Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
A. B.Guthrie Papers, 1947-1991
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Guthrie, A. B. (Alfred Bertram), 1901-1991
- Title
- A. B.Guthrie Papers
- Dates
- 1947-1991 (inclusive)19471991
- Quantity
- 1 linear foot, 1 oversize box, and 1 video tape
- Collection Number
- Mss 155 (collection)
- Summary
- A.B. Guthrie was a newspaper and fiction writer from Montana. The collection consists of a letter, numerous newspaper clippings of Guthrie's book reviews and outings, and copies of his books that have been translated into many different languages. The collection also contains a film about Guthrie and a large scrapbook of photographs.
- Repository
-
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Alfred Bertram "A. B." Guthrie was born on January 13, 1901 in Choteau, Montana. He graduated from Montana State University (now the University of Montana) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1923. Starting in 1926 Guthrie worked for the Lexington Leader in Kentucky, and for the next twenty-one years was a reporter, city editor, editorial writer, and executive editor. Guthrie was also a successful novelist, mainly writing about the American West. The Big Sky was his first novel published in 1947. His second novel, The Way West, earned him a Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1949. Other books that Guthrie wrote include These Thousand Hills (1956), The Blue Hen's Chick (1965), an autobiography, and several western mysteries, short stories, poetry, and essays. The Way West was adapted into a screenplay and became a Hollywood movie in 1952 starring Kirk Douglas, Sally Field, and Robert Mitchum. Two other screenplays that Guthrie wrote were Shane (1953) and The Kentuckian (1955). In 1949, Guthrie was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Literature from Montana State University. In addition to his newspaper and fiction writing, Guthrie taught creative writing at the University of Kentucky until 1952. He died at his home near Choteau on April 26, 1991.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of a correspondence from Guthrie, a.k.a. Bud, to friends, numerous newspaper clippings of Guthrie's book reviews and outings, and copies of his books that have been translated into many different languages. The collection also contains a film about Guthrie.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to The University of Montana.
Preferred Citation
[Name of document or photograph number], A. B. Guthrie, Jr. Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is divided into five series:
Series I: General Correspondence, 1 folder, 1947
Series II: Clippings, 0.5 linear feet, 1954-1990
Series III: Books, 0.5 linear feet, 1949 and 1965
Series IV: Video, 1 VHS video, undated
Series V: Scrapbook, 1 scrapbook, 1947
Custodial History
Helen Guthrie Miller, daughter of A.B. Guthrie, donated the materials in this collection to The University of Montana School of Journalism in 1990. Late in that year the School of Journalism, with Mrs. Miller's consent, transferred all of the collection materials to the K. Ross Toole Archives.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Helen Guthrie Miller, 1990 and 1991.
Processing Note
The actions of the original processor are unknown. In 1998 the collection was re-described, leaving the original organization intact.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I: General Correspondence, 1947Return to Top
The series contains a letter from Guthrie to some family friends. A note attached to the letter, from Guthrie's daughter, gives her interpretation on what her father may have been thinking while writing the letter.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/1 | To the Boussards from Guthrie
|
1947 |
Series II: Clippings, 1954-1990Return to Top
The series consists of newspaper clippings of book reviews from national newspapers on Guthrie's manuscripts. The clippings also document many functions that Guthrie attended, such dinner banquets, and general interviews with the author.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/2 | Clippings |
1954 |
1/3 | Clippings |
1956 |
1/4 | Clippings |
1958 |
1/5 | Clippings |
1965 |
1/6 | Clippings |
1965 |
1/7 | Clippings |
1966 |
1/8 | Clippings |
1967 |
1/9 | Clippings |
1968 |
1/10 | Clippings |
1969 |
1/11 | Clippings |
1970 |
1/12 | Clippings |
1971 |
1/13 | Clippings |
1973 |
1/14 | Clippings |
1974 |
1/15 | Clippings |
1975 |
1/16 | Clippings |
1976 |
1/17 | Clippings |
1979 |
1/18 | Clippings |
1980 |
1/19 | Clippings |
1981 |
1/20 | Clippings |
1982 |
1/21 | Clippings |
1983 |
1/22 | Clippings |
1990 |
1/23 | Clippings |
undated |
Series III: Books Clippings, 1949, 1965Return to Top
The series contains copies of The Way West, two copies in English, one copy in Hindi, one in Polish, and one in Thai. A Spanish translation of These Thousand Hills is also in the series, and a Slavic translation of The Big Sky.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box | ||
2 |
The Way West, English version |
1967 |
2 |
The Way West, English version |
1967 |
2 |
The Way West, Thai version, |
undated |
2 |
The Way West, Polish version (2 copies)
|
1968 |
2 |
The Way West, Hindi version |
undated |
2 |
The Big Sky, Slavic version |
1970 |
2 |
These Thousand Hills, Spanish version |
undated |
Series IV: Video, undatedReturn to Top
The series consists of a VHS video of Helen Miller-Guthrie about Guthrie's life after his death in 1991.
Description | Dates |
---|---|
155(IV):1: VHS video |
Series V: Scrapbook, 1947Return to Top
The scrapbook contains material related to Guthrie's novel The Big Sky. The majority of the newspaper and journal clippings are reviews of the book. The original jacket of the book and charcoal drawings of the three main characters are also included. There are a few biographic articles about Guthrie. The scrapbook is arranged chronologically.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box | ||
OS1 | Scrapbook |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Personal Names
- Guthrie, A. B. (Alfred Bertram), 1901-
Corporate Names
- University of Montana--Missoula--Alumni and alumnae
Form or Genre Terms
- Clippings
- Photographs
- Scrapbooks
- Videotapes
Occupations
- Authors, American--Montana
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Miller-Guthrie, Helen