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William F. Talbot Papers

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Talbot, William F.
Title: William F. Talbot Papers
Inclusive Dates: circa 1954-1993
Quantity: 19 linear ft.
Abstract: Correspondence, printed material, play reports from the long-time editor-in-chief of drama publisher Samuel French, Inc.
Language: English
Repository: Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

William F. Talbot (1923-2007) was for 52 years Editor-in-Chief of Samuel French, Inc., a publishing company that provided published plays and musical plays to theatrical groups, from elementary schools to professional troupes. Over his career he read more than 100,000 plays, saw almost every play produced in New York for forty years, and launched dozens of new playwrights.

Talbot actively encouraged new writers and taught playwriting at the City College of New York, Hunter College, and for Double Image Theater. In addition, he created the Off Off Broadway One-Act Play Festival, the prize for which was publication of the winning play by Samuel French. Under his pen name William Francis he also wrote several plays; one, Portrait of a Queen, was produced on Broadway and London’s West End in 1968.

He was a member of the Outer Critics Circle, the Dramatists Guild, the American Theatre Critics Association, and the College of Fellows of the American Theatre. Talbot had degrees from the University of Notre Dame, and Columbia University. He and wife Marilyn Fagan had six children.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The William F. Talbot Papers contains large amounts of correspondence and play reports, some printed material, and a few scripts. The material is unprocessed and the inventory below is a simple box list.

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Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is unprocessed apart from reboxing and remains in original order.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Francis, William (Playwright)
Talbot, William F.

Corporate Bodies

Samuel French, Inc.
Samuel French & Son.

Subjects

Drama -- United States -- 20th century.
Publishers and publishing -- History -- 20th century.
Publishers and publishing -- United States -- New York (State)
Theater -- United States.

Genres and Forms

Correspondence.

Occupations

Editors.
Playwrights.
Publishers.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

William F. Talbot Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of William Talbot.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: JS and HG
Date: Feb 2008
Revision history:

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Inventory

Box listing
Box 1 Books
Box 2 TB contracts
Box 2 Correspondence
Box 2 Play reports (7 folders)
Box 2 "Submitted"
Box 2 "Want to submit"
Box 2 Correspondence
Box 2 "Delay"
Box 2 "Employment"
Box 2 "Current - advertisement"
Box 3 Playbills
Box 3 Untyped play reports
Box 3 Correspondence - unexamined (3 folders)
Box 3 Script calls
Box 3 Preliminary sketches
Box 3 Scripts (?)
Box 3 Correspondence (3 folders)
Box 3 TV show descriptions
Box 3 Correspondence
Box 3 Reports - unexamined (2 folders)
Box 3 Reports - retain (2 folders)
Box 4 "Professional retention" - small binder of theatre misc.
Box 4 Scrapbook - theatre columns, photos, some movies
Box 4 Scrapbook - theatre columns, photos, programs, columns, some TV movies
Box 4 Theatre misc (?)
Box 4 Le Mien (?)
Box 4 Correspondence - May
Box 4 Correspondence - April
Box 4 Correspondence - June
Box 4 Correspondence - July
Box 4 Correspondence - Aug
Box 4 Correspondence - Sept
Box 4 Correspondence - Oct
Box 4 Correspondence - Nov
Box 4 Correspondence - Dec
Box 4 Correspondence - 4/30/99 (4 folders)
Box 4 Corres. (2 folders)
Box 4 Standard forms
Box 4 Form letter
Box 4 Corres. (3 folders)
Box 5 Correspondence 3/6/89
Box 5 Correspondence
Box 5 "Probably for review #2"
Box 5 Correspondence
Box 5 Corres. (6/89) (4 folders)
Box 5 Corres. (8/7/91) (3 folders)
Box 5 Reports
Box 5 Corres. (3 folders)
Box 6 "1963 reports"
Box 6 Play reports (12 folders)
Box 7 Play reports (13 folders)
Box 7 Correspondence (2 folders)
Box 8 Correspondence/theatre misc.
Box 8 Play reports (3 folders)
Box 8 Correspondence/theatre misc.
Box 8 Correspondence (6 folders)
Box 9 Correspondence 4/93
Box 9 Prof. correspondence 1986
Box 9 Theatre misc
Box 9 Correspondence
Box 9 Correspondence 11/93
Box 9 Correspondence 86-88 (2 folders)
Box 9 Correspondence 92 + 93 (3 folders)
Box 10 Skits/material
Box 10 Theatre/articles misc.
Box 10 Criticisms/art
Box 10 Plot
Box 10 Character
Box 10 Theatre history
Box 10 Literary scrapbook
Box 10 Correspondence part 1 (5 folders)
Box 11 Play reports (6 folders)
Box 11 Correspondence (5 folders)
Box 11 Play reports
Box 12 Correspondence (7 folders)
Box 12 Reports
Box 12 Correspondence 7-29-99 (4 folders)
Box 12 Correspondence (3 folders)
Box 13 Correspondence (8 folders)
Box 13 Correspondence 11/91 (3 folders)
Box 13 Play reports (10 folders)
Box 14 Play reports (13 folders)
Box 14 Correspondence (6 folders)
Box 14 Correspondence retained (2 folders)
Box 15 Correspondence retained (2 folders)
Box 15 Correspondence - unexamined (2 folders)
Box 15 Play reports (5 folders)
Box 15 Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center misc.
Box 15 Play reports (2 folders)
Box 15 Correspondence - unexamined (4 folders)
Box 15 Correspondence - unexamined (6/54-4/55)
Box 15 Correspondence - regarding Zita Johnson
Box 16 Correspondence (6 folders)
Box 16 Contemp. correspondence (4 folders)
Box 16 Correspondence (3 folders)
Box 17 Works placed by Samuel French
Box 17 Correspondence
Box 17 Correspondence / play reports
Box 17 Professional correspondence 9/93 (5 folders)
Box 17 Professional correspondence 90/91 (4 folders)
Box 17 Correspondence '92 (3 folders)
Box 17 Correspondence 88-89
Box 18 Correspondence 88-89 (2 folders)
Box 18 Correspondence - removed 10/89
Box 18 Prof. correspondence 85/86 (3 folders)
Box 18 Correspondence (2 folders)
Box 18 Budget mktg
Box 18 Play reports (8 folders)
Box 19 Play reports (2 folders)
Box 19 Literary Guild
Box 19 Correspondence (3 folders)
Box 19 Reviews (3 folders)

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