Niven Busch papers, 1918-1988

“Portion of an original m.s. (1972) of author’s screenplay, based on novel ‘The Actor.’ Financed by [illegible] group in San Francisco but never produced as a film. Robert Wagner and his wife wanted to do it at one time.”

Includes a note by Busch about his reaction to the outline.

“Written on spec in 1963 for a zany producer [Lester Cowan] who swore he could get money for it. Took 1 day to write.” Includes a copy of a letter from Busch to Cowan.

“Written for ‘Life’ in 1967 – bought but not published.”

“Novella – 1964. Unpublished.”

One copy includes the following note: “Outline for a biography of lawyer Melvin Belli – by Alex Haley & Busch – commissioned by Belli. Never published.” The other copy includes a clipping on Haley and the following note: “Busch and Haley wasted two weeks trying to sell this bio – Belli was supposed to double any pub. advance.”

“Written in one week as Bette Davis vehicle at suggestion of agent Nat Goldstone. Unsold.”

“Rough notes for new version of ‘Bite the Bullet.’”

“Original film script suggested by Gilbert Roland and paid for by agent Nat Goldstone. Busch went to Mexico City to get production financing, but negotiations fell through due to Roland’s nervous temperament and film was not produced.”

“Paper submitted [by Busch] in a University of California extension course taken for credit.” Includes a spiral-bound notebook with handwritten notes and a credit certificate for the course – “Faith and Skepticism in Contemporary Literature.”

“Original screenplay produced 1949 starring Teresa Wright & Lew Ayres under title ‘Capture.’”

“Treatment for a story later produced as ‘The Capture,’ 1949, starring Lew Ayres and Teresa Wright.”

“Script written in 1974 in collaboration with jockey Bill Pearson, optioned first by Warner Bros. (1974), then by Columbia (1975), and is still being negotiated for production.”

“Copy of screenplay currently in process of submission for production – 1982.” Includes the credit “adapted for the screen from their novel.”

Includes handwritten annotations.

One copy includes the following note from Busch to a Phyllis: “Enclosed is part one of my novel, Continent’s End. The project is for four parts of equal length. I hope this installment is enough to get us started.”

“Early scene later used in ‘Continent’s Edge.’”

“Early notes for a novel which possibly turned into ‘Continent’s Edge.’”

“Also some second draft m.s. starting with Part II.”

Includes a publication on the CIA.

“Outline for unwritten novel about Vietnam war deserters – 1969.”

“Outline for an unwritten novel.”

“Vietnam War outline. I decided not to write novel – I didn’t know enough about this generation.”

“Written under Busch’s supervision at RKO before project was re-sold to D. Selznick.”

“This was preliminary title of ‘Duel in the Sun.’ Text in carbon is final text of book. Carbon was made from printer’s m.s.”

“Notes for a stage version – one draft by Oakley Hall, another by me.”

Includes a document with a breakdown of scenes in the script.

“From an original story by Niven Busch and John Farrow.”

“Draft of screenplay for National General in Almeria, Spain, 1969.” Includes rough step outline, digest of a story conference, at Estudio Vaquero, between Busch, Andre de Toth, & John Guillermin, a 31-page script, and manuscript pages.

“Unproduced play – 1947.”

“Adapted from a story by Hal Goodnough.” “Football story I did on spec in a few days, working with ex-football player, as a TV episode. Never sold it.”

“Short original for films – unpurchased (1937).”

“Outline for a novel later published as ‘The Furies,’ Dial Press, 1948.”

“Original screenplay written under contract to RKO. Production cancelled when Howard Hughes sold RKO Studio to General Tire & Rubber Co.”

“Original m.s. of a suspense story to have been called “A Game for Titans” and on `which I wasted a lot of time, with an advance from S&S [Simon & Schuster]. After finding I could not write a good suspense story, I decided not to publish it. A real failure – stupid on my part. 1967 to 1968.”

“Outline and some draft chapters of a suspense novel, later abandoned, to be called “A Game for Titans.”

“Second draft of ‘The Gentleman from California,’ with author’s inserts and corrections.”

“Novella, 1951. Published in ‘Esquire’ Christmas issue that year. Sold as film to RKO, but not produced.”

“Movie script by my old friend Sy Bartlett, submitted to me for collaboration. I resisted.” Includes biographical information on Bartlett and photocopies of pages from two books – “The Jazz Age Revisited” by George Harmon Knoles and “In the Time of Silent Cal” by Jules Abels.

“This copy contains author’s complete final corrections and is the only copy so corrected! Should not be taken from the office – except to be sent to printer.”

“Notes for unwritten Hollywood novel, 1969.”

“Story intended for Bette Davis – never produced.”

Includes typewritten pages and clippings.

“Original story produced as film ‘In Old Chicago’ (1938), starring Alice Faye, Tyrone Power & Don Ameche, directed by Henry King. Busch nominated for Academy Award, but Robert Carson & William Wellman won that year for ‘A Star is Born.’”

“Interview with me by Robin White in short-lived avant-garde magazine.”

“Screenplay commissioned by Capra-SC (1973-4) but never produced.” Based on the book by Dayton O. Hyde.

“Article for book on neglected classics [‘Delilah’ by Marcus Goodrich], published by Cape or somebody.”

Three drafts are credited to Busch and Terence Bush. The other draft is credited to Busch and Clarence Cooper and says that the film is to star James Earl Jones as Huddie Ledbetter and to be produced by Marc Merson.

“Unsold original, 1966.”

• (1) “The Enormous Playground”;
• (2) “God’s Country, God Help It”;
• (3) “My Father, the Columnist”;
• (4) “Public Links Golf”;
• (5) “Rogue River”;
• (6) “Westerns”;
• (7) “Writers Also Eat”; and
• (8) & (9) two untitled pieces.

“Original story. Sold for film to Universal Studios. Produced about 1950, starring Glenn Ford.”

“Early outline, later called ‘The Man from the Alamo.’”

Described as a “novel in work.” “Absurd comedy written for film sale by Busch & William Ledered (co-author, ‘The Ugly American’). Never sold or published.”

“Original screenplay produced by Warners about 1955 [1953], starring Barbara Stanwyck & Fred MacMurray.”

“Unsold original film treatment, 1954.”

Reprinted from “Town & Country Magazine” (May 1975).

“Complete original m.s. for novella ‘No Place for a Hero’ commissioned as Bi-Centennial by ‘San Jose Mercury-News’ in 1976, published July 4. Republished in hardcover by California Living Books 1980.”

In a bound volume labeled “Standard Daily Journal 1951.” “Notes written between 1954 & 1957 – some personal. Also brief jottings for stories & an early outline of ‘California Street.’”

In a bound volume labeled “Standard Daily Journal 1947.”

“Research for a pre-War Hollywood story (never written) to be called ‘Now We Know.’”

Includes an issue of “The Measure – A Journal of Poetry” (March 1922), which includes “Wild Duck” by Busch and the following note: “My mother used to type these & send them out on spec.” Also includes seven notebooks, with the following notes attached to three: (1) “Early poems- age 17”; (2) More early verse, some published in poetry magazine “contemporary Verse”; and (3) “More early verse – pre-college mostly, when I spent a lonely year in the country.”

“Script submitted in connection with Writers Guild Credit Arbitration – Busch refused credit for re-written version of 1948 [1946] ‘Postman’ film.”

“Based on book [by William Bradford Huie] which Busch optioned in 1955. Never produced as a play, but sold for film production to Frank Sinatra, who first announced it, but later changed his mind.”

“Only existing complete shooting script of ‘Pursued’ – classic film starring Robert Mitchum and Teresa Wright.”

“Published in 1962, this novel was a Dollar Book Club selection. Bought for film by MGM but never filmed.”

• (1) A.B.A. – undated;
• (2) Alioto Speech – undated;
• (3) California Library Association Convention – Carmel – Notes – 1973;
• (4) California Writers Association – Berkeley – 1980;
• (5) Commonwealth Club of San Francisco – Awards Banquet Speech – 1970;
• (6) Enterprise (high school employment group) – 1974;
• (7) “Going in Style” – undated;
• (8) Royal Odyssey Caribbean Cruise – 1980;
• (9) Santa Barbara – 1980;
• (10) Santa Barbara College – 1977 – “Never delivered. Written on a plane which could not land due to fog”;
• (11) Santa Fe Film Festival – 1981;
• (12) Squaw Valley – 1981;
• (13) Writers’ Conference – undated;
• (14) Writers’ Conference – Santa Barbara – June 1980; and
• (15) Writers’ Conference – Squaw Valley – 1980

“Screen treatment – 1977 – never produced.”

“Working bench-marked galleys of ‘The Ripoff’ (novel) later retitled ‘The Takeover’ – Simon & Schuster, 1972.”

“Research notes for novel ‘They Dream of Home’ (1944), a best seller, produced as film [‘Till the End of Time’] for RKO, starring Dorothy McGuire & Bob Mitchum (who was not then a star).”

“Later used in ‘The Furies’ and ‘Duel in the Sun.’”

Based on Busch’s novel “The Actor.” One draft includes the following credits: “Screenplay by Sutton W. Roley and Niven Busch; Based on a novel by Niven Busch.” Another draft includes handwritten annotations.

“1960(?) Rough outline of a story I never took further, though some of ideas used 20 years later in ‘Continent’s Edge.’ [Amusing note: I was hoping to persuade my wife Carmencita to diet. Wrote some [illegible] lists & menus on back of pages of m.s.]”