Harry Ransom CenterThe University of Texas at Austin

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A.C.H. Smith
Papers, 1958-2005
Preliminary Inventory

26 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 galley folder, 1 oversize folder (21.92 linear feet)

Note: This brief collection description is an accession record. The collection is not fully processed or cataloged; no biographical sketch, descriptions of series, or indexes are available.
Acquisition: Purchases, 2005-2007 (R15361, 16489)
Access: Open for research
Processed by: Hope Rider, Monique Daviau, Stephen Cooper, 2007
RLIN Record ID: None


Table of Contents

Scope and Contents
Folder List

Scope and Contents

Correspondence, typescript and handwritten drafts, notes, programs, photographs, research, film stills, drawings, and publicity materials document the work of A. C. H. Smith from the late 1950s through the mid-2000s. The papers are arranged into two series: I. Works, 1959-2005, undated; and II. Correspondence and Career-Related, 1958-2005, undated.

Series I., Works, is divided into two subseries: A. Books, consisting of materials related to his original and novelized works of fiction, and B. Plays and Screenplays, containing his writings for stage and screen. Both subseries are arranged alphabetically by title of work. Most of the manuscripts in this series show the progress of his writing, especially the early, heavily-edited manuscripts which are well represented. Also contained here is correspondence directly related to the publication and production of Smith's novels, plays, and screenplays, as well as letters from fans. Notable are his collaborations with playwright Tom Stoppard, with whom Smith co-wrote the play Albert's Bridge, and with Jim Henson, with whom he novelized the film The Dark Crystal. The series is rounded-out by research notes for his historically-based works such as Wagner, Sebastian the Navigator, and Up the Feeder, Down the Mouth, as well as a small number of play posters.

Series II., Correspondence and Career-Related, consists of the majority of Smith's correspondence from friends and collaborators and is arranged alphabetically by the name of the correspondent. (Correspondence related to specific works and productions is interfiled in Series I.) Smith's correspondence includes letters from a variety of notable artists such as Stoppard, Jim Henson, John Boorman, Malcolm Bradbury, John Cleese, E. M. Forster, Allen Ginsberg, Michael Frayn, Patricia Highsmith , Ted Hughes, Terry Jones, John Le Carré, and others. Copies of interviews and reviews of Smith's works are also contained in this series, as well as two talks he delivered at the Ransom Center in 1994 and 2005.


Folder List

Box	Folder	Description

Series I. Works, 1959-2005, undated

Subseries A. Books, 1959-1998, undated

		THE CROWD (novel, 1965)
1	1		Typed and handwritten manuscript with emendations
	2		Handwritten and typed additions and notes
	3		Typescript
	4		Variant typescript
	5		Variant typescript with handwritten notes
	6		Correspondence re: Australian film, 1973-1979
		THE DANGEROUS MEMOIR OF CITIZEN SADE (novel, 2000)
	7-8		Handwritten and typed notes

2	1		Handwritten and typed notes, continued
	2		First handwritten draft, circa 1990-1991
	3-4		First typescript
	5-6		Second typescript
	7		Third typescript, 1998

3	1-2		Proofs with editorial comments, letter from Tom
					Stoppard
		THE DARK CRYSTAL (movie novelization, 1982)
	3		Screenplay with fragments by David Odell and
					Jim Henson, 1981
	4		Screenplay fragments
	5-7		Research materials

4	1		Slides from movie
	2		Novelization manuscript
	3-4		Typescript and notes from Jim Henson
	5		Proofs, "NY Edition," photocopy
	6		Correspondence, 1981-1982
	*		NY typescript with editorial queries and
					amendments (*removed to oversize box 27)
		DICKENS OF LONDON (biography, ghosted for
				Wolf Mankowitz, 1976)
	7		Handwritten draft
	8		Typescript carbon
	9		Correspondence, 1975-1976

		EDWARD AND MRS. SIMPSON (television novelization, 1978)
5	1-7		Teleplays by Simon Raven
	8		Notes, television show-related material
	9		Handwritten manuscript

6	1		Typescript
	2		Correspondence, 1977-1982
	3		Uncorrected proof
	*		Galleys (*galleys removed to galley file)
		EXTRA COVER (novel, 1981)
	4		Handwritten manuscript
	5		Uncorrected proof
	6		Correspondence, 1977-1981
	7	GAVOTTE (unfinished novel, 1959), typescript and correspondence
		THE JERICHO GUN (novel, 1977)
	8		Notes and research

7	1		Handwritten manuscript
	2		Typescript
	3		Correspondence and royalty statements, 1976-1979
		LABYRINTH (movie novelization, 1986)
	4-6		Storyboards, photocopies
	7		Screenplay, first draft (not by ACHS)

8	1		Screenplay, second draft, 1984
	2		Screenplay, third draft
	3		Handwritten manuscript and notes (incomplete per ACHS)
	4-5		Typescript 2
	6-7		Typescript 3
	*		First typescript with editorial notes (*removed to
					oversize box 28)

9	1		Page proofs
		LADY JANE (movie novelization, 1985)
	2		Screenplay
	3		Film stills, Tower of London guide
	4		Transcript
	5		Proofs
	6		Correspondence, 1985
		ORGHAST AT PERSEPOLIS (nonfiction, 1972)
	7		Typescript with notes
	8		Bound proof with handwritten corrections

10	1		Photographs and book jacket
	2		Photographs
	3-4		Correspondence, 1972-1980
	5		Pencil drawing by Jean Monod
	*		Set design by Jean Monod (*removed to galley file)
		PAPER VOICES: THE POPULAR PRESS AND SOCIAL CHANGE, 1935-1965
				(nonfiction, 1975)
			Bound typescript
	6			 Chapters 1-3
	7			 Chapters 4-5

11	1			 Chapters 6-9
	2			 Chapters 10-12, appendix, bibliography
	3		Proofs
	4-5		Correspondence, 1969-1977, and royalty statements

		SEBASTIAN THE NAVIGATOR (novel, 1985)
	6-7		Research notes

12	1-2		Research notes, continued
	3		Handwritten draft
	4		Typescript with handwritten corrections
	5		Typescript photocopy
	6		Typesetting proofs
	7		Correspondence, 1982-1985

		TREATMENT (novel, 1976)
13	1		Handwritten manuscript and typed notes
	2		Proofs, photocopy
	3		Correspondence
		WAGNER (movie novelization, 1983)
	4-6		Screenplay
	7		Notes and film stills
	8		Handwritten draft

14	1		Typescript
	2		Correspondence, 1982-1984
		ZERO SUMMER (novel, 1971)
	3		Notes and fragments
	4-5		Handwritten draft
	6		Typescript
	7		Correspondence, 1969-1972

Subseries B. Plays and Screenplays, 1965-2005

		ALBERT'S BRIDGE (play, 1978)
15	1		Radio script by Tom Stoppard, 1967
	2		Screenplay working papers
	3		Extended outline screen treatment
	4		First draft screenplay with handwritten notes
	5		Second draft stage version
	6		Third stage version
		ALBERT'S BRIDGE: THE MUSICAL (play, 1998)
	7-9		Working papers

16	1		Partial draft, May-June 1998
	2		Typescript draft, July 1998
	3		Typescript draft, October 1998
	4		Extended correspondence, 1969-1971, 1978;
					Edinburgh Festival program
	5		Correspondence, 1992-1999
		BATTLE OF BRITAIN (play, 1977)
	6		Research notes and script fragments
	7		Script photocopy; programs
	8	THE BLACK MAN, (play, 1965), program
		BREATHLESS HUSH (screenplay, 1999)
	9		Correspondence and treatment
	10		Drafts and shooting scripts
		DOCTOR OF LOVE (play, 2001)
	11		First draft, working papers, correspondence
					with composer
	12		Typescript drafts, February/March/May, 2001
	13		Typescript draft, 2001

17	1		Typescript drafts, 2003
		DON QUIXOTE (unfinished screenplay, 1968)
	2		Research
	3		Script by Denis Cannan, photocopy, 1968
	4		Correspondence, 1968-1970
	5	FACE VALUE (play, 1977), scenario; drafts;
				correspondence
		GOD'S WONDERFUL RAILWAY (play, 1985)
	6-8		Research

18	1-5		Research, continued
	6		Scenario notes
	7		"Drafts & revisions," fragments

19	1		Partial original draft
	2		Script copy
	3		Script, revised as performed, 1985
	4		Correspondence and publicity material, 1985-1986
		THE HELLFIRE CLUB (screenplay, 1995)
	5		Treatment, notes, research
	6		Typescript
	7		Script, second draft
	8		Bound script with corrections

20	1-3		Notes, scenario, draft script
	4		Correspondence, 1995-1996
	5	MASTER OF LETTERS (play, 1976), working papers,
				typescript
		PERICLES (adapted play, 1987)
	6		Research notes, production notes, partial drafts
	7		Manuscript of first draft
	8		Typescript with handwritten changes
	9		Script photocopy with highlighting

21	1		Script photocopy
	2		"SOS production"
	3		Correspondence and publicity materials, 1985-1992
	4		"Rewriting Shakespeare" talk, Cheltenham
					Festival, 1988
	*		Play posters, Theatre Emory and The Hen and
					Chicken (*removed to oversize folder)
	5	PROSTITUTES (play, 1976), handwritten and typed drafts
		THE REDCLIFFE HERMIT (play, 2005)
	6-9		Notes, draft fragments

22	1		Notes, draft fragments, continued
	2		"First draft," typescript, 2003
	3		"Second draft," typescript, 2003
	4		Typescript draft
			Typescripts
	5			November 2003
	6			February 2004
	7			July 2004
	8			November 2004
	9			April 2005, corrected typescript
	10			July 2005
	11			Rehearsal draft, August 2005
	12			Rehearsal script, August 2005, notes

		UP THE FEEDER, DOWN THE MOUTH (play, 1997, 2001)
23	1-4		Source material
	5-7		Research, interviews

24	1		Research, interviews, continued
	2		Scenario notes
	3-8		Working papers, "1997 chaos"

25	1-4		Working papers, "1997 chaos" continued
	5		Fifth draft, partial typescript, March 1997
	6-7		"Seventh draft plus," typescript with handwritten
					changes, April 1997
	8		Typescript, "as performed May 1997"

26	1		Typescript, 1999 version
	2-3		"Typescript chaos"
	4		Typescript draft, September 2001
	5		Correspondence, administration, and planning, 1992-1996
	6		Correspondence, publicity, miscellaneous, 1997-2001
	7		Fan mail and press, 1997-2001
	*		Play poster, Bristol Old Vic (*removed to oversize
					folder)

Series II. Correspondence and Career-Related, 1958-2005, undated

Subseries A. Correspondence, 1958-2005

	8		A-H, 1958-2000
	9		J-W, 1958-2000
	10		Stoppard, Tom, 1986-2005

Subseries B. Career-Related, 1971-2005, undated

	11		Typescript of talk, February 16, 1994, Ransom
					Center, on Stoppard, Ghose, and Johnson
	12		Typescript of talk, "The Better Maker," February
					25, 2005, Ransom Center
	13		Reviews and interviews, clippings, 1971-1997, undated

27-28		Oversize materials


A.C.H. Smith Papers Preliminary Inventory
(Last modified: 11 January 2008)

Reference queries to: reference@hrc.utexas.edu

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