Summary Information
Clifton M. Utley Papers
1930-1960
- Utley, Clifton M., 1904-1978
U.S. Mss 26AF
32.8 c.f. (82 archives boxes)
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Papers of a news commentator who specialized in coverage of foreign affairs. The bulk of the collection is composed of radio scripts, mainly 1935-1960, and television scripts, 1949-1959. Utley broadcast his news reports and commentary over several Chicago stations, but the majority of the work originated from the NBC stations, WMAQ-WNBQ, either for local or network broadcast. In addition to scripts for his regularly scheduled programs on these stations, there are materials for specials, substitutions, and guest appearances; the BBC program American Commentary, 1945-1953; and Frayn Utley's program, 1940-1941, and her appearances in substitution for or in collaboration with her husband. Of the correspondence, 1938-1959, a few letters concern sponsorship and contracts, but the majority are from Utley's audience; these are accompanied occasionally by carbon copies of Utley's replies. Supplementing these papers are a few lectures and addresses, some of which were given in behalf of the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations. Utley also wrote a by-lined column for the Chicago Sun-Times, 1951-1953, which is available on microfilm in the Historical Society Library.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-us0026af ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Clifton Maxwell Utley, Chicago radio and television foreign affairs commentator, was born in Chicago and received most of his education in that city. In 1926 he earned his Ph.B. from the University of Chicago. From there he went to the University of Munich, 1926-1927, and, also in 1927, to the University of Algiers. Mr. Utley has received honorary degrees from Lawrence College, 1945, and from Illinois College, 1946.
From 1930 to 1942 Clifton Utley was editor of Foreign Notes, a bi-weekly international news sheet published by the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, and from 1931 to 1942 he was director of the Council. Mr. Utley's journalistic talents were also engaged from 1951 to 1953 when he wrote a column for the Chicago Sun-Times; these columns may be found on microfilm in the library of the State Historical Society.
Mr. Utley's career in broadcasting officially began in October, 1935, with a current world affairs program called Today's Topics, sponsored by the Charles A. Stevens Company, a Chicago department store. The Stevens Company continued to sponsor Clifton Utley's programs from this time until his retirement in 1959.
The only significant interruption in Mr. Utley's broadcasting career was due to the illness which ultimately caused his retirement. On June 8, 1953, he suffered a stroke, which resulted in partial paralysis, and he spent the following nineteen months in the hospital and several years in recuperation. Because of Clifton's illness there were no Utley programs from July to December of 1953. However, in 1954 Frayn Utley, herself an experienced news commentator, substituted for her husband and delivered weekly commentaries on the Stevens program. In 1955 and the early part of 1956 Mr. and Mrs. Utley worked together to produce the programs.
By the fall of 1956 Mr. Utley was sufficiently recovered to return to his radio work and the following year he resumed his television commentaries. In 1958 he received the Du Pont Citation for outstanding work as a commentator, the first mid-westerner to receive this coveted award.
However, in March, 1959, the disabilities resulting from his illness forced him to drop his daily programs, although he continued the weekly commentaries with his wife. On June 26, 1960, Frayn Utley delivered the final Utley broadcast, thus commemorating the end of twenty-five years of continuous sponsorship by the Stevens Company.
Scope and Content Note
The Utley Papers are organized into three groups: Correspondence, 1938-1959 (sorted by months); Scripts, 1930-1960; and Other Papers which include lectures, publicity materials, distribution and ratings information, and tabulations of mail received.
There are approximately 9,000 pieces of correspondence, almost all of which may be classified as “fan mail.” The letters indicate that Mr. Utley had a very devoted following. By far the major part of his mail was from admirers and from persons requesting copies of particular broadcasts, although there were also letters from critics.
This mail from his listeners was important to Mr. Utley. For instance, in his December 6, 1949, broadcast he mentioned that mail was analyzed and that recommendations would be reflected in his programs; and on his May 12, 1951, program he announced that he would discuss the foreign policy issues which were raised most frequently in his past week's mail.
Also in the correspondence will be found some carbon copies of Mr. Utley's replies, occasional letters sent to Frayn Utley, a few scattered letters concerning sponsors and contractual arrangements, and fan mail from readers of his column which appeared in the Chicago Sun Times. One citation to both Mr. and Mrs. Utley from the English Speaking Union of the United States, given for the Utleys' efforts to increase understanding between the United States and Great Britain, dated May 30, 1956, has been filed with the correspondence.
The bulk of the collection is composed of scripts, both radio and television, which occupy sixty-five boxes and include the years from 1930 to 1960. There are only three scripts prior to 1935. Television scripts are present from 1949 to 1959 and, when available, the cameraman's copy has been retained along with Mr. Utley's. Some of the scripts are annotated and show revisions, but others appear to be file copies.
In addition to the regular daily and weekly commentaries, there are included in the collection scripts of special programs, such as The War That Must Not Come (April 16, 1946), and for occasions on which Utley substituted for other commentators such as H. V. Kaltenborn and Joseph Harsch. In 1945 - 1953 Clifton Utley gave American Commentary for the British Broadcasting Corporation, a series of programs heard only in Great Britain, which were designed to present views of American life and thought. Also included are scripts for dramatizations in which Utley participated, or which he moderated, such as the historical series entitled We Came This Way (1944 - 1945), and Quiz Kids shows in 1946.
Many scripts bearing Frayn Utley's name will be found in the collection. These include news programs delivered by Mrs. Utley for the years in which she gave her own programs, for instance in 1940 - 1941 and in 1957, as well as for the years in which she substituted for and joined with her husband in news broadcasts.
The only large gap in the sequence of scripts occurs from July to December of 1953, the period immediately following Mr. Utley's stroke.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by Clifton Utley, Chicago, Illinois, July 1956, January 1957, and September 1960, and by Jonathan G. Utley, Knoxville, Tennessee, February 18, 1971.
Contents List
|
Box
1-16
|
Correspondence, 1938 Sept. - 1959 March
|
|
|
Box
17-81
|
Scripts, 1930-1960
|
|
|
Box
82
|
Lectures and Addresses, 1931, 1939-1940, 1943, 1956
|
|
|
Box
82
|
Publicity and Printed Materials
|
|
|
Box
82
|
Station Line-ups
|
|
|
Box
82
|
Program Ratings
|
|
|
Box
82
|
Tabulations of Mail Responses, 1935-1958
|
|
|
