David Feldman Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS-0062

Collection Organization

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.

NBC Related Materials, 1976-1983, bulk 1979-1979

 Series – Multiple Containers
Dates
Creation: 1976-1983, bulk 1979-1979

Tonight Show Hosts, 1976 - 1977

 File – Box 1, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: 1976 - 1977

Weekly Rating Analyses, January-July, 1978

 File – Box 1, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: January-July, 1978

Performer Popularity Studies, 1978

 File – Box 1, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: 1978

Summary of Current & New TV Show Potential, 1974 - 1975

 File – Box 1, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: 1974 - 1975

Notes from Pilot Tests, 1977 - 1978

 File – Box 1, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: 1977 - 1978

Notes from Headliners with David Frost, 1977 - 1978

 File – Box 1, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: 1977 - 1978

Concept Test Reports- Movies Made for Television, 1977

 File – Box 1, Folder: 7
Dates
Creation: 1977

Concept Test Reports- Movies Made for Television, 1978

 File – Box 1, Folder: 8
Dates
Creation: 1978

Series Development Reports, 1977 - 1978

 File – Box 2, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: 1977 - 1978

Network Television Program Report, 1983 - 1984

 File – Box 2, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: 1983 - 1984

Performer Popularity Studies, 1978

 File – Box 2, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: 1978

East Coast Program Submissions Report, February, 1979

 File – Box 2, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: February, 1979

East Coast Program Submissions Report, May, 1979

 File – Box 2, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: May, 1979

East Coast Program Submissions Report, June, 1979

 File – Box 2, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: June, 1979

East Coast Program Submissions Report, July, 1979

 File – Box 2, Folder: 7
Dates
Creation: July, 1979

East Coast Program Submissions Report, August, 1979

 File – Box 2, Folder: 8
Dates
Creation: August, 1979

East Coast Program Submissions Report, September, 1979

 File – Box 2, Folder: 9
Dates
Creation: September, 1979

East Coast Program Submissions Report, October, 1979

 File – Box 2, Folder: 10
Dates
Creation: October, 1979

East Coast Program Submissions Report, November, 1979

 File – Box 2, Folder: 11
Dates
Creation: November, 1979

Correspondence, 1977

 File – Box 2, Folder: 12
Dates
Creation: 1977

Pilot Proposals & Recommendations, 1977 - 1978

 File – Box 2, Folder: 13
Dates
Creation: 1977 - 1978

Series Evaluations, 1978 - 1979

 File – Box 3, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: 1978 - 1979

Submission Rejection Letters, January, 1979

 File – Box 3, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: January, 1979

Submission Rejection Letters, February, 1979

 File – Box 3, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: February, 1979

Submission Rejection Letters, March, 1979

 File – Box 3, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: March, 1979

Submission Rejection Letters, April, 1979

 File – Box 3, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: April, 1979

Submission Rejection Letters, May, 1979

 File – Box 3, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: May, 1979

Submission Rejection Letters, June, 1979

 File – Box 4, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: June, 1979

Submission Rejection Letters, July, 1979

 File – Box 4, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: July, 1979

Submission Rejection Letters, August, 1979

 File – Box 4, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: August, 1979

Submission Rejection Letters, September, 1979

 File – Box 4, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: September, 1979

Submission Rejection Letters, October, 1979

 File – Box 4, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: October, 1979

Submission Rejection Letters, 1979 - 1980

 File – Box 4, Folder: 7
Dates
Creation: 1979 - 1980

Contract- Castle Bluff, 1976

 File – Box 5, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: 1976

Contract- Dark Shore, 1976

 File – Box 5, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: 1976

Contract- Just Plain Folks, 1976

 File – Box 5, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: 1976

Lila Garrett- Development Contract, 1976

 File – Box 5, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: 1976

Game Show Proposal- Sounds Like Fun, 1976

 File – Box 5, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: 1976

Game Show Porposal- Equal Partners, 1976

 File – Box 5, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: 1976

Game Show Pilot- On The Double, 1976

 File – Box 5, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: 1976

Game Show- Back Talk, 1976

 File – Box 5, Folder: 7
Dates
Creation: 1976

Game Show Pilot- People Watchers, 1976 - 1977

 File – Box 5, Folder: 8
Dates
Creation: 1976 - 1977

Game Show Survey Tests- Noot's Game & Back Talk, 1977

 File – Box 5, Folder: 9
Dates
Creation: 1977

Game Show Pilot- Smart Alecks, 1977

 File – Box 5, Folder: 10
Dates
Creation: 1977

Game Show Pilot- All Star Charades, 1977

 File – Box 5, Folder: 11
Dates
Creation: 1977

Game Show Pilot- The Confidence Game, 1976

 File – Box 5, Folder: 12
Dates
Creation: 1976

Game Show Pilot- Let's Get Together, 1977

 File – Box 5, Folder: 13
Dates
Creation: 1977

Game Shows- Plan for Selecting Contestants, undated

 File – Box 5, Folder: 14
Dates
Creation: undated

Notes- Son Rise, undated

 File – Box 5, Folder: 15
Dates
Creation: undated

Thesis- "A Viewership Study of Television Daytime Dramas", 1977

 File – Box 5, Folder: 16
Dates
Creation: 1977

Imponderables, 1985-1986, undated

 Series – Box 6
Dates
Creation: 1985-1986, undated

Book proposals, undated

 File – Box 6, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: undated

Sources (1 of 2), undated

 File – Box 6, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: undated

Sources (2 of 2), undated

 File – Box 6, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: undated

Research & Draft pages, undated

 File – Box 6, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: undated

Research, 1985

 File – Box 6, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: 1985

Copyedited Manuscript (1 of 2), 1985

 File – Box 6, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: 1985

Copyedited Manuscript (2 of 2), 1985

 File – Box 6, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: 1985

Test Printing, 1986

 File – Box 6, Folder: 7
Dates
Creation: 1986

Publicity & Notes, 1985, 1991

 File – Box 6, Folder: 8
Dates
Creation: 1985, 1991

Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?, 1987, undated

 Series – Multiple Containers
Dates
Creation: 1987, undated

Research (1 of 4), undated

 File – Box 6, Folder: 9
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (2 of 4), undated

 File – Box 6, Folder: 10
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (3 of 4), undated

 File – Box 6, Folder: 11
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (4 of 4), undated

 File – Box 6, Folder: 12
Dates
Creation: undated

Manuscript (1 of 2), undated

 File – Box 6, Folder: 13
Dates
Creation: undated

Manuscript (2 of 2), undated

 File – Box 6, Folder: 14
Dates
Creation: undated

Edited Manuscript (1 of 2), 1987

 File – Box 6, Folder: 15
Dates
Creation: 1987

Edited Manuscript (2 of 2), 1987

 File – Box 6, Folder: 16
Dates
Creation: 1987

Printer Proof (1 of 3), undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: undated

Printer Proof (2 of 3), undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: undated

Printer Proof (3 of 3), undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: undated

Test Printing, 1987

 File – Box 7, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: 1987

Audio Script, undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: undated

How to Win at Just About Everything, undated

 Series – Box 7
Dates
Creation: undated

Drafts & Notes, undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: undated

Manuscript (1 of 2), undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: undated

Manuscript (2 of 2), undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 7
Dates
Creation: undated

Who Put the Butter in Butterfly?, undated

 Series – Box 7
Dates
Creation: undated

Copyedited Manuscript (1 of 2), undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 8
Dates
Creation: undated

Copyedited Manuscript (2 of 2), undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 9
Dates
Creation: undated

Publicity, undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 10
Dates
Creation: undated

Audio script, undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 11
Dates
Creation: undated

When Do Fish Sleep?, undated

 Series – Box 7
Dates
Creation: undated

First Draft (1 of 2), undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 12
Dates
Creation: undated

First Draft (2 of 2), undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 13
Dates
Creation: undated

Edited Manuscript (1 of 3), undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 14
Dates
Creation: undated

Edited Manuscript (2 of 3), undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 15
Dates
Creation: undated

Edited Manuscript (3 of 3), undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 16
Dates
Creation: undated

Audio Script, undated

 File – Box 7, Folder: 17
Dates
Creation: undated

Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses?, 1990, undated

 Series – Box 8
Dates
Creation: 1990, undated

Partial Manuscript, undated

 File – Box 8, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: undated

Draft Chapter, undated

 File – Box 8, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (1 of 3), undated

 File – Box 8, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (2 of 3), undated

 File – Box 8, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (3 of 3), undated

 File – Box 8, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: undated

Copyedited Manuscript (1 of 2), 1990

 File – Box 8, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: 1990

Copyedited Manuscript (2 of 2), 1990

 File – Box 8, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: 1990

Promotional materials, undated

 File – Box 8, Folder: 7
Dates
Creation: undated

Uncorrected Proofs- Why Do Dogs... & Who Put The Butter..., undated

 File – Box 8, Folder: 8
Dates
Creation: undated

Do Penguins Have Knees?, 1991, undated

 Series – Multiple Containers
Dates
Creation: 1991, undated

Research (1 of 9), undated

 File – Box 8, Folder: 9
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (2 of 9), undated

 File – Box 8, Folder: 10
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (3 of 9), undated

 File – Box 8, Folder: 11
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (4 of 9), undated

 File – Box 8, Folder: 12
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (5 of 9), undated

 File – Box 8, Folder: 13
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (6 of 9), undated

 File – Box 8, Folder: 14
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (7 of 9), undated

 File – Box 9, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (8 of 9), undated

 File – Box 9, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (9 of 9), undated

 File – Box 9, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: undated

Original Manuscript (1 of 2), undated

 File – Box 9, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: undated

Original Manuscript (2 of 2), undated

 File – Box 9, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: undated

Copyedited Manuscript (1 of 2), 1991

 File – Box 9, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: 1991

Copyedited Manuscript (2 of 2), 1991

 File – Box 9, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: 1991

Test Printing, undated

 File – Box 9, Folder: 7
Dates
Creation: undated

Edited Test Printing, undated

 File – Box 9, Folder: 8
Dates
Creation: undated

Printer Proof (1 of 2), undated

 File – Box 9, Folder: 9
Dates
Creation: undated

Printer Proof (2 of 2), undated

 File – Box 9, Folder: 10
Dates
Creation: undated

Audio Script, undated

 File – Box 9, Folder: 11
Dates
Creation: undated

Promotional material, 1991

 File – Box 9, Folder: 12
Dates
Creation: 1991

When Did Wild Poodles Roam the Earth?, 1991-1992, undated

 Series – Box 9
Dates
Creation: 1991-1992, undated

Research (1 of 4), 1991 - 1992

 File – Box 9, Folder: 13
Dates
Creation: 1991 - 1992

Research (2 of 4), 1991 - 1992

 File – Box 9, Folder: 14
Dates
Creation: 1991 - 1992

Research (3 of 4), 1991 - 1992

 File – Box 9, Folder: 15
Dates
Creation: 1991 - 1992

Research (4 of 4), 1991 - 1992

 File – Box 9, Folder: 16
Dates
Creation: 1991 - 1992

Audio Script, undated

 File – Box 9, Folder: 17
Dates
Creation: undated

Correspondence, 1992

 File – Box 9, Folder: 18
Dates
Creation: 1992

Publicity Materials, 1992

 File – Box 9, Folder: 19
Dates
Creation: 1992

How Does Aspirin Find A Headache?, 1992-1993, undated

 Series – Multiple Containers
Dates
Creation: 1992-1993, undated

Research (1 of 5), undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (2 of 5), undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (3 of 5), undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (4 of 5), undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: undated

Research (5 of 5), undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: undated

Manuscript (1 of 3), undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: undated

Manuscript (2 of 3), undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 7
Dates
Creation: undated

Manuscript (3 of 3), undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 8
Dates
Creation: undated

Edited Manuscript, undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 9
Dates
Creation: undated

Edited Illustrations, undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 10
Dates
Creation: undated

Edited Manuscript (1 of 2), undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 11
Dates
Creation: undated

Edited Manuscript (2 of 2), undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 12
Dates
Creation: undated

Edited Index Pages, 1993

 File – Box 10, Folder: 13
Dates
Creation: 1993

Edited Manuscript (1 of 3), undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 14
Dates
Creation: undated

Edited Manuscript (2 of 3), undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 15
Dates
Creation: undated

Edited Manuscript (3 of 3), undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 16
Dates
Creation: undated

Galley Proof, 1993

 File – Box 10, Folder: 17
Dates
Creation: 1993

Edited Galley proof, 1993

 File – Box 10, Folder: 18
Dates
Creation: 1993

Edited Galley Proof, 1993

 File – Box 10, Folder: 19
Dates
Creation: 1993

Audio Script, 1993

 File – Box 10, Folder: 16
Dates
Creation: 1993

Audio Script, undated

 File – Box 10, Folder: 17
Dates
Creation: undated

Correspondence, 1992

 File – Box 10, Folder: 18
Dates
Creation: 1992

Publicity Materials, 1992

 File – Box 10, Folder: 19
Dates
Creation: 1992

Edited Galley proof, 1993

 File – Box 11, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: 1993

Edited Galley Proof, 1993

 File – Box 11, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: 1993

Audio Script, undated

 File – Box 11, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: undated

Publisher Correspondence, 1993

 File – Box 11, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: 1993

Oversized Materials, 1985-1988, undated

 Series – Box 12
Dates
Creation: 1985-1988, undated

Imponderables- Edited Galley proof (1 of 2), 1985

 File – Box 12, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: 1985

Imponderables- Edited Galley proof (2 of 2), 1985

 File – Box 12, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: 1985

Imponderables- Galley Proof (Author Set), undated

 File – Box 12, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: undated

Who Put the Butter in Butterfly- Galley Proof, 1988

 File – Box 12, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: 1988