Dick Perry Papers

Collection

Identifier: PCL-MS-0031

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Abstract

The Dick Perry Papers primarily consist of manuscript materials related to his plays, books and short stories, dating primarily from the early 1960s through the 1970s.

Dates

Creation: 1949-1969, undated

Extent

3.08 Cubic Feet (6 archives boxes, 1 oversize box)

Creator

Perry, Dick, 1922 - 2002 (Person)

Scope and Contents

The Dick Perry Papers house the literary manuscripts of his plays, books and short stories, dating primarily from the early 1960s through the 1970s. Perry's work was mostly non-fiction and was often drawn from his own experiences. Included are his books:

Raymond and Me That Summer How to Write Your Novel The Roundhouse, Paradise, and Mr. Pickering Seven Hills, Soap, and a Sip of Beer Vas You Ever in Zinzinnati?

Along with the manuscripts are related materials such as literary correspondence, fan mail, and newspaper clippings. Two scrapbooks related to Dick Perry's career are also included in the collection.

An edited photocopied manuscript for "Do Not Talk to the Motorman While the Streetcar Is In Motion" is included in the collection. Dick Perry won the 1963 Reader's Digest "First Person" Award for this short story.

This collection will be of interest to those seeking to learn more about Mr. Perry's career, and in general the life of a writer in the mid-20th century. The materials realted to the books Seven Hills and Vas You Ever, as well a a draft of his book on the history of radio station WLW may be of interest to those researching the history of 20th century Cincinnati.

Biographical / Historical

Dick Perry (June 13, 1922 - March 20, 2002) was an author of humorous non-fiction articles and books, as well as several short plays. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Perry married Jean Jobes on September 18, 1948. They had three children. He attended Oberlin College and the University of Chicago.

Perry worked as a newspaper reporter for Scripps-Howard; creative director for WCPO-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio; in radio and television advertising for Roche, Richerd, Henri, Hurst of Chicago, Illinois; and as radio and television director at Wesco Advertising, Clearwater, Florida. Dick Perry was one of the pioneers in the use of videotape for commercials and created live, film and videotape commercials for Ashland Oil &Refining Co., Barbasol, Ford Motor Co., Formica Corp., General Electric, Hardware Mutuals, Illinois Power Corp., The Kroger Co., Numaid Margarine, Proctor & Gamble, Strietmann Biscuit Co., and Valvoline Motor Oil. He had a play produced by CBS-TV's "Repertoire Workshop". Dick Perry also won the "First Person" Award from Reader's Digest in 1963.

In 1963, Mr. Perry turned to freelance writing full time, producing more than 20 books and hundreds of articles and short stories for local and national publications including The Cincinnati Post and New York Times. In addition to writing under his own name, Perry was a ghostwriter for several local Cincinnatti dignitaries, including a 1970 Pete Rose book titled The Pete Rose Story: An Autobiography.

The Perrys resided in Oxford, Ohio, where Dick Perry worked as a full-time freelance writer and his wife Jean worked as an archivist for Western College (now part of Miami University).

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright and other restrictions may apply to the materials in this collection. Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.