Summary Information
Paul Rhymer Papers
1928-1972
U.S. Mss 90AF
16.8 c.f. (40 archives boxes, 3 volumes, 1 package)
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Papers of a radio and television writer best known for his creation of the humorous daytime serial Vic and Sade (NBC). Scripts for this radio program comprise the bulk of the collection, but there are also materials pertaining to Keystone Chronicles (NBC), The Public Life of Cliff Norton (NBC), and other programs which Rhymer wrote either as an NBC staff member or as a free-lance writer. A small quantity of correspondence includes letters from James Gould Cozzens, Upton Sinclair, and James Thurber and memoranda circulated in the NBC continuity department. Also present are photographs; contracts; book reviews written for the Chicago Sun-Times; articles about Rhymer; and a copy of The Small House Halfway Up the Next Block (1972), Mrs. Rhymer's book about the Vic and Sade program.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-us0090af ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Paul Mills Rhymer was born in Fulton, Illinois, in 1905. Shortly thereafter his family moved to Bloomington, Illinois where he grew up, attended Bloomington High School and won the school's Merwin Cup award for short story writing. He was president of the Bloomington High Short Story Club and wrote for the humorous department of Aegis, the school's year book. After graduation he attended Illinois Wesleyan University, withdrawing after his junior year. At Illinois Wesleyan he was active in Sigma Chi fraternity and several literary clubs, including the Bookfellows and the Black Bookmen. While a sophomore, he sold his first story “Hen” to the magazine College Humor.
After leaving college, Rhymer held a succession of jobs, including taxi-cab driver, magazine salesman, and newspaper reporter. He was discharged from the latter position for writing fictitious news interviews rather than doing the required leg-work.
In 1929 Paul Rhymer joined the Chicago NBC continuity staff where, along with other shows, he created and wrote the radio programs Keystone Chronicle and Vic and Sade, the program that established his reputation. The assignment to write a “family show” for an audition for Proctor and Gamble resulted in the first Vic and Sade scripts in 1932. However, it was not until 1934, after Vic and Sade had had local sustaining and sponsored runs (Jelke Margarine was one) in various time slots, that Proctor and Gamble picked up the show for the daily network where it ran uninterruptedly from November of 1934 to December 7th of 1945. The author, on the occasion of the P&G sponsorship, left the staff of NBC and remained a free lance writer for the rest of his career.
Vic and Sade was one of the few humorous daytime serials to achieve popularity in a time when melodramas dominated the soap opera scene. Its plot consisted solely of the daily trials and tribulations of Victor Gook, his wife Sade, and their adopted son, Rush. The show was unusual in that although secondary characters were vividly personified, no voices were ever heard other than Vic, Sade, and Rush until the addition, many years later, of another central character, Uncle Fletcher. Art Van Harvey, Bernadine Flynn, and William Idelson became widely known for their roles as Vic, Sade and Rush. Clarence Hartzell played the role of Uncle Fletcher.
During his career, Mr. Rhymer won many awards for Vic and Sade. In 1936 it was voted the best-written program on radio. In 1938 radio artists voted Rhymer as best script writer and the Hearst radio editors' poll showed Vic and Sade in first place for daytime serials. In 1940 the Motion Picture Daily called it the best daytime serial.
In 1933 Paul Rhymer married Mary Frances Murray whom he had met at Illinois Wesleyan. A son, Paul Parke Rhymer, was born in 1937.
Scope and Content Note
The Paul Rhymer Papers consist primarily of scripts for the radio serials Keystone Chronicle and Vic and Sade and for the television serial The Public Life of Cliff Norton. A number of the scripts are annotated. (Where possible, an unannotated script was retained with the annotated copy.) The collection is organized in three parts: Part 1 constitutes the original 1967 accession and includes scripts for the three series noted above as well as a small amount of miscellaneous correspondence including an exchange of letters with James Thurber (Feb. 12-16, 1946), one from Upton Sinclair (May 27, 1956), and two from James Gould Cozzens (Oct. 15, 1959, July 11, 1964). Also included are photographs, contracts, book reviews by Rhymer, and articles about him, two scrap books, a high school year book for which Rhymer wrote, and a poster relating to a Bloomington Celebration held in his honor.
Part 2, the 1970 Additions, includes scripts from Vic and Sade; Smoky Rogers, the Fire Chief; and The Three Doctors. NBC Continuity Staff, 1929-1933 scripts and memoranda and miscellaneous early manuscripts are also present.
Part 3 was presented in 1972 and is a copy of The Small House Halfway Up in the Next Block, published by Mary Frances Rhymer in 1972.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by Mrs. Paul Rhymer, Chicago, Illinois, 1967-1972.
Processed by D. Egbert, October 1, 1968; by KL and Karen Baumann, 1971-1972.
Contents List
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Series: Part 1, Original Accession
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Keystone Chronicle
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Box
1
Folder
1
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1929, Nov.-Dec.
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Box
1
Folder
2
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1930, Jan.-Feb.
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Box
1
Folder
3
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1930, March-April
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Box
1
Folder
4
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1930, May-July
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Box
1
Folder
5
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1930, Aug.-Sept.
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Box
1
Folder
6
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1930, Oct.-Dec.
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Box
1
Folder
7
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1931, Jan.-April
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Vic and Sade
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Box
2
Folder
1
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1928
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Box
2
Folder
2
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1932, Jan.-July
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Box
2
Folder
3
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1932, July-Aug.
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Box
2
Folder
4
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1932, Sept.-Oct.
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Box
2
Folder
5
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1932, Oct.-Nov.
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Box
2
Folder
6
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1932, Nov.-Dec.
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Box
3
Folder
1
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1932, Dec.
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Box
3
Folder
2
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1933, Jan.
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Box
3
Folder
3
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1933, Feb.
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Box
3
Folder
4
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1933, March-April
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Box
3
Folder
5
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1933, May-June
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Box
3
Folder
6
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1933, June
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Box
4
Folder
1
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1933, June-July
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Box
4
Folder
2
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1933, July-Aug.
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Box
4
Folder
3
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1933, Sept.-Oct.
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Box
4
Folder
4
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1933, Nov.
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Box
4
Folder
5
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1933, Dec.
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Box
5
Folder
1
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1934, Jan.
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Box
5
Folder
2
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1934, Feb.-March
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Box
5
Folder
3
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1934, March
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Box
5
Folder
4
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1934, April
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Box
5
Folder
5
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1934, May
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Box
6
Folder
1
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1934, May-June
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Box
6
Folder
2
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1934, June-July
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Box
6
Folder
3
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1934, Aug.
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Box
6
Folder
4
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1934, Sept.
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Box
6
Folder
5
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1934, Oct.
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Box
7
Folder
1
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1934, Oct.
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Box
7
Folder
2
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1934, Nov.
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Box
7
Folder
3
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1934, Nov.
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Box
7
Folder
4
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1934, Dec.
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Box
7
Folder
5
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1935, Jan.
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Box
7
Folder
6
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1935, Jan.
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Box
8
Folder
1
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1935, Feb.
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Box
8
Folder
2
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1935, Feb.
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Box
8
Folder
3
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1935, March
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Box
8
Folder
4
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1935, April
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Box
8
Folder
5
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1935, May
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Box
8
Folder
6
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1935, May
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Box
9
Folder
1
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1935, June
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Box
9
Folder
2
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1935, July
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Box
9
Folder
3
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1935, Aug.
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Box
9
Folder
4
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1935, Sept.
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Box
10
Folder
1
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1935, Oct.
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Box
10
Folder
2
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1935, Nov.
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Box
10
Folder
3
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1935, Dec.
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Box
10
Folder
4
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1936, Jan.
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Box
10
Folder
5
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1936, Feb.
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Box
11
Folder
1
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1936, March-April
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Box
11
Folder
2
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1936, April
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Box
11
Folder
3
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1936, May
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Box
11
Folder
4
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1936, June
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Box
11
Folder
5
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1936, July
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Box
12
Folder
1
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1936, Aug.-Sept.
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Box
12
Folder
2
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1936, Oct.
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Box
12
Folder
3
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1936, Nov.
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Box
12
Folder
4
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1936, Dec.
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Box
12
Folder
5
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1936, Dec.
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Box
12
Folder
6
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1937, Jan.
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|
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Box
13
Folder
1
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1937, Feb.
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Box
13
Folder
2
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1937, March
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Box
13
Folder
3
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1937, April
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Box
13
Folder
4
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1937, April
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Box
13
Folder
5
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1937, May
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Box
13
Folder
6
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1937, May-June
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Box
14
Folder
1
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1937, June
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Box
14
Folder
2
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1937, July
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Box
14
Folder
3
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1937, Aug.
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Box
14
Folder
4
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1937, Sept.
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Box
14
Folder
5
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1937, Oct.
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Box
14
Folder
6
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1937, Nov.
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|
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Box
15
Folder
1
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1937, Dec.
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Box
15
Folder
2
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1938, Jan.
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|
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Box
15
Folder
3
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1938, Feb.
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|
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Box
15
Folder
4
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1938, March
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|
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Box
15
Folder
5
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1938, April
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|
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Box
15
Folder
6
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1938, May
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|
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Box
16
Folder
1
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1938, June
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Box
16
Folder
2
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1938, July
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Box
16
Folder
3
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1938, Aug.
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Box
16
Folder
4
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1938, Sept.
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Box
16
Folder
5
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1938, Oct.
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|
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Box
17
Folder
1
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1938, Nov.
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|
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Box
17
Folder
2
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1938, Dec.
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Box
17
Folder
3
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1939, Jan.
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|
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Box
17
Folder
4
|
1939, Jan.
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|
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Box
17
Folder
5
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1939, Feb.
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|
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Box
17
Folder
6
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1939, March
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|
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Box
17
Folder
7
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1939, April
|
|
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Box
18
Folder
1
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1939, May
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|
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Box
18
Folder
2
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1939, May
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|
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Box
18
Folder
3
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1939, June
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|
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Box
18
Folder
4
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1939, July
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|
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Box
18
Folder
5
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1939, Aug.
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Box
18
Folder
6
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1939, Sept.
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Box
19
Folder
1
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1939, Oct.
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|
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Box
19
Folder
2
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1939, Nov.
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|
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Box
19
Folder
3
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1939, Dec.
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Box
19
Folder
4
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1940, Jan.
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|
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Box
19
Folder
5
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1940, Feb.
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|
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Box
19
Folder
6
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1940, March
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Box
20
Folder
1
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1940, April
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Box
20
Folder
2
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1940, May
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Box
20
Folder
3
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1940, June
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Box
20
Folder
4
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1940, July
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Box
20
Folder
5
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1940, Aug.
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Box
20
Folder
6
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1940, Aug.
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Box
21
Folder
1
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1940, Sept.
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Box
21
Folder
2
|
1940, Sept.
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|
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Box
21
Folder
3
|
1940, Oct.-Nov.
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|
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Box
21
Folder
4
|
1940, Dec.
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|
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Box
21
Folder
5
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1941, Jan.
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Box
21
Folder
6
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1941, Feb.
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Box
21
Folder
7
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1941, March
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|
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Box
22
Folder
1
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1941, April
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|
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Box
22
Folder
2
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1941, May-June-July
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Box
22
Folder
3
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1941, Aug.
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Box
22
Folder
4
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1941, Aug.
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Box
22
Folder
5
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1941, Sept.
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Box
22
Folder
6
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1941, Sept.
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|
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Box
23
Folder
1
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1941, Oct.
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Box
23
Folder
2
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1941, Oct.
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Box
23
Folder
3
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1941, Nov.-Dec.
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Box
23
Folder
4
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1942, Jan.-Dec.
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Box
23
Folder
5
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1943, Jan.
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Box
23
Folder
6
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1943, Feb.
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Box
23
Folder
7
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1943, Feb.
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Box
24
Folder
1
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1943, March
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Box
24
Folder
2
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1943, April
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Box
24
Folder
3
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1943, May
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Box
24
Folder
4
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1943, June
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Box
24
Folder
5
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1943, July
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Box
25
Folder
1
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1943, July
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Box
25
Folder
2
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1943, Aug.
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Box
25
Folder
3
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1943, Sept.
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Box
25
Folder
4
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1943, Oct.
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Box
25
Folder
5
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1943, Nov.
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Box
26
Folder
1
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1943, Nov.
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Box
26
Folder
2
|
1943, Dec.
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Box
26
Folder
3
|
1944, Jan.
|
|
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Box
26
Folder
4
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1944, Feb.
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Box
26
Folder
5
|
1944, Feb.
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|
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Box
26
Folder
6
|
1944, March
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|
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Box
27
Folder
1
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1944, March
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Box
27
Folder
2
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1944, April
|
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Box
27
Folder
3
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1944, April
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Box
27
Folder
4
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1944, May
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Box
27
Folder
5
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1944, June
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Box
28
Folder
1
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1944, July
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Box
28
Folder
2
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1944, Aug.
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Box
28
Folder
3
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1944, Aug.
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Box
28
Folder
4
|
1945, Sept.
|
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Box
28
Folder
5
|
1945, Sept.
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|
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Box
29
Folder
1
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1945, Sept.
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Box
29
Folder
2
|
1945, Oct.
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Box
29
Folder
3
|
1945, Oct.
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Box
29
Folder
4
|
1945, Nov.
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Box
29
Folder
5
|
1945, Nov.
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Box
30
Folder
1
|
1945, Dec.
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Box
30
Folder
2
|
1946, June-July
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Box
30
Folder
3
|
1946, Aug.
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Box
30
Folder
4
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1946, Sept.
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Box
30
Folder
5
|
1946, Oct.
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Box
30
Folder
6
|
1947, Dec.
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|
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Box
31
Folder
1
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Audition scripts
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Box
31
Folder
2
|
Undated scripts
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Box
31
Folder
3
|
Dated script fragments, 1933, May-1946, July
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|
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Box
31
Folder
4-5
|
Undated script fragments
|
|
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Box
31
Folder
6
|
Scripts - weekday designation only
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Box
32
Folder
1-2
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Scripts - weekday designation only, continued
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Box
32
Folder
3
|
Numbered scripts
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|
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Box
32
Folder
4
|
Miscellaneous
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Box
32
Folder
5
|
Two scripts available for photoduplication
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|
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The Public Life of Cliff Norton
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Box
33
Folder
1
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1950, Jan.
|
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Box
33
Folder
2
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1950, April-Oct.
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Box
33
Folder
3
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1950, Nov.
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Box
33
Folder
4
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1950, Dec.
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Box
33
Folder
5
|
1951, Jan.
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Box
33
Folder
6
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1951, Feb.
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Box
33
Folder
7
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1951, March
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Box
34
Folder
1
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1951, April
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Box
34
Folder
2
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1951, May
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Box
34
Folder
3
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1951, June
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Box
34
Folder
4
|
1951, Aug.-Sept.
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Box
34
Folder
5
|
1951, Oct.
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Box
35
Folder
1
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1951, Nov.
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Box
35
Folder
2
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1951, Dec.
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Box
35
Folder
3
|
1952, Jan.
|
|
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Box
35
Folder
4
|
1952, post Jan.
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Box
35
Folder
5
|
, Undated scripts
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|
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Box
35
Folder
6
|
Miscellaneous scripts (Cliff Norton)
|
|
|
Box
35
Folder
7
|
Formats and lists of properties
|
|
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Box
35
Folder
8
|
Miscellaneous scripts (other than Cliff Norton)
|
|
|
Box
36
Folder
1
|
Correspondence, 1930, April - 1965, Feb.
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|
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Box
36
Folder
2
|
Articles by and about Paul Rhymer
|
|
|
Box
36
Folder
3
|
Book reviews by Paul Rhymer in Chicago Sun-Times
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|
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Box
36
Folder
4
|
Miscellany
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|
|
Box
36
Folder
5-6
|
Photographs
|
|
|
Box
36
Folder
7
|
Contracts
|
|
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Box
36
Folder
8
|
Awards
|
|
|
Scrapbooks
|
|
|
Volume
1
|
Clippings and photographs (general)
|
|
|
Volume
2
|
Clippings and photographs (Bloomington Celebration in his honor, 1938, April 29)
|
|
|
Volume
3
|
Aegis - high school year book
|
|
|
Package
1
|
Poster of Bloomington Celebration for Paul Rhymer
|
|
|
Series: Part 2, 1970 Additions
|
|
|
Vic and Sade
|
|
|
Box
37
Folder
1
|
1934 May 24; 1935 April 17; 1936 March 4, April 2, September 15; 1937 January 29, February 4, 9, 10, 17, 19
|
|
|
Box
37
Folder
2
|
1937 March 4, 9, 15, 19, 24, 25, 31, April 6 (2 versions), , 7, 14, 19, May 25
|
|
|
Box
37
Folder
3
|
1937 June 9 (2 versions), , 22, August 19, 25, 26, September 10, October 8, 19, 25, November 22, December 2
|
|
|
Box
37
Folder
4
|
1938 February 7, March 15, 18, May 5, 27, August 24, 25, November 25, 28, December 13, 14, 16, 26
|
|
|
Box
37
Folder
5
|
1939 January 31, February 2, 27, March 1, 6, 8, 9, 21, 22
|
|
|
Box
37
Folder
6
|
1939 April 4, 10, 13, 20, 24, June 13, 19, 20, 21, 27, July 7, 13, 14
|
|
|
Box
38
Folder
1
|
1939 August 30, October 6, 10, 30, December 20, 25, 27; 1940 January 8, 16, 18, 19, 24, 25
|
|
|
Box
38
Folder
2
|
1940 February 6, 7, 13, 14, 26, March 8, 20, 27, April 3, 8 (2 versions), , 16, 17, 18, 22, 26
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Box
38
Folder
3
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1940 May 15, June 10, 19, 24, July 2, 31, August 8, 12, 13, 21
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Box
38
Folder
4
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1940 September 2, 4, 10, 18, 25, October 14, 16, 25, 28, 31, November 1, 4, 5, 7, 8
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Box
38
Folder
5
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1940 November 11, 12, 14, 18, 21, 22, December 2, 6, 11, 12, 17, 23, 24, 25, 31
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Box
39
Folder
1
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1941 January 1, 3, 6, 9, 10, 15, 16, 20, 23, 24, June 26
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Box
39
Folder
2
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1941 July 18, August 14, October 10, 17, December 2; 1942 February 19, 25, December 17, 18
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Box
39
Folder
3
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1945 September 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 15, 17, 20, 21, 28
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Box
39
Folder
4
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1945 October 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
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Box
39
Folder
5
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1945 October 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, November 5, 6, 9, 12, 19, 21, December 5; 1947 December 4
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Box
39
Folder
6
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Undated and Fragments
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Box
39
Folder
7
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Miscellaneous
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Box
39
Folder
8
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Smoky Rogers, the Fire Chief: Scripts, 1931
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Box
40
Folder
1
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The Three Doctors: “Lead-Ins” and “After-Numbers”, 1931-1932
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Box
40
Folder
2-3
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NBC Continuity Staff, 1929-1933: Scripts and Memoranda
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Box
40
Folder
4
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Miscellaneous Early Manuscripts
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Series: Part 3, 1972 Additions
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Box
36
Folder
9
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The Small House Halfway Up In The Next Block, edited by Mary Frances Rhymer. Published book. 1972.
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