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Ernest Tidyman papers, 1893-2004

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Tidyman, Ernest
Title
Ernest Tidyman papers
Dates
1893-2004 (inclusive)
1968-1986 (bulk)
Quantity
96.71 cubic ft. (100 boxes) + 481 MB
Collection Number
09178
Summary
The Collection contains the personal, business, and project files of Ernest Tidyman, a screenwriter, producer, and author. Tidyman is best known for his screenplays "Shaft" (1970) and "The French Connection" (1971)
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

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

Languages
English
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Historical Note

Ernest Tidyman (1928-1984) was a novelist, motion picture and television writer, and a motion picture and television producer during the second half of the twentieth century. Tidyman was author of a number of novels between the 1960s and 1980s, several of which later became the basis for his work in movies and television, including "Shaft" (1970) and "Dummy" (1974). He started his screenwriting career during the late 1960s, and wrote screenplays for a number of popular movies during the 1970s and 1980s, including "Shaft" (1971), "The French Connection" (1971), "High Plains Drifter" (1973), and "Last Plane Out" (1983). Tidyman moved into television during the early 1970s and wrote screenplays for several television movies, including "Dummy" (1979), "Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones" (1980), and "Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story" (1980). He also wrote scripts for the television series "Shaft" (1973-1974). In addition to his work as a writer, Tidyman was also a movie and television producer during the 1970s and 1980s, producing the feature film "Shaft's Big Score" (1972) and the television movies "Dummy", "Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones", and "Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story".

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Content Description

Collection contains Ernest Tidyman's movie production files (which contain correspondence, manuscripts, notes, clippings, scene boards, and printed materials), including those for "Shaft", "The French Connection", "High Plains Drifter", and "Last Plane Out". Collection also contains Tidyman's television production files, including those for the television series "Shaft" and the television movies "Dummy", "Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones", and "Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story". The collection also has the business files of Tidyman's production companies, Editors and Writers, Ernest Tidyman Productions, Ernest Tidyman International, Shaft Productions, Pilgrim Productions, and Family Trouble Productions. Other material includes a number of Tidyman's novel manuscripts (originals and photocopies), including those for "Shaft" and "Dummy", personal and business correspondence, legal files, and research files (which contain correspondence, manuscripts, notes, clippings, and printed materials). Photographs of Tidyman and his family and show business colleagues (personal and publicity photographs), copies of books written by Tidyman (including "Shaft" and "Dummy"), a microfilm of Tidyman's screenplay for "Shaft", and a few audio tapes (including audio cassettes of "Dummy" narrated by Paul Clark, two audio cassettes labelled "Street Files", and one unidentified reel to reel tape) are also found in this collection. Posters for Tidyman's movies (including "Shaft" and "The French Connection"), advertisements for Tidyman's television programs (including "Dummy" and "Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones"), miscellaneous clippings, miscellaneous printed materials, and miscellaneous books are in this collection as well.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Restrictions on Use

Statement on Potentially Harmful Language and Images Found in Collections

The American Heritage Center aspires to approach all areas of our work in ways that are respectful to those who create, use, and are represented in our collections. For a variety of reasons, however, users may encounter offensive or harmful language or images in some of our finding aids, catalogs, and collection materials.

Note that the AHC does not censor or alter contents of the collections as they provide context and evidence of a time, people, place, or event. Therefore, we encourage users to bring questions and concerns about descriptions in our finding aids to our attention via email or anonymous web-form. For more information, read our full statement.

Preferred Citation

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

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Administrative Information

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by Ernest Tidyman at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

The material was recieved from Chris Clark Tidyman from 1986-2014.

Processing Note

The collection was processed by Madison White in 2017.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Container List

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Subject Terms

  • Literature -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Made-for-TV movies -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Motion picture authorship -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Motion picture producers and directors -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Motion pictures -- Production and direction -- United States.
  • Motion pictures -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Novelists, American -- 20th century.
  • Screenwriters -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Television -- Production and direction -- United States.
  • Television authorship -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Television producers and directors -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Television programs -- United States -- 20th century.
  • Television writers -- United States -- 20th century.

Titles within the Collection

  • Alcatraz: The whole shocking story (Television program)
  • Dummy (Television program)
  • French connection (Motion picture)
  • Guyana tragedy: The story of Jim Jones (Television program)
  • High plains drifter (Motion picture)
  • Last plane out (Motion picture)
  • Shaft (Motion picture : 1971)

Processed by Madison White
2013; 2017

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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