William Tunberg, Jacqueline Tunberg, and Karl Alexander papers, 1945-1994

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Tunberg, William.; Tunberg, Jacqueline.; Alexander, Karl.
Title
William Tunberg, Jacqueline Tunberg, and Karl Alexander papers
Dates
1945-1994 (inclusive)
Quantity
54.92 cubic ft. (55 boxes)
Collection Number
09782
Summary
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Additional Reference Guides
Additional Information

Partial finding aid available in repository.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

William Tunberg (1905-1988) was a screenwriter, radio writer, and television writer during the twentieth century. Educated at the University of Southern California, Tunberg started his motion picture career as a film cutter for MGM Studios. He later became a screenwriter and wrote screenplays for a number of movies between the 1940s and 1960s, including "Old Yeller" (1957) and "Savage Sam" (1963). Tunberg started working in radio for the U.S. Armed Forces Radio Service (later renamed U.S. Armed Forces Radio and Television Service) during the early 1950s and wrote scripts for several radio shows during the 1950s and 1960s, including "This is the Story" and "Western Horizons" (co-written with his son Karl Alexander). Tunberg also worked in television between the 1950s and 1980s and earned writing credits on several television shows, including "The Monroes" (1967). He also wrote screenpla ys for the television movies "Savage Sam" (1966) and "Old Yeller" (1980).

Jacqueline Tunberg (1915-1991), the wife of William Tunberg, was a playwright and English professor during the twentieth century. She taught English at San Diego State University and was the author of several plays, including "Accused in Galilee" and "Catalog".

Karl Alexander (born Karl Alexander Tunberg, 1944), the son of William and Jacqueline Tunberg, was a novelist, radio writer, playwright, and screenwriter during the second half of the twentieth century. Educated at Brown University, San Francisco State University, and the University of Iowa, Alexander co-wrote scripts with his father William Tunberg for the U.S. Armed Forces Radio and Television Service radio show "Western Horizons" during the early 1960s. He later wrote several novels during the 1970s and 1980s, including "Time After Time" (1979), "A Private Investigation" (1980), and "Papa and Fidel" (1989). Alexander's novel "Time After Time" was made into a play in 1983 and into a movie in 1987. His novel "A Private Investigation" was made into the television movie "Missing Pieces" in 1983. Alexander later worked as a gaffer and electrician in the motion picture industry.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Collection contains the personal and business correspondence, subject files (which contain correspondence, manuscripts, clippings, notes, and printed materials), and legal files of all three members of the Tunberg and Alexander Family. Collection also contains original and mimeographed radio scripts, movie screenplays, and television scripts written by William Tunberg (including those for "This is the Story", "Old Yeller", and "Savage Sam"), "Western Horizons" radio scripts co-written by William Tunberg and Karl Alexander, novel manuscripts (originals and copies) by Karl Alexander (including those for "Time After Time" and "Papa and Fidel"), and play manuscripts (originals and copies) written by Jacqueline Tunberg (including "Accused in Galilee" and "Catalog"). Collection also holds unpublished manuscripts written by all three members of the Tunberg and Alexander Family. Phonograph records of U.S. Armed Forces Radio Service radio shows w ritten by William Tunberg (including "This is the Story"), audio casette tapes of Shakespeare plays, miscellaneous clippings, and miscellaneous printed materials are in this collection as well.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

Donor retains literary rights and copyrights.

Preferred Citation

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Preservation Note

System Requirements

United States Armed Forces Radio Service -- Phonograph records -- 33 1/3 rpm.

Related Materials

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by William Tunberg, Jacqueline Tunberg, and Karl Alexander at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information

This material was received from Jacqueline Tunberg in 1990, Karl Alexander from 1994-2004, and Kateri Alexander in 2016.

Processing Note

Processing Information

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Subordinate Component # 1Return to Top

The American Heritage Center is in the process of converting its older container lists to a more accessible format. This link is to an older version of a container list.

Description

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Drama -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Dramatists, American -- 20th century.
  • Literature -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Motion picture authorship -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Motion pictures -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Novelists, American -- 20th century.
  • Plays -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Radio authorship -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Radio programs -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Radio writers -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Screenwriters -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Television authorship -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Television programs -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Television writers -- United States -- 20th century.

Corporate Names

  • United States. Armed Forces Radio Service.
  • United States. Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.

Form or Genre Terms

  • Phonograph records.

Titles within the Collection

  • This is the story (Radio program)
  • Western horizons (Radio program)