University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Manuscripts Division
Special Collections
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0860
801-581-8864
http://www.lib.utah.edu/collections/manuscripts.php
ACCN 2591
Lowell Jackson Thomas papers
1916-2010
Dougan, Terrell
0.25 linear feet
The Lowell Jackson Thomas papers (1916-2010) consist of correspondence and articles by Terrell Dougan and others, biographical materials, and news clippings. Thomas was a radio and television broadcaster, author, and world traveler.
Collection material is in
English.
Biographical Sketch
Lowell Jackson Thomas was born 6 April 1892 in Woodington, Ohio, to Harry and Harriet Wagner Thomas. When Lowell was eight, the family moved to Victor, Colorado. Later, at the age of fifteen, the family moved back to Ohio. After graduating from High School, he obtained B.S. degree from Valparaiso University. He went on to obtain both B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Denver and started working and writing for the
Chicago Journal until 1914. While in Chicago, he was a professor at the Chicago-Kent College of Law, teaching oratory. He began studying at Princeton University, where he also taught oratory, to obtain another M.A. degree.
In 1915 he traveled to Alaska and began a travelogue which led the U.S. Government to commission him to film and record World War I events. As a war correspondent, Thomas met T.E. Lawrence, a captain in the British Army, in Jerusalem. Thomas shot footage of Lawrence which later led to the book
With Lawrence in Arabia. During 1930–76 he was a radio newscaster, but he managed to travel to exotic places around the world, narrate Movietone newsreels (1935–52) and travelogues for Twentieth Century-Fox, and write many books. He broadcast from many combat zones during World War II, and in 1949 he was invited to Tibet by the Dalai Lama. He profiled outstanding historical figures on Public Broadcasting System's Lowell Thomas Remembers(1976–1979), and published a two-part autobiography, Good Evening Everybody (1977) and So Long Until Tomorrow (1978). He also wrote Beyond Khyber Pass about Afghanistan and The First World Flight.
Thomas died 29 August 1981 in Pawling, New York.
The Lowell Jackson Thomas papers consist of correspondence and articles by Terrell Dougan and others, biographical materials, and news clippings.
Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.
Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Photographs were transferred to the Multimedia Division of Special Collections.
Donated by Terrell Dougan in 2010.
Processed by Betsey Welland in 2011.
Thomas, Lowell, 1892-1981--Archives
Broadcasters--United States
Journalism
Correspondence
Articles
Clippings
1
1
Correspondence
1967-1971
The correspondence in this folder is with Terrell Dougan and others.
1
2
Biographical materials
2010
This folder also contains undated materials.
1
3
Copy of an aritistic portrait of Thomas
undated
1
4
Articles by Terrell Dougan
undated
This folder contains the articles "Marco Polo of the Air" and "At Age 76 He's Still Looking for New Ski Worlds to Conquer."
1
5
"Remarks by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale at the 46th Annual Convention of the National Association of Broadcasters"
1968
1
6
Articles by others
1944
1
7
News clippings
1916-1981