Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Thomas, Lowell, 1892-1981
- Abstract:
- Lowell Jackson Thomas was born in Woodington, Ohio on 6 April 1892. Thomas showed an interest in journalism from a young age, and it was through this interest that Thomas planned a "See America First" campaign in which he planned to film and photograph the lands of America and share his experiences with the people back home. But with the declaration of war in 1917, Thomas had credentials arranged for him to travel to the war fronts in Europe so that Thomas could gather information and return home to create presentations to rally the American people to the war effort. When World War I ended, Thomas went to Germany where he spent several weeks gathering information about the revolt that followed the war. By the late 1920s, Lowell and his wife, Francis, finally settled down. In 1927, Thomas signed a contract with Doubleday and Company to write six books. Realizing he needed assistance, Thomas entered into what turned out to be a lifelong partnership with Prosper Buranelli who wrote and edited numerous books, articles and scripts with him. On 29 September 1930 Lowell Thomas became a radio broadcaster who for fifteen minutes Monday through Friday highlighted the daily news for the American public. Thomas's distinctive voice and ease and comfort behind the microphone made him a natural. He would broadcast "Lowell Thomas and the News" for 46 continuous years, first on the NBC and then on the CBS radio network. The Sun Oil Corporation and then Procter and Gamble were to become major sponsors of Thomas's broadcast. It was not long before Thomas was asked to become the voice of the Fox Movietone News. Thomas began to join private clubs where men of power and influence met and was often asked to become President or a member of the Board of Directors. Among the influential clubs Thomas belonged to in his lifetime were The Explorers Club, Adventurers' Club, Advertising Club, Dutch Treat Club and the Bohemian Club where Thomas would attend Caveman Camp with his good friend of many years, former President Herbert Hoover. In 1949, Thomas became one of the few Westerners allowed entry into Tibet. By the end of the 1950s Thomas turned to a much smaller medium, television. Similar to his early travelogue days, Thomas traveled to exotic places in the world and created entertaining and informative one hour long television shows about where he had been. Thomas led a full and active life into his eighties. Despite the death of Frances in 1975 and the end of his regular news broadcast in 1976, Thomas continued writing drafts of his autobiography with the help of his editor, Lawrence Elliott. The Lowell Thomas Memorabilia Collection consists of 5 mediums containing personal items, memorabilia and published works: textual materials, graphic materials, objects, moving images, and sound recordings.
- Extent:
- 87 Linear Feet
- Language:
- The language of the materials is predominately English. Other languages include: Spanish, German, French and Latin.
- Preferred citation:
[Description of item, date, location of item in order of series, box number, folder number ], in the Lowell Thomas Memorabillia Collection, James A. Cannavino Library, Marist College.
Background
- Scope and Content:
The Lowell Thomas Memorabilia Collection consists of 5 mediums containing personal items, memorabilia and published works. Textual material is a series of pamphlets, promotional materials, correspondence, awards, membership certificates, publications and other materials, which concern Lowell Thomas’s activities. Graphic material consists of photographs, postcards, caricatures, drawings, paintings, posters and maps. The photographs include portraits of Lowell Thomas, graduation ceremonies, University of Denver and Alfred G. Buckham photography. The caricatures and drawings include works of Lowell Thomas and acquaintances from artists such as Herb Roth. The paintings include a series of painting of the Seven World Wonders and works by Falke Monte Luke from Lowell Thomas’s World War I photographs. The posters are composed of movie posters from Cinerama, the blonde Captive and other works. The maps include places Lowell Thomas visited, the local area where he lived and a French map of Russia. The object series consists mainly of plates, saucers, cups and bowls from the Lowell Thomas Inn. In this series there are also plaques of awards to Lowell Thomas and miscellaneous pieces including a stained glass pane. The moving images of a DVD version of The Blonde Captive, a film of Lowell Thomas Driving and a Laserdisc Lawrence in Arabia. Finally, the sound recordings consist of records pertaining to his broadcasts, Cinerama and other topics.
- Biographical / Historical:
Lowell Jackson Thomas was born in Woodington, Ohio on 6 April 1892 to two school teachers, Harry G. Thomas and Harriet Wagner Thomas. The family did not remain in Darke County, Ohio for very long because Lowell's father wanted to become a doctor. Harry G. Thomas's pursuit of a medical degree led the family to Kirkman, Iowa where five-year-old Lowell was enrolled in school for the first time. Harry's studies soon led him to the University of Nebraska. Upon graduation, Harry G. Thomas followed his brother's suggestion to begin his medical practice in the twin mining boom towns of Cripple Creek and Victor, Colorado. It was here in the rugged American West that Lowell spent the better part of his childhood and young adult years.
- Acquisition information:
- The Lowell Thomas Memorabilia Collection was donated to Marist College by the Thomas family in 2014.
- Arrangement:
Collection is seperated into five series: 1) Textual materials, 2) Graphic Materials, 3) Objects, 4) Moving Images, and 5) Sound Recordings
Each series is divided into subseries, many subseries are divded into further subseries. Series and subseries are arranged alphabetically.
- Rules or conventions:
- DACS Describing Archives: A Content Standard. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2013.
Access
- RESTRICTIONS:
-
There are no restrictions on this collection
- TERMS OF ACCESS:
-
Individuals requesting reproductions expressly assume the responsibility for compliance with all pertinent provisions of the Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. ss101 et seq. Patrons further agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Marist College Archives and Special Collections and its staff in connection with any disputes arising from the Copyright Act, over the reproduction of material at the request of patrons. For more information please visit the following website: http://www.loc.gov/copyright/title17/.
- PREFERRED CITATION:
-
[Description of item, date, location of item in order of series, box number, folder number ], in the Lowell Thomas Memorabillia Collection, James A. Cannavino Library, Marist College.
- LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
- CONTACT:
-
845-575-3364library.archives@marist.edu