Summary Information
Louis Pollock Papers
1932-1965
- Pollock, Louis, 1904-1964
U.S. Mss 184AN; Disc 197A
1.6 c.f. (4 archives boxes and 1 flat box)
Wisconsin Historical Society Archives / Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research Contact Information
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Papers of a motion picture and television writer-publicist whose work was blacklisted during the 1950's as a result of mistaken identity. Scripts for radio, television, and motion pictures, many written under the name Joe Madison, form the major portion of the collection. Most television programs are represented by single scripts, though there are multiple titles for The Richard Boone Show and a sound recording of one episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Also included are many short stories and articles and a published copy of his book, Stork Bites Man. A small subject file contains clippings, information on the blacklist, financial and legal records, and correspondence. Relating to his work as a publicist for Universal is a 1938 memorandum describing the structure and operation of the studio's promotion department, financial records for a promotional tour for Back Street, and a bound compendium of Hollywood advertising, 1936-1937. Prominent correspondents include Linus Pauling and Clifford Odets.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-us0184an ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Louis Pollock, motion picture, television, and radio writer and motion picture advertising and publicity executive, was born in Liverpool, England, on February 16, 1904. His family emigrated to Montreal, Canada when he was eleven months old in January 1905. They moved to New York City in 1916 where Louis Pollock attended P.S. 171 and P.S. 30; he eventually finished high school in Trenton, New Jersey.
Pollock began his career in 1925 as a reporter and rewriteman on the staff of the Chicago City News Bureau, the American Weekly, and the Chicago Herald and Examiner. He then did public relations work for Balaban and Katz Theaters from 1930-1933. From 1933 to 1937, Pollock publicized various theatrical ventures including a Mexican exhibit at the Chicago World Fair, a Sally Rand theatrical tour, and Cleveland Exposition Theatrical Company tour. In 1937, he became Universal Studio's eastern advertising and publicity manager. During his association with this studio Pollock helped publicize celebrities such as Deanna Durbin and the comedy team of Abbott and Costello and arranged special promotions to advertise Universal's films. In 1943, he became the director of advertising and publicity for United Artists; however, he resigned the following year to devote all of his time to his writing career.
Pollock worked on several radio shows such as Prudential Family Hour, Philip Morris Playhouse, Duffy's Tavern, The Groucho Marx Show, and The Life of Riley. His motion picture credits include Prison Window (Paramount, 1943), Port Said (Columbia, 1948), The Jackie Robinson Story (United Artists, 1950), Suicide Attack (Classic Pictures, 1951), and The Gamma People (Columbia, 1956). In addition, Pollock was a successful writer of fiction, publishing numerous short stories and articles. His book Stork Bites Man (World Publishing Co., 1945) sold over 100,000 copies and was later adapted to a motion picture, starring Jackie Cooper (United Artists, 1947).
Pollock's writing career continued to grow until 1954 when, inexplicably, the studios began to reject his scripts. It was not until five years later that he learned, through a conversation with a friend, that a man named Louis Pollack had appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee and his name ultimately appeared on a Hollywood blacklist. Although their occupations, political views, and names were different, Pollock was mistaken for Pollack by the motion picture industry, and this effectively halted his screenwriting career. He sought and was granted a full clearance by the committee in 1959, but never regained his earlier success. During the 1960's Pollock turned to submitting his works under the assumed name Joe Madison. Programs for which he wrote include The Richard Boone Show and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.
He died on August 23, 1964, leaving his wife Cleta, and two sons, David and Dan.
Scope and Content Note
The papers are arranged six series: SUBJECT FILES, TELEVISION SCRIPTS, MOTION PICTURE SCRIPTS, RADIO SCRIPTS, BOOKS and MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS.
The majority of the papers concern Pollock's career as a writer, although some documentation of his earlier work in advertising and publicity is also included. The collection also provides some sketchy information on his blacklisting during the 1950's and 1960's, but there is little material to suggest the impact that it had on his personal life. Some of the writing files, as well as the copies of legal documents pertaining to his suit, Pollock vs. MPAA, were transferred from the Galligan-Margolis legal reference files in the Biberman-Sondergaard Papers. Several portraits received with the papers are filed in the WCFTR name file.
The SUBJECT FILE consists of clippings, correspondence, financial records, promotional literature, and one file relating to the television series, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. The correspondence is fragmentary, but does include comments on the motion picture campaign that Pollock designed and a 1938 memorandum which describes the structure and operation of Universal's publicity department. Notable also are a brief undated, handwritten note from Linus Pauling and a note from Clifford Odets (written on a July 7, 1963 memorandum from Pollock) in which they exchanged story ideas for The Richard Boone Show. Also added here is a copy of this Pollock Papers register annotated by David Pollock to indicate known broadcast dates. Correspondence pertaining to Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, the only title for which there is such background documentation, contains a discussion of script development and references to his belief that he was eventually cut from the television assignment in 1964 because of “my old troubles.” The financial records consist of a 1938/1939 Universal comparative picture report listing money earned and a breakdown of expenses incurred during a 1941 Miami junket for movie critics to promote Back Street. The promotional literature consists primarily of a limited edition book, Advertising the Motion Picture, which includes samples of industry promotions for 1936-1937 films.
Script material in the collection has been arranged by genre as TELEVISION SCRIPTS, MOTION PICTURE SCRIPTS, and RADIO SCRIPTS. Each series is then arranged alphabetically by title. Included are mimeo scripts and treatments, with The Jackie Robinson Story, The Richard Boone Show, and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea being most extensively documented. For several story concepts (such as “Stork Bites Man,” “Vote No on 11,” and “Breakdown”), the collection contains versions in several genre. “Breakdown” is also represented by a sound recording of the 1949 radio production. The script drafts filed with the teleplay Who Killed Cock Robin? include variant drafts which may have been intended for the stage rather than television.
The BOOKS section includes a published copy of Stork Bites Man (inscribed to Cleta Pollock) and outlines for the development of several other titles.
The MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS section includes copies of published articles and short stories and draft versions of numerous titles for which the intended genre is uncertain. The file identified as the “Faith Series” consists of articles ghost written by Pollock for a number of motion picture stars.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by Cleta Pollock, Santa Monica, California, 1966, and by David Pollock, Beverly Hills, California, 1990, with additions transferred from the Galligan-Margolis legal files in the Biberman-Sondergaard Papers. Accession Number: MCHC66-086, M90-032
Processed by I. Lee and Chris Rongone, 1979; additions processed by Angela Currie and Carolyn J. Mattern, 1991.
Contents List
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U.S. Mss 184AN
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Series: Subject File
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Box
5
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Advertising In the Motion Picture, 1936-1937
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Box
1
Folder
1
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Briefs and legal records for Louis Pollock vs. Motion Picture Assoc., 1959-1963
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Clippings
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Box
1
Folder
2
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Biographical information, 1936-1964
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Box
1
Folder
3
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Blacklisting, 1959-1965, undated
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Box
1
Folder
4
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The Richard Boone Show, 1963-1964
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Correspondence
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Box
1
Folder
5
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General, 1932-1963
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Box
1
Folder
6
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Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, June-August, 1964
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Series: Television
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Box
1
Folder
7
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Alfred Hitchcock Presents
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“Breakdown”
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Mimeo script by LP, circa August 1, 1955
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Box
1
Folder
8
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The Ambush Draw
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Typed script by LP, undated
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Box
1
Folder
9
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The Clock and the Rope
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Typed script by LP, undated
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Box
1
Folder
10
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The Defenders
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“Where's the Beat?”
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Typed script by LP, February 29, 1964
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Box
1
Folder
11
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Into the Mist
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Typed script by LP, undated
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Box
1
Folder
12
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Kiowa Bull
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Notes by LP, annotated by Pat Harris, Sept. 1, 1959
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Box
1
Folder
13
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Laramie
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“Guest Of Honor”
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Typed outline by LP, undated
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Box
1
Folder
14
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Lebensraum 1942
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Typed story by LP, undated
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Box
1
Folder
15
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The Line-Up
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“Hot Shot Robbery Case”
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Typed script by LP, undated
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Box
1
Folder
16
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Mr. Novak
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“The Challenge”
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Mimeo script by Joe Madison, December 13, 1963
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Box
1
Folder
17
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Orville
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Typed outline by LP and Bert Lawrence, December 30, 1959
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Box
1
Folder
18
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The Outlaws
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“Quiet Day In Guthrie”
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Typed outline by LP, June 2, 1961
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The Richard Boone Show
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Box
1
Folder
19
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“First Sermon”
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Mimeo script by Joe Madison, undated
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Box
1
Folder
20
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“Sorofino's Treasure”
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Typed outline by LP, undated
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Mimeo script by Joe Madison, June 13, 1963
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Box
1
Folder
21
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“Vote No On 11!”
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Mimeo script by Joe Madison, August 23, 1963
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Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
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Box
1
Folder
22
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“The Blizzard Makers”
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Mimeo outline by Joe Madison, undated
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Box
1
Folder
22
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“If Winter Comes...”
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Treatment by Joe Madison, June 1964
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Box
1
Folder
23
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“China Sea Baby”
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Typed outline by Joe Madison, undated
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Mimeo script by Joe Madison, undated
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Who Kissed Cock Robin?
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Box
1
Folder
24
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Typed treatment by LP, undated
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Box
2
Folder
1-3
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Three typed scripts by LP, undated
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Series: Motion Pictures
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Another Way Out
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Box
2
Folder
4
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Typed treatment by LP, undated
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Box
2
Folder
5
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Typed script by LP, undated
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Box
2
Folder
6
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The Big He
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Typed treatment by Louis Benart and Bert Lawrence, undated
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Box
2
Folder
7
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The Gamma People
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Two typed treatments by LP, undated
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Box
2
Folder
8
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I Was Hanged
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Typed treatment by LP, undated
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The Jackie Robinson Story
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Box
2
Folder
9
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Typed treatment by LP and Lawrence Taylor, undated
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Box
2
Folder
10
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Mimeo script by LP and Lawrence Taylor, December 27, 1949
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Box
2
Folder
11
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Mimeo script by LP and Lawrence Taylor, undated
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Only the Strong Shall Survive
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Mimeo script by Joe Madison, undated
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Box
2
Folder
12
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Part I
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Box
3
Folder
1
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Part II
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Box
3
Folder
2
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Port Said
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Mimeo script by LP, November 24, 1947
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Box
3
Folder
3
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Prison Window
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Outline by LP, undated
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Box
3
Folder
4
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The Still World
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Outline by LP, undated
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Box
3
Folder
5
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Stork Bites Man
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Mimeo script by LP, January 6, 1947
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Box
3
Folder
6
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Two Flags West
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“Trumpet to the Morn,” mimeo script by Frank S. Nugent and Curtis Kenyon, undated, and note re “novelization” by LP
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Box
3
Folder
7
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Vote No On 11
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Mimeo treatment by Henry Koster and LP, undated
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Series: Radio
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Box
3
Folder
8
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Berle Opening Spot, Gillette Community Sing
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Typed script page by LP, September 6, 1936
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Box
3
Folder
9
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The Philip Morris Playhouse
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“Into the Mist”
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Typed script by LP, June 24, 1949
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Box
3
Folder
10
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Please Stand By
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“Falleth Like Gentle Death”
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Treatment by LP, undated
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Prudential Family Hour of Stars
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“Breakdown”
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Box
3
Folder
11
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Mimeo script by LP, May 15, 1949
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Disc 197A
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Recording
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U.S. Mss 184AN
Box
3
Folder
12
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Suspense
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“The Clock and the Rope”
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Mimeo script by LP, May 9, 1946
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Box
3
Folder
13
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The Whistler
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“A Ring For Marya”
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Mimeo script by LP, undated
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Series: Books
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Box
3
Folder
14
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An Affair of the Skin
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Typed novella draft by Ben Maddow, March 1961
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Box
3
Folder
15
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The Pergola Girls
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Typed outline for novel by LP, undated
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Box
3
Folder
16
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Stork Bites Man
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Published volume, 1945, includes dedication to Cleta Pollock
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Box
4
Folder
1
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21 AR
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Typed novel outline by LP, undated
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Series: Miscellaneous Writings
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Box
4
Folder
2
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Published magazine articles, 1941-1961
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Draft writings
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Box
4
Folder
3
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Bad Boy, Typed outline by LP, undated
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Box
4
Folder
4
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Birth of an Aryan, Typed outline by Joe Madison, undated
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Box
4
Folder
5
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The Craving, Typed outline by LP, undated
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Box
4
Folder
6
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Early Love, Typed outline by Ben Maddow, March 1961
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Box
4
Folder
7
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Earth Attacked, Typed outline by LP, undated
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Box
4
Folder
8
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“Faith Series,” Typed short stories by Joe Madison, undated
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Box
4
Folder
9
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Joan of Arkansas, Typed outline by LP, undated
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Box
4
Folder
10
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Lead Kindly Male, Typed treatment by LP of Angry Harvest by Herman Field, undated
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Box
4
Folder
11
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The Ripper, Typed outline by LP, undated
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