Summary Information
Tom Weston Papers
1976-1984
Mss 729
0.4 c.f. (1 archives box)
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Personal papers of a media historian, writer, and host (born Thomas Wisniewski) for several nationally-broadcast PBS television programs produced by WHA-TV from 1977 through 1985. Included are notes, student papers, and working files on an uncompleted dissertation on The Twilight Zone which document work as a student of mass communications at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and additional notes, teaching materials, plays, and production information which pertains to his professional activities as a writer, instructor, and producer.
English
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Biography/History
Film historian and television host Tom Weston was born Thomas Edward Wisniewski on May 6, 1948. In 1966 he matriculated at Sienna College in New York. While in college he was employed at the public radio station WVCR, ultimately working up to the position of station manager. He graduated from Sienna College magna cum laude in 1970 with a B.A. in English and a minor in education. For the next two years he worked as a teacher and directed and acted in school and community theater. In 1972 he began graduate work at Michigan University, concurrently working at MSU Instructional Television as a cameraman, audio engineer, and production assistant. In 1973 he received an M.A. in communication arts and an M.A. in English literature.
After three years in Maryland, where he taught high school and was active in community theater, Wisniewski came to Madison to begin studies for a Ph.D. in communication arts and to work for WHA-TV. Weston worked in many capacities for the station, but he was best known as the writer/host for several series which were broadcast nationally. It was in this capacity that he adopted the name Tom Weston. Among the programs on which Weston appeared were Marquee Theater for which he wrote the film commentary. While a student, he also taught a public broadcasting course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and offered seminars on film programming for WHA-TV. Wisniewski remained enrolled at the University through December, 1984, although he never completed his dissertation. He died suddenly on June 5, 1985.
Scope and Content Note
The Weston Papers are a small collection that document the period 1976 to 1984, the years of his attendance at the University of Wisconsin. The collection is arranged into categories that parallel the academic and professional aspects of his career. Included are notes and papers written for classes taken to fulfill requirements for a Ph.D. in communication arts, working papers and annotated revisions of an uncompleted dissertation, notes for teaching, several scripts, and a small amount of material concerning WHA-TV programming. More information on the programs with which he was associated at WHA-TV is included in the files of that station held by the Historical Society.
ACADEMIC MATERIAL consists largely of hand-written class notes and syllabi. In addition, there are many seminar and class papers written on various aspects of film criticism and an outline, working papers, and three draft chapters for his proposed dissertation on The Twilight Zone. Also filed here are transcripts concerning his course work at Sienna College and Michigan State University.
PROFESSIONAL MATERIAL consists of files concerning Weston's activities as a writer, teacher, and producer. Included are an application to the Screenwriters' Workshop, unpublished plays, and lecture material for the film programming seminar and public broadcasting classes he taught. While the material on WHA-TV is scarce, there is one file on Cinema of... development and budget papers, and some viewer polls and other planning material concerning Marquee Theater.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by WHA-TV, Madison, Wisconsin, July 1, 1985. Accession Number: M85-334
Processed by Ann Hokanson (FGH student), 1987.
Contents List
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Series: Academic Material
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Box
1
Folder
1
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Transcripts
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Communication Arts course work
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Box
1
Folder
2
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Extension course: Film design and scriptwriting, 1976
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Box
1
Folder
3
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CA 354: Film styles and genres, 1978
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Box
1
Folder
4
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CA 556: History of the motion picture, 1978
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Box
1
Folder
5
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CA 656: Advanced motion picture production
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Box
1
Folder
6
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CA 658: Writing for television, 1977
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Box
1
Folder
7
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CA 950: Introduction to film research, 1977
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Box
1
Folder
8
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CA 958: Seminar, 1977-1981, n.d.
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Dissertation work
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Box
1
Folder
9
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Notes
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Box
1
Folder
10
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Prospectus and professor's critique
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Box
1
Folder
11
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Outline
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Box
1
Folder
12
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Revision of chapter I
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Box
1
Folder
13
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Chapters I-III
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Box
1
Folder
14
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Conference papers: “The Pretext of Censorship,” 1978-1981
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Series: Professional Material
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Writing
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Box
1
Folder
15
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Application to Screenwriters' workshop and resume, 1978
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Box
1
Folder
16
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Plays, 1978-1980
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Teaching activities
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Box
1
Folder
17
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CA 650: Public broadcasting, 1984
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Box
1
Folder
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Film programming seminar, 1980-1981
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Producing activities
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Box
1
Folder
19
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Cinema of... development and budget, 1984
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Box
1
Folder
20
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WHA-TV viewer polls and promotion, 1984
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