Marvin Kitman papers, 1950-2006

After clicking 'Submit Request', users will login with their UNI and password (Columbia affiliates) or their special collections account (external users). Appointments are required and will be arranged according to each individual repository's policy.


Series III: Other Professional Activities, 1963-2006

Alongside his career as a journalist, Kitman entertained many other projects from running for President to designing adverts for Hertz cars. This series reflects these diverse activities, and is split into four sub-series: scripts, presidential campaign, books and advertising campaign.


Subseries III.1: Scripts, 1973-1995

This small sub-series is mostly comprised of annotated drafts of scripts that Kitman wrote for Channel Five's Morning Show in the 1980s, which are written in Kitman's trademark irreverent style.



Box 70 1973 August, 1973


Box 70 1973 September, 1973



Box 64 Tom Snyder Farewell, 1981 December 17, 1981


Box 64 Thanksgiving, TOMORROW SHOW, undated


Box 64 Tom Snyder, 1981


Box 64 CHANNEL FIVE MORNING SHOW, 1981


Box 64 CHANNEL FIVE MORNING SHOW, 1982


Box 64 CHANNEL FIVE MORNING SHOW, 1983



Box 70 CHANNEL FIVE MORNING SHOW, 1984


Box 70 CHANNEL FIVE MORNING SHOW, 1985


Box 70 CHANNEL FIVE MORNING SHOW, 1986


Box 70 Talk Show Debut, 1995


Subseries III.2: Presidential Campaign, 1964-1969

Kitman ran for President in 1964 using Abraham Lincoln's 1864 platform to abolish slavery. While an unsuccessful candidate, Kitman succeeded in generating a wealth of publicity and this sub-series contains publicity materials and correspondence relating to this campaign, including photographs, interviews and advertisement campaigns. Kitman also considered running for Congress in 1969 and there are some materials relating to this attempt within this sub-series.



Box 71 Appearance at University of Hartford, 1966


Box 71 C. Warner Mills III Correspondence, 1964


Box 71 Congress Campaign, 1969


Box 71 Deals and Endorsements, 1964


Box 71 General Campaign Correspondence, 1964, 2 folders


Box 71 General Campaign Materials, 1964


Box 71 Mock Ad Campaigns, 1964


Box 71 Press Clippings, 1964


Box 71 Report from New Hampshire Primary, 1964


Box 71 Victor Navasky Correspondence, 1964


Subseries III.3: Books, 1963-1975

Annotated drafts and galleys for some of Kitman's non-fiction works are included within this sub-series. The books featured areThe Number One Bestseller,Kitman's account of his life and political campaigns,The Coward's Almanac,a humorous compilation of potential dangers andThe History of the Nude on Television.Some correspondence and advertising materials are also included, as well as a playscript inspired by Kitman'sGeorge Washington's Expense Account.


THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER



Box 72 Advertising and Promotion Ideas, 1966


Box 72 Correspondence relating to Presidential Campaign used for the Book,, 1963-1966


Box 72 E.L. Doctorow Correspondence, 1965


Box 72 Publicity Materials, Folder One, 1966


Box 72 Publicity Materials, Folder Two, 1966



Box 73 Readers Correspondence, 1966


Box 73 Reviews, 1966


Box 73 Sales, 1966


Box 73 Solow Wexton Correspondence, 1966


THE COWARD'S ALMANAC


Box 73 Correspondence, 1974-1975


Box 73 Draft, 1974


Box 73 Proof, 1975



Box 223 Proof with Illustrations, 1975



Box 74 GEORGE WASHINGTON'S EXPENSE ACCOUNT


Box 74 IS GEORGE RESPONSIBLE, Playscript by Ann Early inspired by GEORGE WASHINGTON'S EXPENSE ACCOUNT,, undated


THE HISTORY OF THE NUDE IN TELEVISION


Box 74 Book jacket and proof


Subseries III.4: Advertising Campaign, 1968

Kitman's drawings and suggested slogans for a Hertz advertising campaign for their rental cars is included in this sub-series. The progress of the campaign can be traced from Kitman's initial sketches and storyboard ideas to the final advert.


Box 74 Hertz Advertising Campaign Marketing Materials, 1968



Box 223 Hertz Advertising Campaign Posters, 1968