Finding Aid for the Robert Bellem Papers, 1931-1968

Processed by M. Nordman; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé

UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections

Manuscripts Division

Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library

Box 951575

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575

Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu

URL: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/special/scweb/

Finding Aid for the Robert Bellem Papers, 1931-1968

Collection number: 1008

UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections

Manuscripts Division

Los Angeles, CA

Contact Information

Manuscripts Division
UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Telephone: 310/825-4988 (10:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Pacific Time)
Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
URL: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/special/scweb/

Processed by:: M. Nordman, February 1969
Encoded by:: Caroline Cubé
Text converted and initial container list EAD tagging by:: Apex Data Services
Online finding aid edited by:: Josh Fiala, February 2002

Descriptive Summary

Title: Robert Bellem Papers,

Date (inclusive): 1931-1968

Collection number: 1008

Creator: Bellem, Robert Leslie, 1902-1968

Extent: 23 boxes (12.5 linear ft.)

Repository: University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.

Los Angeles, California 90095-1575

Abstract: Bellem (1902-1968)was born in Philadelphia. He worked as a journalist for 15 years in Philadelphia, Miami, Albuquerque and California. Bellem sold his first detective story to Argosy in 1925. He began writing for Spicy Detective Stories in 1934. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Anthony Gordon, Franklin Charles, John Grange, and John A. Saxon. Bellem later wrote television screenplays. The collection consists of short stories, novels, movie scenarios, radio scripts, and television plays written by Bellem.

Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Language: English.

Administrative Information

Restrictions on Use and Reproduction

Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

Restrictions on Access

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Provenance/Source of Acquisition

Gift of Mrs. Bellem, 1968.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Robert Bellem Papers (Collection 1008). Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Biography

Bellem was born in Philadelphia in 1902; worked as a journalist for 15 years in Philadelphia, Miami, Albuquerque, and Pasadena, California; sold first detective story to Argosy in 1925; while in Pasadena, was a radio announcer for KPSN, a movie extra for Universal, and also worked on the advertising staff of the Pasadena Star-News; met publisher Frank Armer, 1933, and began writing for his Spicy Detective Stories the following year; by 1936 Bellem was writing and selling over a million words annually; also wrote under the pseudonyms Anthony Gordon, Franklin Charles, John Grange, and John A. Saxon; later wrote television screenplays; died in 1968.

Scope and Content

Collection consists of short stories, novels, movie scenarios, radio scripts, and television plays written by Bellem. The short stories (originally published in pulp magazines) were bound in volumes. Television series writing includes scripts for 77 Sunset Strip, The F.B.I., Death Valley Days, Perry Mason, Iron Horse, and Dick Tracy. Includes radio scripts for Creeps by Night. Also contains newspapers, magazines, and a catalog of military goods.

Organization and Arrangement

Arranged in the following series:

Hollywood detective third series (Boxes 1-2).
Short stories (Boxes 3-4).
Dan Turner: Hollywood detective (Boxes 5-6).
Detective stories (Boxes 7-10).
TV series and teleplays (Boxes 11-13, 15-21).
Books (Box 14)
Radio plays (Box 22)
Adventure stories (Box 23).

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects

Bellem, Robert Leslie, 1902-1968--Archives.

Authors, American 20th century--Archival resources.

Television writers--United States--Archival resources.

Radio writers--United States--Archival resources.

Genres and Forms of Material

Mystery and detective fiction.

Television plays.

Radio plays.

Container List

Box 1

Hollywood Detective, Third Series

Scope and Content Note

Contains clipped stories by Bellem, specially bound in green cloth.

Box 1, Volumes 15-16

September 1946.

Box 1, Volumes 17-19

September 1944.

Box 1, Volumes 20-21

April 1944.

Box 1, Volumes 22-24

1944[?].

Box 1, Volume 25

1944[?].

Box 1, Volume 26

December 1945.

Box 1, Volume 27

February 1946.

Box 1, Volumes 28-29

April 1946.

Box 1, Volume 29

1946[?].

Box 1, Volumes 30-31

July 1946.

Box 1, Volumes 32-34

1946[?].

Box 1, Volumes 35-37

1947[?].

Box 1, Volumes 38-39

1949.

Box 1, Volumes 40-43

1949[?].

Box 1, Volumes 44-45

1949[?].

Box 2, Volumes 46-48

1950[?].

Box 2

Of Distant Valor and other adventure stories, by R.L.B., undated

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Spicy Adventure Stories and Fantastic Adventure Stories.

Box 2

The Camera Guy and other adventure stories, by R.L.B. undated

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Spicy Adventure Stories.

Box 2

Encores: Adventure Reprints, by R.L.B. undated 1940[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Spicy Adventure Stories and Spicy Western Stories.

Box 2

Fortune's Rogue and other adventure stories, by R.L.B. 1940[?].

Note

Extracted from Spicy Adventure Stories.

Box 2

Accent on Action: Adventure and Western Stories, by R.L.B. 1944[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Spicy Adventure Stories and Spicy Western Stories.

Short stories

Box 3

Censorable: Short Stories, by R.L.B.

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Midnight Gayeties, 1937. French Scandals, Gay French Life, 1938.

Box 3

Yohimbin: Short Stories, by R.L.B.

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from French Night Life, 1936. Screen Scandals, 1936. Popular Detective, and Thrilling Adventure Stories.

Box 3

Studies in Copper: Police and Detective Stories, by R.L.B.

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Popular Detective and Thrilling Adventure Stories 1939.

Box 3

Rebel of the Turf: a Novel and other Sports Stories, by R.L.B. undated, 1940[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from various pulp magazines.

Box 3

High Tide in Homicide: Detective Stories, by R.L.B. 1944[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Spicy Detective Stories and Private Detective Stories.

Box 4

The Path to Glory and other Stories, by R.L.B. 1931

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Pep Stories and Spicy Bedtime Stories.

Box 4

The Claws of the Dragon and other Adventure Stories, by R.L.B. 1938.

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Spicy Adventure Stories.

Box 4

Hot and Bothered: Short Stories, by R.L.B. 1935.

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from various pulp magazines.

Box 4

Many Killers: Detective Novels and Stories, by R.L.B. 1944[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Detective Mystery Novel Magazine, Private Detective Stories, and Speed Detective.

Box 4

Dr. Zeng: Novels, by Walt Bruce (R.L.B.) 1944[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Popular Detective.

Box 4

Here Come the Cops: Police Detective Stories, by R.L.B. ca. 1946[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Popular Detective, Private Detective and Super Detective.

Box 4

Curtain Calls: Detective Reprints, by R.L.B. 1945[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Private Detective Stories, Super Detective Stories, and Speed Detective.

Box 5

Dan Turner: Hollywood Detective (Serial Detective Stories)

Box 5, Volume 1 no. 1

1942.

Box 5, Volume 1 no. 2

1942.

Box 5, Volume 1 no. 3

1942.

Box 5, Volume 1 no. 4

October 1942.

Box 5, Volume 1 no. 5

December 1942.

Box 5, Volume 1 no. 6

January 1943.

Box 5, Volume 2 no. 1

February 1943.

Box 5, Volume 2 no. 2

March 1943.

Box 5, Volume 2 no. 3

May 1943.

Box 5, Volume 2 no. 4

July 1943.

Box 5

September 1943.

Box 5

October 1943.

Box 5

November 1943.

Box 5

December 1943.

Box 5

January 1944.

Box 6

Hollywood Detective (Bound magazine series with stories, by R.L.B)

Box 6

February 1944.

Box 6

March 1944.

Box 6

May 1944.

Box 6

June 1944.

Box 6

July 1944.

Box 6

October 1944.

Box 6

November 1944.

Box 6

Short stories, by R.L.B. 1932[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from various pulp magazines.

Box 6

The Dan Turner Saga, by R.L.B. 1944[?].

Scope and Content Note

Serial of stories extracted from Speed Detective Magazine.

Box 6

Dan Turner's Casebook and other Detective Stories, by R.L.B. 1944[?].

Scope and Content Note

Serial of stories extracted from Spicy Detective Stories, and Private Detective Stories.

Box 6

Reforming Dan Turner: from Spice to Speed, by R.L.B. 1944[?].

Scope and Content Note

Serial of stories extracted from Spicy Detective Stories and Speed Detective.

Detective stories

Box 7

Second Impressions: Detective Stories, by R.L.B. 1943[?].

Scope and Content Note

Serial of stories extracted from Spicy Detective Stories and other pulp magazines.

Box 7

Super Detective Novels, by John Grange (R.L.B.) 1944[?].

Box 7

More Dan Turner, as Well as Other Detective Stories, by R.L.B. 1943[?].

Scope and Content Note

Serial of stories extracted from Spicy Detective Stories.

Box 7

Dan Turner's Methods: Detective Stories, by R.L.B. 1943[?].

Scope and Content Note

Serial of stories extracted from Spicy Detective Stories, Private Detective Stories, and Romantic Detective Stories.

Box 7

Exclusively Dan Turner, by R.L.B. 1942[?].

Scope and Content Note

Serial of stories extracted from Spicy Detective Stories and Private Detective Stories.

Box 8

Nick Ransom, Stunt Man and other Detective Stories, by R.L.B. 1944[?].

Scope and Content Note

Serial of stories extracted from various pulp magazines.

Box 8

Shudders for Sale: Mystery Stories, by R.L.B. 1944[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Speed Mystery and Spicy Mystery Stories.

Box 8

Ransom Horner and Company, Movie Detectives, by R.L.B. 1943[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Thrilling Detective, Hollywood Detective and other pulp magazines.

Box 8

Dan Turner Again: Detective Stories, by R.L.B. 1944[?].

Scope and Content Note

A serial of stories extracted from Spicy Detective Stories.

Box 8

Fact and Fancy, by R.L.B. 1944[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from various pulp magazines.

Box 8

Below the Belt: Short Stories, by R.L.B. 1931.

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from various pulp magazines.

Box 9

Compliments of a Fiend by Frederic Brown; Too Fair to Die!, by Cleve F. Adams. March 1951.

Scope and Content Note

In pulp magazine: Two Complete Detective Books.

Box 9

Midnight Mysteries, by R.L.B. 1949[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Spicy Mystery Stories.

Box 9

Fees for Dan Turner: Detective Stories, by R.L.B. 1949[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Spicy Detective Stories.

Box 9

Call Dan Turner! and other Detective Stories, by R.L.B. 1934[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from Spicy Detective Stories.

Box 9

In Technicolor: Picture Stories by R.L.B. Comics. 1941.

Box 9

Curdle Your Blood: Mystery Chillers, by R.L.B. 1943[?].

Box 10

Not for Children: Short Stories, by R.L.B. 1932.

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from various pulp magazines.

Box 10

Slicks and Slickers: Short Stories, by R.L.B. 1934[?].

Scope and Content Note

Extracted from various pulp magazines.

Box 10

Folder of Clippings of Verse by R.L.B. 1919-1929.

TV series and teleplays

Box 11

77 Sunset Strip (Television Series).

Box 11

Alimony League November 26, 1963

Physical Description: 2 copies.

Box 11

Paper Chase October 24, 1963

Physical Description: 3 copies.

Box 11

Deposit with Caution October 7, 1963

Physical Description: 5 copies.

Box 11

Bonus Baby September 16, 1963

Physical Description: 3 copies.

Box 11

Toll Bell Slowly August 26, 1963

Physical Description: 1 copy.

Box 12

The F.B.I. (Television Series).

Box 12

Will the Real Traitor Please Stand Up? August 2, 1965

Physical Description: 1 copy.

Box 12

The Exiles September 7, 1965

Physical Description: 2 copies.

Box 12

An Elephant is Like a Rope October 8, 1965

Physical Description: 2 copies.

Box 12

The Man Who Went Mad by Mistake January 14, 1966

Physical Description: 2 copies.

Box 12

The Death Wind July 8, 1966

Physical Description: 2 copies.

Box 12

The Hostage December 9, 1966

Physical Description: 2 copies.

Box 12

Death Valley Days (Television Series).

Box 12

The Fighting Sky Pilot November 24, 1964

Physical Description: 2 copies.

Box 12

A City is Born May 27, 1965

Physical Description: 2 copies.

Box 12

Dry Water Sailors September 8, 1965

Physical Description: 2 copies.

Box 12

Research materials and synopses of Death Valley Days stories.

Box 13

Perry Mason (Television series).

Box 13

The Case of the Malicious Mariner July 24, 1961.

Box 13

The Case of the Brazen Bequest October 12, 1961.

Box 13

The Case of the Counterfeit Crank March 7, 1962.

Box 13

The Case of the Promoter's Pillbox March 29, 1962.

Box 13

The Case of the Stand-In Sister September 13, 1962.

Box 13

The Case of the Nautical Knot June 4, 1964

Physical Description: 5 copies.

Box 13

Iron Horse (Television Series).

Box 13

Four Guns to Scalplock August 4, 1967

Physical Description: 4 copies (2 final draft and 2 final revised).

Box 13

Synopses for 2 shows: A Czar for Scalp-lock, and Five Skulls for Scalp-lock. August 21, 1967.

Box 15

Dick Tracy (Television Series)

Box 15, Volume vol. 1, 2, 3.

1951

Box 16

(Television Series and teleplays)

Box 16

Teleplays. Bellem. Dick Tracy Series. vol.4 1951.

Box 16

Teleplays. Bellem. Wester Marshall. 1955.

Box 16

Teleplays. Bellem. Front Page Detective 1951.

Box 17

Teleplays by R.L.B.

Box 17

Superman 1958.

Box 17

Boston Blackie 1952.

Box 17

City Detective undated

Box 17

Biff Baker 1952.

Box 17

Superman undated

Box 17

Captain Midnight undated

Box 18

Teleplays by R.L.B.

Box 18

Superboy 1960.

Box 18

Dangerous Robin 1961.

Box 18

Johnny Midnight 1959.

Box 18

Charly Chan 1957.

Box 18

Hannibal Cobb 1959.

Box 19

Teleplays by R.L.B.

Box 19

Man Without a Gun 1959.

Box 19

Broken Arrow 1957.

Box 19

Texan 1960.

Box 19

Mackenzie's Raiders 1958.

Box 19

Restless Gun 1958.

Box 20

Teleplays by R.L.B.

Box 20

Miscellaneous half hours 1959.

Box 20

Live and film pilots and documentary 1951.

Box 20

Screen Play: Thing That Screamed 1957.

Box 21

Teleplays by R.L.B.

Box 21

Anthology Series 1953-1954.

Box 21

Lone Ranger 1956.

Box 21

Perry Mason Series 1961- 1962.

Box 14

Books

Box 14

The Sex Ladder, by Anthony Gordon (pseudonym) 1964.

Box 14

The Vice Czar Murders, by Franklin Charles 1941.

Physical Description: 3 copies.

Note

Charles is a pseudonym of Cleve F. Adams

Box 14

The Saint's Choice of Hollywood Crime (with The Phantom Bullet, by R.L.B.) 1946.

Box 14

Want Ads?, by R.L.B.

Box 14

Blue Murder, by R.L.B. 1938.

Box 14

The Window With the Sleeping Nude, by R.L.B. 1950.

Physical Description: 2 copies.

Box 14

No Wings on a Cop 1950.

Note

By Cleve F. Adams.

Box 14

Good-bye Dan Turner, by R.L.B. 1950.

Box 14

Half-Past Mortem, by John A. Saxon. 1947.

Physical Description: 2 copies.

Box 14

Doctor of Lesbos, by Anthony Gordon. 1963.

Box 14

Point Blank!, by Richard Stark. 1962.

Note

Stark is pseudonym of Donald Westlake. Not by Bellem.

Radio plays

Box 22

Creeps by Night (Radio Plays).

Box 22

no.7) The Unwelcome Visitor April 4, 1944.

Box 22

no.8) Those Who Walk in Darkness April 11, 1944.

Box 22

no.9) The Permanent Guests April 18, 1944

Box 22

no.10) Appointment With Death April 25, 1944.

Box 22

no.11) The Final Reckoning May 2, 1944.

Box 22

no.12) The Hunt May 9, 1944.

Box 22

Catalogue of military goods 1922.

Box 22

Historical newspapers and magazines.

Physical Description: (approximately 10)

Adventure stories

Box 23

Espionage: Adventure Stories, by R.L.B. 1945[?].

Box 23

Prop copies: Yellow Sentinel (Television newspaper).

Box 23

The Cat and the Fiddle, fragments.

Box 23

High Explosive, by R.L.B. undated

Physical Description: (Teleplay).

Box 23

Tarzan: Track of the Dinosaur. November 16, 1966.

Box 23

Tarzan: Trumpets and Eagles. December 16, 1966.

Box 23

On Stage, Sophie! 30 minute teleplay by R.L.B.

Box 23

Headquarters Anchorage. no author undated

Box 23

Presentation and Pilot Television series: The Many Faces of James B. Hume, by R.L.B. undated

Box 23

Ride the Blind Stallion, by R.L.B. undated

Physical Description: (screenplay)

Box 23

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea series: No Way Out. October 14, 1964.

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