Earle McGill papers

1938-1945

The collection dates from 1938 to 1945 and primarily holds scripts and correspondence relating to McGill's career as a radio producer and director for Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). McGill's time as a war correspondent in Japan is documented through a small amount of radiograms, memoranda, and remarks regarding the surrender of the Japanese in the Second World War.

CBS files document McGill's administrative activities while he was a radio director and producer. The files hold correspondence, program lists, salary schedules for actors, and scouting activities reports. Correspondence discusses the sending and receiving of radio scripts, author agreements, and billing. Scouting activities reports were created by McGill and other directors and producers for the Columbia Workshop. The reports review radio plays such as Sing Out Sweet Land, Snafu, Anna Lucasta, and Up in Central Park.

Correspondence relates to the publication of McGill's book, Radio Directing. Primary correspondents are Harry R. Snyder, assistant publisher for McGraw-Hill Book Co., and other editorial staff. Letters dating from 1938 to 1940 discuss securing an author for the book's forward and information for sales promotion of the book. Letters dated from 1944 to 1945 are chiefly from Snyder and regard McGill's proposed second edition, and are accompanied by letters of praise on the book from educators and radio professionals. McGill was a member of the Lotus Club during the 1940s. One file containing meeting notices, invoices, correspondence, and invitations to events is present.

Scripts in the collection are largely for radio shows produced by CBS. Titles include The Pursuit of Happiness (1939), Forecast (1940), Highway for Americans (1941), Stage Door Canteen (1942), Calling America (1943), This Land and Its People (1945), and recordings from the Association of National Advertisers (A.N.A.), including "The Second Wartime Conference of 1943." Other scripts are for YMCA recordings, the Irviah Women's Division of the Jewish Education Committee, and the Navy WAVES Recruiting Company.

Press releases, memoranda, radiograms, and other types of internal correspondence from the General Headquarters of the U.S. Armed Forces, Pacific Public Relations Office are present. Dated August 1945, the messages document the communications between Douglas MacArthur and the Japanese government, including commands issued for cessation of hostilities after the Japanese surrender. Also included is background information on the Fifth Air Force, the history of the USS Missouri, and remarks given by MacArthur at the ceremony of surrender.

Material relating to a proposed collection of radio plays for high school students titled You're on the Air includes correspondence, play title lists, script draft excerpts, casting suggestions, character lists, notes, and the final agreement between the creators and the publisher, Houghton Mifflin Company. Correspondents include McGill and the other creators of the program, Abe H. Lass, chairman of the department of English at Fort Hamilton High School, and Donald Axelrod of the Metropolitan Vocational High School. The letters discuss play titles, ideas, script drafts, obtaining rights to plays, and publication.