article on Robert Hillyer in "The Saturday Review" March 20, 1948 Box 1, Folder 14 Articles on Robert Hillyer undated Box 1, Folder 13 Article on Robert Hillyer from unknown source undated Box 2, Folder 25 Article titled "Excursions in Stageland with Ashton Stevens" open letter from Gene Fowler undated Box 2, Folder 25 Article titled "Excursions in Stageland with Ashton Stevens" from the Chicago Harold open letter from Gene Fowler November 6, 1949 Box 2, Folder 35 Article titled "Guided by Nuances" by Robert Hillyer review of "Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke" translated by Jane Bannard Greene and M.D. Herter Norton undated Box 2, Folder 37 Article titled "Absent Friends" by Ben Hecht in The Phoenix Nest undated Box 2, Folder 37 Article titled "1001 Afternoons in New York" by Ben Hecht February 18 1941 Box 2, Folder 39 Article titled "W.C. Fields' Christmas Story" by Will Fowler in Life Magazine (two typed copies included) December 15, 1972 Box 2, Folder 47 Article on Gene Fowler in New York Close-Up by Tex McCary and Jinx Falkenburge 1951 Box 3, Folder 50 Article mentioning the "The Last Portrait of Sadakichi Hartmann" by Ejnar Hansen (copy) undated Article titled "Sketches From Life" on Sadakichi Hartmann (four pages, copy) April 29, 1936 Box 3, Folder 51 Article titled "'Gen.'Kelly's Army" by William Preston Hill (two pages, copy) undated Box 2, Folder 51 Article titled "The Esthetic Value of Cubism" by Sadakichi Hartmann (two pages, copy) undated Box 1, Folder 22 Note of possible titles undated Box 3, Folder 51 Notes by Sadakichi Hartmann (seven pages) undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes made by Sadakichi Hartmann May 28, 1940 Gene Fowler papers MS 086 3 Series 1. Articles, notes, and other material 1936-1972, undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes "Italics" written by Gene Fowler undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes by Gene Fowler (five pages) undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes titled "Interesting Episodes in Sadakichi Hartmann's life" by Gene Fowler (two pages) undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann "Trial Episodes" by Gene Fowler (three pages) undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann by Gene Fowler (three pages) undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann's children by Gene Fowler (two pages) undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on sayings of Sadakichi Hartmann by Gene Fowler (seven pages) undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann "Miscellaneous Thoughts" by Gene Fowler undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on "Theme of Sadakichi's Life" by Gene Fowler undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes titled "The Luckless Faun" by Gene Fowler undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann's "Perfume Concerts" by Gene Fowler (two pages) undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes regarding "Letters to a Married Man" by Gene Fowler undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes of Sadakichi Hartmann's letter to John Barrymore November 3, 1929 by Gene Fowler undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann's illness in July 1940 by Gene Fowler (two pages) undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann "For the Beginning of the Book" by Gene Fowler undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes titled "Jack's Afghan Hound, Viola" by Gene Fowler (two pages) undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes titled "Jack's Lapse of Memory" by Gene Fowler undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes titled "Two more Lapses in Memory" by Gene Fowler undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann including a note on Charlie Chaplin (five pages) undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes titled "Sadakichi Hartmann's Second Visit" by Gene Fowler May 21, 1940 Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann by Gene Fowler May 21, 1940 Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann by Gene Fowler May 23, 1940 Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann by Gene Fowler (six pages) May 23, 1940 Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann by Gene Fowler May 24, 1940 Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann by Gene Fowler (three pages) May 23, 1940 Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann by Gene Fowler (two pages) May 27, 1940 Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann by Gene Fowler May 29, 1940 Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann by Gene Fowler (six pages) July 8, 1940 Box 3, Folder 54 Notes titled "Sadakichi Sayings" by Gene Fowler undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann by Gene Fowler (four pages) August 2, 1940 Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann by Gene Fowler (three pages) August 26, 1940 Box 3, Folder 54 Notes on Sadakichi Hartmann by Gene Fowler (two pages) August 28, 1940 Box 3, Folder 54 Notes titled "List of People Mentioned in Sadakichi's Books with the Date of their Birth and Death" by Gene Fowler undated Box 3, Folder 54 Notes titled "J.