David Feldman Papers

Collection

Identifier: MS-0062

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Abstract

The David Feldman Papers include materials from David Feldman's careers as a programming consultant for NBC as well as author of the Imponderables series of books.

Dates

Creation: 1974-1993, undated

Extent

4.54 Cubic Feet (12 archives boxes.)

Creator

Feldman, David, 1950- (Person)

Scope and Contents

This collection includes materials from David Feldman's careers as a programming consultant for NBC as well as author of the Imponderables series of books.

The NBC materials primarily relate to ideas for television shows, movies, and game shows that did not succeed or were rejected out of hand. The show concepts range from the derivative to the absurd, and the responses from Feldman to the submitters show his deft hand at providing both rejection and encouragement.

The remaining materials relate to the following books:

Imponderables (1985) Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise? (1987) How To Win at Just About Everything (1987) Who Put the Butter in Butterfly? (1989) When Do Fish Sleep? (1989) Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses? (1990) Do Penguins Have Knees? (1991) When Did Wild Poodles Roam the Earth? (1992) How Does Aspirin Find a Headache? (1993)

Included are extensive research materials, draft and edited manuscripts, galley proofs, and illustrations for the books. Researchers will find these materials interesting in light of Feldman's unique approach to his work as well as the subject matter, which encompasses everything from popular culture to folklore to science.

Biographical / Historical

David Feldman performed his undergraduate studies at Grinnell College, and graduated with an M.A. in Popular Culture from Bowling Green State University in 1971. While at BGSU, he taught what is believed to be the first college-level course on soap operas. After a brief stint in the a Ph.D. program at the University of Maryland, College Park, he spent several years working in programming for the ABC and NBC television networks. His first book, Imponderables, was published in 1985. He has since written more than a dozen books exploring the origins of everything from idioms and cliches to animal behavior. The Imponderables series of books now includes 11 volumes.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright and other restrictions may apply to the materials in this collection. Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.