.
By Barbara Nytes-Baron
Collection Overview
Title: Professor Tom Battin Papers, 1936-1976
ID: 09/1988-001
Primary Creator: Battin, Tom C.
Extent: 6.0 Linear Feet
Date Acquired: 05/00/1988
Subjects: Battin, Tom, 1958-, University of Houston, University of Houston - Faculty, University of Houston. School of Communication
Forms of Material: Clippings (information artifacts), Correspondence, Photographs, Scrapbooks, Videocassettes
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The Battin Collection contains correspondence, articles, lecture notes, scrapbooks, photographs, scripts, and films. The materials date from 1936 to 1976, and comprise eleven manuscript boxes, one newspaper box and six films, five in reel cases. Because so many articles are one paragraph or less, they were placed with others in Mylar sheet protectors for preservation.
The collection is divided into nine series based on how it was received from the donors. The series are: Correspondence, Articles, Thesis, Photographs, Action for Youth, Lecture Materials, Scripts, Miscellaneous, and Films.
Biographical Note
Tom C. Battin was born in Marietta, Ohio, on July 29, 1905. In 1935 he received his BS in Television from Ohio University. He earned his MA from the University of Michigan in 1940. In 1951, he became the recipient of the first PhD ever awarded in Radio/Television Communication, also from the University of Michigan.
His thesis, The Use of the Diary and Survey Method Involving the Questionnaire Interview Technique, was widely used by television networks because it provided the first audience measurement of families' viewing habits. Considered a pioneer in educational television, Dr. Battin was involved in productions at the University of Michigan, the University of Florida, and the University of Houston. He taught at UH for 21 years and was Professor Emeritus at the University of Houston School of Communication.
Dr. Battin had experience in university theater, motion picture production, and acted in character roles in several films. He served as dialogue director for Cecil B. deMille and worked with director George Schaffer.
Dr. Battin published articles on television in educational and trade journals. He contributed chapters to widely used texts for college television instruction, including "Understanding Television: an Introduction to Broadcasting." Tom Jerriel and Bill Fleming were among his students. He died September 20, 1987.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
University of Houston Libraries
Access Restrictions:
Open for research.
Use Restrictions:
Special Collections owns the physical items in our collections, but copyright normally belongs to the creator of the materials or their heirs. The researcher has full responsibility for determining copyright status, obtaining permission to publish from copyright holders, and abiding by current copyright laws when publishing or displaying copies of Special Collections material in print or electronic form. For more information, consult the appropriate librarian. Reproduction decisions will be made by Special Collections staff on a case-by-case basis.
Acquisition Method:
Donated by Tom Battin's widow, Dr. R. Ray Battin, May 1988. Additional donation made by Dr. William Hawes, April 1989.
Preferred Citation:
Tom Battin Collection, Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries. To cite a specific item from this collection, please consult the most recent edition of your style manual for the proper formatting.
Processing Information:
Barbara Nytes-Baron, April 1995
Finding Aid Revision History:
Revised February 17, 2017
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Correspondence, 1936-1976],
[
Series 2: Articles, 1953-1984],
[
Series 3: Thesis, 1951],
[
Series 4: Photographs, 1961, undated],
[
Series 5: Action for Youth Project, 1963-1972, undated],
[
Series 6: Lecture Materials, 1968, undated],
[Series 7: Scripts, 1956-1970],
[
Series 8: Miscellaneous],
[
Series 9: Films],
[
All]
- Series 7: Scripts, 1956-1970
- The four boxes of stage, screen and television scripts are in alphabetical order and range in date from 1956 to 1970. The scripts in the collection cannot be copied.
- Box 8
- Folder 1: Adventure in Paradise. "Policeman's Holiday." Carey Wilber & Pat Falken Smith, 1961
- Folder 2: The Afternoon that changed History. (Battle of San Jacinto). Houston: KPRC-TV, undated
- Folder 3: Batman. "The Unkindest TUT of All." Stanley Ralph Ross. Greenway/TCF, 1967
- Folder 4: A Bell for Adano, undated
- Folder 5: Ben Casey. "Behold a Pale Horse." Teddi Sherman & Judith Plowden. Bing Crosby Productions, 1962
- Folder 6: Bewitched. "Majority of Two." Hollywood: Screen Gems, 1968
- Folder 7: Bewitched. "Samantha's Secret Saucer." Jerry Meyer. Screen Gems, 1968
- Folder 8: The Big Valley. "Bounty on Barkley." John O'Dea & Jerry Simms. Fourstar Television, 1967
- Folder 9: The Big Valley. "Your Neighbor's House." John O'Dea & Arthur Rowe. Hollywoood. Fourstar Television, 1957
- Folder 10: Bonnie and Clyde. Original screenplay. David Newman & Robert Benton. Warner Bros, 1967
- Folder 11: Bus-Stop. "County General." Pilot Script. David Shaw. Hollywood. TFC, 1962
- Folder 12: The City on the Edge of Forever. Teleplay. Harlan Ellison. Paramount, 1967
- Folder 13: Cowboy in Africa. "First to Capture." Gordon T. Dawson. Ivan Tors Films, 1967
- Box 9
- Folder 1: Custer. "The Raiders." Shimon Wincelberg. TFC, 1967
- Folder 2: Custer. "Suspicion." John Dunkel. TFC, 1967
- Folder 3: The Danny Thomas Show. "Girl Shy." Harvey Bullock & Ray Allen Saffain, 1963
- Folder 4: The Dick Van Dyke Show. "Too Many Stars." Sheldon Keller & Howard Merrill, 1963
- Folder 5: The FBI. "The Daughter." Paul Schneider. QM/Warner Bros.-Swan Arts, 1967
- Folder 6: The FBI. "The Traitors." John Bloch. QM/Warner Bros., 1967
- Folder 7: The Felony Squad. "The Love Victim." Robert Heverly & Anthony Lawrence. TFC, 1967
- Folder 8: Flight into Danger. Adapted by Christopher Sergel. Chicago: Dramatic Publishing Co., 1956, 1959
- Folder 9: The Flying Nun. "The Sister and the Old Salt." Bernard Slade, 1967
- Folder 10: The Fred Waring Show. CBS, 1949
- Folder 11: Garrisons Gorillas. "The Great Theft." Norman Hudis. Selmu Productions, 1967
- Folder 12: Get Smart. "The Annual Picnic." Teleplay story treatment for Get Smart. Rick Harrington, undated
- Folder 13: The Graduate. Screenplay by Charles Webb. Embassy Pictures/L. Turman, 1967
- Folder 14: The Great Hoax. Rick Harrington. Superior Film, 1964
- Folder 15: Guns of Will Sonnett. "Meeting at Devil's Fork." Clyde Wake. Thomas Spelling, 1967
- Folder 16: Guns of Will Sonnett. "The Natural Way." Dick Garr. Thomas Spelling Productions, undated
- Box 10
- Folder 1: Hallmark Hall of Fame. "The Fantasticks." Rehearsal Schedule, undated
- Folder 2: Hallmark Hall of Fame. "The Fantasticks." Adapted by Richard Hartung. NY Compass Productions, 1964
- Folder 3: Hondo. "Hondo and the Death Drive." Peter B. Germano. MGM, 1967
- Folder 4: The Invaders. "Labyrinth.", September 6, 1967
- Folder 5: Judd for the Defense. "Conspiracy." Les Leiberman. Vanadas/TFC, 1967
- Folder 6: Judd for the Defense. "Square House." Vanadas Productions/TFC, 1968
- Folder 7: Judge Roy Bean. "Law West of the Pecos." Rick Harrington, undated
- Folder 8: The Legend of Marilyn Monroe. Teleplay by Theodore Strauss & Terry Sanders. Wolper Productions, 1964
- Folder 9: Naked City. "Idylls of a Running Back." Ernest Kinoy. Shelle Productions, 1962
- Folder 10: NBC Children's Theatre. "Stuart Little." Rick Harrington. NBC, 1966
- Folder 11: NBC Children's Theatre. Promotional Piece, undated
- Folder 12: NBC Matinee Theatre. "The Tell Tale Heart." Adapted by William Templeton. NY. NBC, undated
- Folder 13: The Petrified Forest, undated
- Folder 14: Pinocchio. Ernest Kinoy, undated
- Folder 15: The Rat Patrol. "The Field of Death Raid." Richard K. Brodkway. MGM, 1967
- Folder 16: Rawhide. "The Transfer." Bernard Girard, 1964
- Box 11
- Folder 1: The Red Skelton Show. "Sing a Song of Sing Sing," "Silent Spot," "Pop's Butcher Shop." Van Bernard. CBS, 1964
- Folder 2: Requiem for a Heavy Weight. Rod Serling, undated
- Folder 3: The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming. Screenplay by William Rose. Mirisch Corp., 1965
- Folder 4: The Second Hundred Years. "A Couple of Sad Dads." Lela Garrett & Bernie Kahn. Screen Gems., 1967
- Folder 5: Seven Last Words of Christ. A Sacred Cantata, undated
- Folder 6: That Girl. "A Friend in Need." Richard Baer. Disney Productions, 1967
- Folder 7: Thoroughly Modern Millie. Richard Morris. Universal Pictures/Ross Hunter, 1967
- Folder 8: Thunder on Sycamore Street. Reginold Rose. Chicago. Dramatic Publishing Co., undated
- Folder 9: The Untouchables. "The Pea." Harry Kronman. Desilu Productions, 1962
- Folder 10: Who in the World. Ralph Edwards Production, 1962
- Folder 11: Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf? Edward Albee. Screenplay by Ernest Lehman, undated
- Folder 12: Rowen & Martin's Laugh In. Taping schedules, 1970
- Folder 13: Rowen & Martin's Laugh In. Taping schedules, 1970
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Correspondence, 1936-1976],
[
Series 2: Articles, 1953-1984],
[
Series 3: Thesis, 1951],
[
Series 4: Photographs, 1961, undated],
[
Series 5: Action for Youth Project, 1963-1972, undated],
[
Series 6: Lecture Materials, 1968, undated],
[Series 7: Scripts, 1956-1970],
[
Series 8: Miscellaneous],
[
Series 9: Films],
[
All]