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Rupert Hughes papers

 Collection
Identifier: 0173

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Scope and Content

Collection consists of subject files, typescripts, correspondence, published articles and personal memorabilia of American novelist, biographer, screenwriter, and musicologist Rupert Hughes (1872-1956). Materials include 897 file folders of manuscripts; 219 books by or concerning Hughes; 36 periodicals. These include subject files, typescripts, correspondence, published articles, and personal memorabilia. Much of the material is heavily annotated or corrected, and several of the items are present in two or three versions. Also includes four large bundles of manuscripts and typescripts produced by Rupert Hughes in the writing of his major work "George Washington". The first three volumes were published, but the fourth remained unpublished. The first eight chapters of this fourth volume are present in this heavily revised typescript form.

Dates

  • Creation: 1895 - 1954

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Advance notice required for access.

Rights Statement for Archival Description

Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Department of Special Collections at specol@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Biographical note

Rupert Hughes was born in Lancaster, MO on January 31, 1872, and grew up in Keokuk, Iowa. He attended the Western Reserve Academy, and received a BA from Adelbert College, Cleveland, in 1892, and an MA from Yale University in 1893. His writing career began with a book for boys which was serialized in the highly regarded St. Nicholas magazine, and he was an assistant editor for several magazines. He eventually wrote more than 50 books. Hughes served in the New York National Guard during the Spanish-American War, as a captain in the Mexican border service in 1916, and in the infantry in WWI. He was active in the formation of the California State Guard in 1940 and was commander of the Second Regiment from 1941-43. He was an influential American writer on music and composer of piano pieces and songs. More than 50 movies were written and/or directed by Hughes or were based upon his stories and novels. He founded and served for decades as president of the Hollywood Writers Club, and also headed Screen Playwrights, the American Writers Association, and the Authors' League of America. He died in Los Angeles, CA on September 9, 1956.

Extent

31.25 Linear Feet (29 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Collection consists of subject files, typescripts, correspondence, published articles and personal memorabilia of American novelist, biographer, screenwriter, and musicologist Rupert Hughes (1872-1956).

Acquisition

Donated by Ruby (Mrs. Felix) Hughes, Rupert Hughes' sister-in-law, in January 1983.

Processing Information

This collection is partially processed.

Title
Finding aid for the Rupert Hughes papers
Status
Completed
Author
Rohan Panikar
Date
2009
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Revision Statements

  • 2010 October: Finding aid updated by Sue Luftschein
  • 2020 July: Finding aid updated by Bo Doub to document unprocessed material found by Backstage Library Works during a collections move
  • 2023 February: Finding aid updated by Marissa Chavez and Sarah Jardini for History Associates Incorporated to add barcodes and rehoused material

Repository Details

Part of the USC Libraries Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles California 90089-0189 United States