Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Serling, Rod, 1924-1975.

Description

1. 17 lf. (47 boxes)

Summary

1. The Phyllis Merrill papers span 1933-1956 and consist of correspondence, memos, notes, commercial writings from the J. Walter Thompson agency, and scripts for radio and television.

Subject

1. Bergen, Edgar, 1903-1978
2. Correspondence
3. Radio comedies > United States
4. Serling, Rod, 1924-1975
5. Copy writers > United States
6. Radio Corporation of America
7. J. Walter Thompson Company
8. Television plays, American
9. Radio plays, American
10. Advertising > United States
11. Radio scripts
12. Gleason, Jackie, 1916-1987
13. Scripts
14. Television adaptations
15. Hayes, Helen, 1900-1993
16. Allen, Fred, 1894-1956
17. Merrill, Phyllis, 1908-
18. Television scripts

Genre/Form

1. Radio scripts.
2. Television scripts.
3. Scripts.
4. Correspondence.

Call number

1. *T-Mss 1998-004

Access (note)

1. Collection is open to the public. Library policy on photography and photocopying will apply. Advance notice may be required.

Source (note)

1. Roberta M. Carr

Biography (note)

1. Phyllis Merrill (1908-1972) was born in Franklin, New Hampshire, graduated from Mount Holyoke in 1930, and earned an M.A. from Radcliffe in 1932. In 1942, after several years as a teacher, she took a job with the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency as a copy writer. Ms. Merrill became a radio scriptwriter, adapting plays for the Helen Hayes Theater series, writing comedy sketches for Edgar Bergen, Fred Allen, and Jackie Gleason, and writing speeches for various actors, comedians, and politicians. After a series of heart attacks, Phyllis Merrill returned to New Hampshire in 1957 and resumed work as a copy writer for a small agency in Concord. She also edited the New Hampshire Education Association magazine. She died in Concord on January 23, 1972.

Processing action (note)

1. Processed

Author

1. Merrill, Phyllis, 1908-

Title

1. Phyllis Merrill papers, 1933-1956.

Restricted access

1. Collection is open to the public. Library policy on photography and photocopying will apply. Advance notice may be required.

Biography

1. Phyllis Merrill (1908-1972) was born in Franklin, New Hampshire, graduated from Mount Holyoke in 1930, and earned an M.A. from Radcliffe in 1932. In 1942, after several years as a teacher, she took a job with the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency as a copy writer. Ms. Merrill became a radio scriptwriter, adapting plays for the Helen Hayes Theater series, writing comedy sketches for Edgar Bergen, Fred Allen, and Jackie Gleason, and writing speeches for various actors, comedians, and politicians. After a series of heart attacks, Phyllis Merrill returned to New Hampshire in 1957 and resumed work as a copy writer for a small agency in Concord. She also edited the New Hampshire Education Association magazine. She died in Concord on January 23, 1972.

Connect to:

1. Request Access to Theatre Division Special Collections material
2. Finding Aid

Added author

1. Merrill, Phyllis, 1908-
2. Serling, Rod, 1924-1975.
3. Serling, Rod, 1924-1975. Blues for Joey Menotti.
4. Serling, Rod, 1924-1975. Long time till dawn.

Research call number

1. *T-Mss 1998-004