Esquire, Inc. Records, 1933-1977

Summary

Creator:

Esquire, Inc.

Abstract:

Magazine publishing company, principally Esquire magazine, originally edited by Arnold Gingrich, records include editorial files with drafts and manuscripts of articles and some correspondence with authors and some business records.

Extent:

26 linear feet
2.08 GB

Language:

English.

Call Number:

85177 Bb/2

Authors:

Finding aid prepared by: Thomas E. Powers

Background

Scope and Content:

The records of Esquire Magazine detail the management and operation of one of the nation's principal literary and current events periodical of the middle decades of the twentieth century. The bulk of the material in the collection consists of research and editorial files for each article published in Esquire.

Although the records contained in the Esquire record group cover only a portion of the magazine's development, they can be used in conjunction with the Arnold Gingrich collection, also on file at the Bentley Historical Library to document one of the most influential publishing ventures of the twentieth century.

Biographical / Historical:

Esquire was founded in 1933 by David A. Smart and William H. Weintraub, publishers, and Arnold Gingrich, editor. Advertised as a magazine for men, Esquire published fiction, travel, and fashion news for an affluent audience. The magazine was immediately successful, and Esquire, Inc. expanded into other areas, including publication of Coronet beginning in 1936. Gingrich attracted many of the most prominent authors in America to Esquire, from Hemingway and Fitzgerald in the 1930s to Styron and Mailer in the 1960s.

By the 1960s the magazine had become less fiction-oriented, and published more investigative reporting by such writers as Tom Wolfe and Philip Nobile. In 1977, after Gingrich's death, Esquire, Inc. sold the magazine, and the editorial files were donated to the Michigan Historical Collections.

Acquisition Information:

The records were donated by Esquire, Inc. in 1978. Donor no. 6153

Processing information:

In preparing digital material for long-term preservation and access, the Bentley Historical Library adheres to professional best practices and standards to ensure that content will retain its authenticity and integrity. For more information on procedures for the ingest and processing of digital materials, please see Bentley Historical Library Digital Processing Note. Access to digital material may be provided either as a direct link to an individual file or as a downloadable package of files bundled in a zip file.

Arrangement:

The record group has been divided into seven series: Article Files; Sound and the Fury (Letters to the Editor); Story Research File; Correspondence with Authors and Agents; Staff Correspondence; and Assorted Business Files.

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Index to The Sound And The Fury series

Buckley, William Frank, 1925-	Sept. 12, 1962
Church, Frank, 1924-	Aug. 2, 1966
Heston, Charlton, 1923-	Jan. 26, 1966
Hopper, Hedda, 1890-1966.	Feb. 22, 1961
Lowry, Robert James, 1919-	Mar. 25, 1960
Miller, Arthur, 1915-	Feb. 13, 1967
Mondale, Walter Frederick, 1928-	June 4, 1969
Nabokov, Vladimir, 1899-	Apr. 9, 1965
O'Hair, Madalyn Murray	Nov. 11, 1964; Feb. 2, 1965
Porter, Katherine Anne, 1890-	Feb. 27, 1967
Powell, Adam Clayton, 1908-1972.	Mar. 10, 1968
Rabe, David William, 1940-	Aug. 3, 1968
Sheed, Wilfrid John Joseph, 1930-	Mar. 28, 1969
Thomas, Norman Mattoon, 1884-1968.	July 21, 1966
Thompson, Hunter S.	Oct. 8, 1959
Yorty, Samuel William, 1909-	Oct. 16, 1968

Index to Authors, Agents, and Staff Correspondence series

Brownmiller, Susan	Feb. 15, 1968
Condon, Richard, 1915-	Mar. 28, 1967
Felker, Clay S., 1928-	(10 folders)
Mailer, Norman, 1923-	June 8, 1962; Dec. 9, 1961; Nov. 10, 1959; Oct. 27, 1959; Oct. 8, 1959
Mauldin, William H., 1921-	Oct. 26, 1960 (cartoonists correspondence)
Schoenbrun, David Franz, 1915-	1958-1961 (1 folder)
Schulberg, Budd, 1914-	folder
Styron, William, 1925-	Aug. and Sept. 10, 1961
Wechsberg, Joseph, 1907-	folder

Alternative Form Available:

Digitization: The Library has undertaken the digitization of a number of sound recordings within this collection. The resulting audio files are available for playback only in the Bentley Library Reading Room. Links to item images and additional information are available within this finding aid. Original sound recordings are only available for staff use.

Subjects

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Subjects:

Authors, American.
Literature.
Poetry.
Periodicals, Publishing of -- New York (N.Y.)
Esquire (New York, N.Y.)

Names:

Gingrich, Arnold.
Rockefeller, Nelson A. (Nelson Aldrich), 1908-1979.
Brownmiller, Susan.
Buckley, William F., Jr. (William Frank), 1925-2008.
Church, Frank.
Condon, Richard.
Felker, Clay.
Heston, Charlton.
Hopper, Hedda, 1890-1966.
Lowry, Robert, 1919-1994.
Mailer, Norman.
Mauldin, Bill, 1921-2003.
Miller, Arthur, 1915-2005.
Mondale, Walter F., 1928-
Nabokov, Vladimir Vladimirovich, 1899-1977.
O'Hair, Madalyn Murray.
Porter, Katherine Anne, 1890-1980.
Powell, Adam Clayton, 1908-1972.
Rabe, David.
Schoenbrun, David.
Schulberg, Budd.
Sheed, Wilfred.
Styron, William, 1925-2006.
Thomas, Norman, 1884-1968.
Thompson, Hunter S.
Wechsberg, Joseph, 1907-1983.
Yorty, Samuel William, 1909-