urn:taro:utexas.hrc.00168 John Osborne: A Preliminary Inventory of His Papers at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center Liz Murray University of Texas at Austin 1995 Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, April 2001. Finding aid written in English. Thu Jul 24 11:30:14 CDT 2003 urn:taro:utexas.hrc.00168 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (20030505). Descriptive Summary Osborne, John, 1929-1994 John Osborne Papers 1956-1994 50 boxes, 8 oversize boxes, 3 oversize flat file folders (32.676 linear feet) The papers of this British playwright consist of manuscripts of many of his works, correspondence, newspaper and magazine articles, scrapbooks, posters, programs, and business documents. Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Texas at Austin English. Scope and Contents

John Osborne's work as a playwright, author, actor, producer, director, and contributor to numerous newspapers and periodicals is represented in this collection, which consists of holograph manuscripts and notebooks, typescripts, page and galley proofs, correspondence, newspaper and magazine articles, scrapbooks, posters, programs, and business documents. The material spans five decades beginning in the mid-1950s just prior to his important play, Look Back in Anger (1956). Credited with launching a dramatic renaissance in Britain, Osborne's literary style is known for its verbal pyrotechnics and repeated themes of anger, defeat, and disillusionment. Osborne's skill at sulphuric prose is also present in his correspondence where passionate beliefs are expressed with eloquent vitriol.

Osborne's three books, consisting of two autobiographies and a volume of collected prose; nearly all of his plays dating from his early Look Back in Anger to his last, DéjàVu; significant correspondence; and journalism are well represented in this collection. Frequently, both holograph and typescript material are present for his books, plays, and other writings, providing continuity from conception to publication. The material is arranged in six series: Works, Correspondence, Information about J.O., Printed Material, Personal, and Works by Others.

In the first series, Osborne's works are arranged by title in the following categories: books; stage, screen, and television plays; adaptations and film; and articles, reviews, and other writings. In some cases holograph notebooks contain more than one title. These are alphabetized by the first title in the notebook. Likewise, some play scripts are combined or have undergone name changes over time. Osborne's adaptations include the works of Strindberg, Ibsen, Wilde, and De Vega. A holograph notebook of the Academy Award winning film, Tom Jones, is also present. The Articles, Reviews, and Other Writings section consists of Osborne's articles, columns, reviews, and letters to the editor written for numerous newspapers and periodicals. Identification of publication and date is provided whenever possible. As with his books and plays, holograph manuscripts and typescript drafts accompany the final piece. Many of these writings reappear in Osborne's volume of collected prose, Damn You, England.

The Correspondence series contains letters written to Osborne and some of his wives, Osborne's replies (usually typed carbons), postcards, telegrams, greeting cards, invitations, contracts and other agreements, and Osborne family genealogy. Osborne corresponded with colleagues, critics, friends, family, fans, and those with whom he had legal and business dealings. The correspondence was originally housed in 2-ring binders and one expanding file. Osborne retained both incoming and outgoing correspondence in the binders, arranged in approximate date order by subject (usually play titles) and by alphabetical division in the expanding file. Osborne frequently composed his responses on the back of the incoming correspondence. Much of his outgoing correspondence was prepared by his secretaries and sent in his absence. Drafts of many letters exist, typed and handwritten, as well as typed transcripts of telegrams.

While the original subjects of the 2-ring binders are maintained, the letters are rehoused in folders and arranged in alphabetical order. Osborne's subject titles are used, although some subject areas overlap or are duplicated. The correspondence is arranged in five subseries. The largest is Works (arranged by title), followed by Personal, including correspondence with his wives and family, the Osborne genealogy, and household and domestic matters at Osborne's London house on Chelsea Square. The subseries Business contains correspondence with agents, publishers, lawyers, theaters, and production companys regarding contracts, fees, and royalties. Osborne's category of Fans, Friends, and Lunatics describes the next subseries which includes several folders with similar titles.

The Miscellaneous/General subseries contains correspondence from Osborne's alphabetical expanding file. The purpose of this file is unclear since subject areas are mixed and the dates range from 1958-1992. The topics of censorship and rejected scripts are also included in this series.

In order to document the original groupings of the 2-ring binders, the following is a list of their contents:

Agents and Publishers (General)--including Foreign Agents Chelsea Square: Household, domestic matters English State Company Epitaph for George Dillon (and Dillon Productions), Look Back in Anger, The Entertainer Hedda Gabler; A Sense of Detachment Inadmissible Evidence J.O. fan letters and general enquiries; lunatics J.O. Personal, A-M and N-Z J.O. Productions; Randle Productions; Holly Productions; National Westminster Bank (J.O. Private Account) J.O. Royalties, Performing Right Society, Fees J.O. T.V. Plays: A Subject of Scandal and Concern, Very Like a Whale, The Right Prospectus, The Gift of Friendship, Ms or Jill and Jack, Little Lord Fauntleroy Luther; Plays for England: The Blood of the Bambergs and Under Plain Cover Lytton Strachey (screenplay); The Hostage and Charge of the Light Brigade A Patriot For Me, May 1966 Penelope Gilliatt; Nolan The Picture of Dorian Gray, A Place Calling Itself Rome, Watch It Come Down, The End of Me Old Cigar Royalties, Performing Right Society Royalties, Fees, Contracts, Agents Time Present and The Hotel in Amsterdam; West of Suez The World of Paul Slickey

A smaller series, Information about J.O., contains a miscellany of items including a list of published works (1957-73), astrological chart, and Osborne Productions receipt book dating from 1969-71. The Printed Material series contains a wealth of newspaper and magazine clippings, scrapbooks, and play programs. The Personal series includes bank statements, check stubs, posters, and photographs of Osborne, Penelope Gilliatt, Mary Ure, and stage productions of his plays. The last series, Works by Others, contains extracts from Robert Asprey's The Panther's Feast, Joe Orton's film script Up Against It, Tony Richardson's book Part of All sent to Helen Osborne for commentary, and a masters thesis by Dolly Beechman on Osborne's Look Back in Anger. Nearly two dozen of Osborne's published plays, some in foreign language, were transferred to the HRHRC book collection.

Generally, the collection is in good condition with few deteriorating elements, such as tape, present. The scrapbooks and newspaper clippings are in the most perilous condition, the majority being brown and brittle.

 Acquisition

Reg. No. 13432

 Access

Open for research

 Processed by

Liz Murray, 1995

 John Osborne Papers--Folder List Series I. Works, 1958-1994 Subseries A. Books Almost a Gentleman 1 1 Holograph notebook, Notes for Vol. II 1 2 Holograph notebook, Memoirs. Vol. II 1 3-5 Holograph manuscript [folder 1-3 of 6] 2 1-3 Holograph manuscript [folder 4-6 of 6] 2 4-5 Holograph and typescript fragments 3 1-3 Corrected typescript 3 4-6 Corrected typescript 4 1-6 Corrected typescript [folders 1-6 of 9] 5 1-3 Corrected typescript [folders 7-9 of 9] 5 4-6 Setting copy 6 1-3 Page proofs 6 A Better Class of Person 6 4-5 Tape transcriptions 6 6 Notebook transcriptions 7 1-2 Incomplete typescript, carbon copy, May 1980 7 3-4 Corrected typescript 7 5 Miscellaneous pages relating to the demise of George Devine 7 Bound typescript, October 1980 8 Bound corrected typescript, J.O. master copy, March 21st 8 1 Page proofs, photocopy, 1981 8 2 Corrected page proofs, Chapter 1 8 3 Damn You, England, page proofs, photocopy, 1994 [oversize articles and copies removed to Box 51] Subseries B. Stage, Screen, and Television Plays 9 1 Almost a Vision, rehearsal script 9 2 The Charge of the Light Brigade, first draft screen play, Part II, Balaclava, March 15, 1965, [Woodfall Films Ltd. bound copy] 9 Coriolanus 9 3 Holograph notebook, March 1966 9 4 Holograph notebook, continued, Scene II 9 Déjàvu 9 5 Early sketches, holograph manuscript 9 6 Act I, holograph notebook, November 29, 1988 9 7 Act II, holograph notebook, November 29, 1988 10 1-2 Original edited typescript, December 9, 1988 10 3 J.O. corrected bound copy, with holograph notes December 9, 1988 10 4-5 Carbon copy typescript, with holograph insert pages, December 9, 1988 11 1 Revised text for Faber and Faber edition 11 2-3 Setting copy 11 4 Page proofs (agent), 1990 11 5 Page proofs (author), 1990 11 6 Page proofs, performance edition, 1991 11 7 Page proofs, Dramatic Publishing edition, 1992 11 Galleys, two corrected copies [removed to Box 52] The End of Me Old Cigar 12 1 Holograph notebook 12 2-3 Bound version (4 copies), July 1974 12 4 The Entertainer, acting edition, certified copy no. 2 12 5 For the Meantime: Time Present, The Hotel in Amsterdam, Coriolanus, holograph notebook The Great Bear or Minette 13 1 Book I, holograph notebook 13 2 Book II, holograph notebook 13 3-4 The Hostage, A Draft Screenplay, corrected typescript 13 Inadmissible Evidence 13 5 Holograph notebook, 12/5/63 13 6 Cont. from A, holograph notebook 14 1 Look Back in Anger, seventh draft, screen play, August 20, 1958 [copy no. 15] 14 2 Look Back in Anger and Other Plays, photocopy page proofs 14 3 Introduction to Look Back in Anger and Other Plays, Holograph ms. and corrected typescripts 14 Luther 14 4 Holograph notebook and ms. pages 14 5 Holograph notebook 14 Moll Flanders 14 6 Notes, 4/6/61 [carbon typescript] 14 7 Notes, 4/11/61 [corrected typescript] 14 8 Screen play, corrected typescript, n.d. 15 1 Ms or Jill and Jack, three bound copies 15 No Fancy Salaries, No Queer Folk or An Actor's Life for Me 15 2 Holograph manuscript and notebook 15 3 Part II of an extract of autobiography for television, edited typescript outline and holograph notebook 15 4 Part II of an extract of autobiography for television, edited typescript 15 5 Quick, Quick, Slow [title changed to No Fancy Salaries...], Part One and Two, edited typescript 15 6 Quick, Quick, Slow, Part One and Two, revised carbon typescript 15 7 Notes for Play, No. 7: An Artificial Comedy, holograph notebook 16 1 Panic Stations, holograph notebook 16 A Patriot For Me 16 2 With Entertainer, holograph notebook 16 3 Holograph notebook, July 18, 1964 16 4 Scene II, continued, holograph notebook 16 5 A Place Calling Itself Rome, holograph notebook Plays for England 17 1 Number One, holograph notebook 17 2 Number Two, April 1962 [holograph notebook] 17 3 A Sense of Detachment, August 1971 [holograph notebook] 17 Separations, I, The Gift of Friendship 17 4 Holograph notebook 17 5 Holograph notebook, continued 17 6 A Subject of Scandal and Concern, holograph notebook 18 1 Time Present, holograph notebook 18 Too Young to Fight, Too Old to Forget 18 2 Holograph notebook, September 1977 18 3 Draft, TV screenplay, January 23, 1978 [holograph manuscript] 18 4 First version, corrected typescript 18 5 First draft, May 8, also dated Dec. 1979 typescript [two copies] 18 6 First draft, May 8, also dated Dec. 1979 corrected typescript 18 7 Typesetting proofs, 5/2/85 19 1 Try a Little Tenderness, holograph notebooks 19 Watch It Come Down 19 2 Holograph notebook 19 3 Bound copy 19 West of Suez 19 4 Holograph notebook, February 1971 19 5 With Separations (1) and (2), Dancer, Coriolanus (July), Judas, holograph notebook 20 1 What About Me?, holograph notebook 20 The World of Paul Slickey 20 2 Introductory pages, typescript 20 3 Bound typescript, Brandt & Brandt 20 4-5 Miscellaneous holograph notebooks 20 6 Miscellaneous manuscript fragments Subseries C. Adaptations and Film 21 1 A Bond Honored, from Lope de Vega, August 30, 1965 [holograph notebook] 21 The Father, from August Strindberg 21 2 Holograph manuscript and typescript, 7/19/88 21 3 Corrected typescript 21 4 Bound copy 21 5 Published version, translated by Peter Watts 21 6 Hedda Gabler, from Henrik Ibsen. Holograph manuscript, 4/14/70 21 7 The Picture of Dorian Gray, from Oscar Wilde, typescript 22 1 Strindberg's The Father and Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, corrected page proofs, Faber & Faber edition, 1989 22 2 Tom Jones, holograph notebook Subseries D. Articles, Reviews, and other Writings The Spectator, articles and book reviews 23 1 Books of the Year, 1986-93 23 2 Book Reviews, 1986-88 23 3 Book Reviews, 1989-92 23 4 Royalty and Royalties, June 5, 1993 23 5-6 Edited typescripts of articles, n.d. 24 1-4 The Spectator, Diary column, 1985, 1992-94, and undated 25 1 List of articles and radio programs, 1956-76 25 Typescripts of published and unpublished articles 25 2 Albion's Seven Deadly Sins 25 3 Anyone for Scum? 25 4 Barry Humphries 25 5 BBC article 25 6 The Biggest A.Y.M. in the Business 25 7 The Diddy Man 25 8 English Stage Company: Fifteen Years [oversize material removed to Oversize Flat File] 25 9 The Epistle to the Philistines 25 10 The Folly of Youth 25 11 General election: October 1974 25 12 Honourable Men, Dishonourable Money 25 13 The Impossibility of the Well Made Play 25 14 Introduction to Swift's A Modest Proposal and The Song of Soloman 25 15 Intellectuals & Just Causes 25 16 A Letter to My Fellow Countrymen [Damn you, England letter] 25 17 Looking Back With Love on a Playful Spirit 25 18 The Lord Thy God is an Angry God 25 19 Months in the Country 25 20 Music Hall 25 21 A Night to Remember 25 22 Rising Above It or All Very Family 25 23 Sorry, It's Nobody 25 24-25 Theatre Critics [oversize material removed to Box 53] 26 1 This Alien Blight 26 2 This Monumental Swindle Called the Common Market 26 3 To Serve is Perfect Freedom 26 4 What is Hedda Gabler About? 26 5 Workers, Wives, and Women 26 6 Untitled articles 26 7-8 Book reviews [oversize material removed to Box 53] 26 9 Book reviews, New [Evening] Standard [oversize material removed to Box 53] 26 10 Letters to the Editor, 1977-94 26 11 The Mail on Sunday articles [oversize material removed to Box 53] Miscellaneous writings 27 1 J.O. contribution to The Anti-Booklist, 1981 27 2 Conversation with Richard Findlater 27 3 Conversations storyline for Regent Productions Ltd., Dec. 1991 27 4 Forward, re: Jeffrey Bernard Low Life 27 5 Notes on trip to L.A., for Memoirs, 1985 27 6 Excerpt from At the Royal Court ed. by Richard Findlater (1981) 27 7 Holograph ms. and typescripts re: Handel 27 8 Holograph ms. and typescripts Items 27 9 Ms. and typescript fragments Series II. Correspondence, 1958-1993 Subseries A. Correspondence Arranged by Work 28 1 A Bond Honoured, 1963-70 28 2 Damn You, England, 1993 28 3 Danger (Radio Play), 1977-78 28 4 The End of Me Old Cigar, 1974-76 28 5-6 The Entertainer, 1958-75 28 7 Epitaph for George Dillon and Dillon Productions, 1958-75 29 1 The Gift of Friendship, 1971-75 29 2 Gross (aborted collaboration with Michael Medwin), 1975-76 29 3 Hedda Gabler, 1970-75 29 The Hostage and Charge of the Light Brigade 29 4 1966-72 29 5 1965-77 29 6-8 Inadmissible Evidence, 1964-69 29 9 Indian Mutiny, 1974 30 1 Little Lord Fauntleroy, 1974-75 30 2-3 Look Back in Anger, 1958-76 30 4-5 Luther, 1960-76 30 6 Lytton Strachey, screen play, 1971-74 30 7 Moll Flanders, 1961-64 30 8 Ms or Jill and Jack A Patriot For Me 31 1-2 September 1964-April 1966 31 3-4 May 1966 31 5 The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1972-75 31 6 A Place Calling Itself Rome, 1972-76 32 1 Plays for England, 1961-72 32 2 The Right Prospectus, 1969-74 32 3 Secret Agent, 1974-75 32 4-5 A Sense of Detachment, 1972-75 32 6 Sir Charles Dilke, film/screen play, 1967-74 32 7 A Subject of Scandal and Concern, 1959-71 33 1-2 Time Present and The Hotel in Amsterdam 33 3 Tom Jones, 1961-64 33 4 Very Like a Whale, 1969-70 33 5 Vivien, film, 1989 33 6 Watch It Come Down, 1974-76 34 1-2 West of Suez, 1971-72 34 3-6 The World of Paul Slickey, 1958-59 Subseries B. Personal Correspondence, 1954-90 35 1 A, 1967-78 35 2 B, 1961-76 35 3 C-J, 1958-76 35 4 K-Q, 1961-76 35 5 R-S, 1964-78 35 6 T-Z, 1959-76 J.O. Family Letters 36 1 General 36 2 Nellie Beatrice 36 3 Grandma Grove 36 4 Aunt Queenie 36 5 Jack and Bessie Grove 36 6 Uncle Sidney 36 7 Osborne Genealogy 36 Bennett, Jill 36 8-9 1967-79 36 10 Divorce papers and 1990 article re: J.B.'s death Chelsea Square (J.O.'s London house), 1965-78 37 1 A-C 37 2 D-Q 37 3 R-Z 37 4 Renovation by Henry Wise and Partners, 1967 37 5-7 Gilliatt, Penelope, 1961-90 38 1-2 Gilliatt, Penelope and Nolan Osborne, 1967-76 38 3 Lane, Pamela, 1954-86 38 4 Osborne, Nolan, 1975-88 38 5 Rickards, Jocelyn, 1960-87 38 6 Ure, Mary, n.d. Subseries C. Business Correspondence 39 1-2 Agents and Publishers (General) including foreign agents, 1974-77 39 3 1970-74 39 Contracts, royalties, fees, agents, Performing Right Society Royalties, 1959-76 39 4 A-J 39 5 K-Z 39 National Westminster Bank 39 6 1973-76 39 7 1964-72 English Stage Company 40 1-5 1961-76 40 6 1975-84 41 1 Fees, 1961-76 41 John Osborne Productions 41 2 1973-76 41 3 1960-72 41 4 Oscar Lewenstein Plays, Ltd., 1976 41 5 Performing Right Society, 1960-75 42 1 Randle Productions, 1971 and Holly Productions, 1960-70 42 Royalties 42 2 1974-76 42 3 1966-73 42 4 1958-65 Subseries D. Fans, Friends, and Lunatics Correspondence 43 1-2 Fans and friends, 1965-82 43 Fans, general enquiries, and lunatics 43 3 1972-77 43 4 1969-70 43 Lunatics 43 5 1966-76 43 6 1957-65 Subseries E. General and Miscellaneous Correspondence Correspondence from expanding file, 1958-92 44 1 A - D 44 2 F - L 44 3 M - S 44 4 T - Z 44 5 Censorship of the Theatre, 1957-67 44 6 Rejected scripts, 1967-70 44 7 Oddments and campaigns Series III. Information about J.O., 1969-1973 45 1 List of published works, 1957-73 45 2 Astrological chart 45 3 Osborne Productions receipt book, 8/69-2/71 Series IV. Printed Material, 1957-1992 Magazine articles and newspaper clippings 45 4 Reviews of J.O.'s works [oversize material removed to Box 53 and Oversize Flat File] 45 5 Albert Finney in <emph render="doublequote">Luther,</emph> Newsweek, 10/23/63 45 6 The Entertainer, press reviews 45 7 J. O. Interviews 46 Programs of domestic and foreign productions 46 Scrapbook No. 2, Dec. 1956-Sept. 1957 [removed to Box 54] 46 Scrap album, 1956-1961 [removed to Box 55; oversize material removed to Oversize Flat File] 46 Scrapbook No. 4, Oct. 1960-Nov. 1961 [removed to Box 56] 46 Scrapbook No. 5, Nov. 1961-Oct. 1964 [removed to Box 57] Series V. Personal, 1956-1994 47 Post Office Savings Bank Pass Book, 1956; Bank statements, Barclays, various accounts, 1988-1994 48-49 Check stubs for two checking accounts, 1987-1994 and 1988-1994 Photographs [removed to Box 58 and Oversize Flat File] Posters [removed to Oversize Flat File] Series VI. Works by Others 50 1 Asprey, Robert B., The Panther's Feast extracts, carbon typescript, 2 copies 50 2 Beechman, Dolly, A Study of the Play <emph render="doublequote">Look Back in Anger</emph> by John Osborne. M.S. Thesis, Temple University, March 1970 [photocopy] 50 3 Orton, Joe, Up Against It (An original film script) typescript, n.d. 50 4-7 Richardson, Tony, Part of All, photocopy typescript, with correspondence between Helen Osborne and Tracey Scoffield of Faber and Faber. [carbon typescript and holograph notes of H.O.'s commentary on the text]