PCL MS 062 David Feldman Collection

MLA Citation

Feldman, David. “PCL MS 062 David Feldman Collection.” Finding Aids. BGSU University Libraries, 8 July 2021, lib.bgsu.edu/finding_aids/items/show/2640. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.

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TitlePCL MS 062 David Feldman Collection
CreatorFeldman, David
Introduction

The David Feldman Collection consists of approximately 8 linear feet of manuscript materials. The collection was donated to the Browne Popular Culture Library by David Feldman in 1987 and 1994. This collection is partially processed - please contact the BPCL reference email with any questions.  The collection has no restrictions placed on its use for scholarly purposes. Researchers are responsible for securing copyright permission when using all unpublished manuscripts and published works found in this collection.

Biographical SketchDavid Feldman performed his undergraduate studies at Grinnell College, and graduated with an M.A. in Popular Culture from Bowling Green State University in 1971. While at BGSU, he taught what is believed to be the first college-level course on soap operas. After a brief stin the a Ph.D. program at the University of Maryland, College Park, he spent several years working in programming for the ABC and NBC television networks. His first book, Imponderables, was published in 1985. He has since written more than a dozen books exploring the origins of everything from idioms and cliches to animal behavior. The Imponderables series of books now includes 11 volumes.
Scope and ContentThis collection includes materials from David Feldman's careers as a programming consultant for NBC as well as author of the Imponderables series of books.

The NBC materials primarily relate to ideas for television shows, movies, and game shows that did not succeed or were rejected out of hand. The show concepts range from the derivative to the absurd, and the responses from Feldman to the submitters show his deft hand at providing both rejection and encouragement.

The remaining materials relate to the following books:

Imponderables (1985)
Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise? (1987)
How To Win at Just About Everything (1987)
Who Put the Butter in Butterfly? (1989)
When Do Fish Sleep? (1989)
Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses? (1990)
Do Penguins Have Knees? (1991)
When Did Wild Poodles Roam the Earth? (1992)
How Does Aspirin Find a Headache? (1993)

Included are extensive research materials, draft and edited manuscripts, galley proofs, and illustrations for the books. Researchers will find these materials interesting in light of Feldman's unique approach to his work as well as the subject matter, which encompasses everything from popular culture to folklore to science.
Inventory

Box 1
Folder Description Date
1 Tonight Show Hosts 1976 - 1977
2 Weekly Rating Analyses Jan.-Jul. 1978
3 Performer Popularity Studies 1978
4 Summary of Current & New TV Show Potential 1974 - 1975
5 Notes from Pilot Tests 1977 - 1978
6 Notes from Headliners with David Frost 1977 - 1978
7 Concept Test Reports- Movies Made for Television 1977
8 Concept Test Reports- Movies Made for Television 1978

 

Box 2
Folder Description Date
1 Series Development Reports 1977 - 1978
2 Network Television Program Report 1983 - 1984
3 Performer Popularity Studies 1978
4 East Coast Program Submissions Report February 1979
5 East Coast Program Submissions Report May 1979
6 East Coast Program Submissions Report June 1979
7 East Coast Program Submissions Report July 1979
8 East Coast Program Submissions Report August 1979
9 East Coast Program Submissions Report September 1979
10 East Coast Program Submissions Report October 1979
11 East Coast Program Submissions Report November 1979
12 Correspondence 1977
13 Pilot Proposals & Recommendations 1977 - 1978

 

Box 3
Folder Description Date
1 Series Evaluations 1978 - 1979
2 Submission Rejection Letters January 1979
3 Submission Rejection Letters February 1979
4 Submission Rejection Letters March 1979
5 Submission Rejection Letters April 1979
6 Submission Rejection Letters May 1979

 

Box 4
Folder Description Date
2 Submission Rejection Letters June 1979
3 Submission Rejection Letters July 1979
4 Submission Rejection Letters August 1979
5 Submission Rejection Letters September 1979
6 Submission Rejection Letters October 1979
7 Submission Rejection Letters 1979 - 1980

 

Box 5
Folder Description Date
1 Contract- Castle Bluff 1976
2 Contract- Dark Shore 1976
3 Contract- Just Plain Folks 1976
4 Lila Garrett- Development Contract 1976
4 Game Show Proposal- Sounds Like Fun 1976
5 Game Show Porposal- Equal Partners 1976
6 Game Show Pilot- On The Double 1976
7 Game Show- Back Talk 1976
8 Game Show Pilot- People Watchers 1976 - 1977
9 Game Show Survey Tests- Noot's Game & Back Talk 1977
10 Game Show Pilot- Smart Alecks 1977
11 Game Show Pilot- All Star Charades 1977
12 Game Show Pilot- The Confidence Game 1976
13 Game Show Pilot- Let's Get Together 1977
14 Game Shows- Plan for Selecting Contestants undated
15 Notes- Son Rise undated
16 Thesis- "A Viewership Study of Television Daytime Dramas" 1977

 

Box 6
Folder Description Date
Imponderables
1 Book proposals undated
2 Sources (1 of 2) undated
3 Sources (2 of 2) undated
4 Research & Draft pages undated
4 Research 1985
5 Copyedited Manuscript (1 of 2) 1985
6 Copyedited Manuscript (2 of 2) 1985
7 Test Printing 1986
8 Publicity & Notes 1985, 1991
Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?
9 Research (1 of 4) undated
10 Research (2 of 4) undated
11 Research (3 of 4) undated
12 Research (4 of 4) undated
13 Manuscript (1 of 2) undated
14 Manuscript (2 of 2) undated
15 Edited Manuscript (1 of 2) 1987
16 Edited Manuscript (2 of 2) 1987

 

Box 7
Folder Description Date
Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise? (cont'd)
1 Printer Proof (1 of 3) undated
2 Printer Proof (2 of 3) undated
3 Printer Proof (3 of 3) undated
4 Test Printing 1987
4 Audio Script undated
How to Win at Just About Everything
5 Drafts & Notes undated
6 Manuscript (1 of 2) undated
7 Manuscript (2 of 2) undated
Who Put the Butter in Butterfly?
8 Copyedited Manuscript (1 of 2) undated
9 Copyedited Manuscript (2 of 2) undated
10 Publicity undated
11 Audio script undated
When Do Fish Sleep?
12 First Draft (1 of 2) undated
13 First Draft (2 of 2) undated
14 Edited Manuscript (1 of 3) undated
15 Edited Manuscript (2 of 3) undated
16 Edited Manuscript (3 of 3) undated
17 Audio Script undated

 

Box 8
Folder Description Date
Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses?
1 Partial Manuscript undated
2 Draft Chapter undated
3 Research (1 of 3) undated
4 Research (2 of 3) undated
4 Research (3 of 3) undated
5 Copyedited Manuscript (1 of 2) 1990
6 Copyedited Manuscript (2 of 2) 1990
7 Promotional materials undated
8 Uncorrected Proofs- Why Do Dogs... & Who Put The Butter... undated
Do Penguins Have Knees?
9 Research (1 of 9) undated
10 Research (2 of 9) undated
11 Research (3 of 9) undated
12 Research (4 of 9) undated
13 Research (5 of 9) undated
14 Research (6 of 9) undated

 

Box 9
Folder Description Date
Do Penguins Have Knees? (cont'd)
1 Research (7 of 9) undated
2 Research (8 of 9) undated
3 Research (9 of 9) undated
4 Original Manuscript (1 of 2) undated
4 Original Manuscript (2 of 2) undated
5 Copyedited Manuscript (1 of 2) 1991
6 Copyedited Manuscript (2 of 2) 1991
7 Test Printing undated
8 Edited Test Printing undated
9 Printer Proof (1 of 2) undated
10 Printer Proof (2 of 2) undated
11 Audio Script undated
12 Promotional material 1991
When Did Wild Poodles Roam the Earth?
13 Research (1 of 4) 1991 - 1992
14 Research (2 of 4) 1991 - 1992
15 Research (3 of 4) 1991 - 1992
16 Research (4 of 4)

1991 - 1992
17 Audio Script undated
18 Correspondence 1992
19 Publicity Materials 1992

 

Box 10
Folder Description Date
How Does Aspirin Find A Headache?
1 Research (1 of 5) undated
2 Research (2 of 5) undated
3 Research (3 of 5) undated
4 Research (4 of 5) undated
5 Research (5 of 5) undated
6 Manuscript (1 of 3) undated
7 Manuscript (2 of 3) undated
8 Manuscript (3 of 3) undated
9 Edited Manuscript undated
10 Edited Illustrations undated
11 Edited Manuscript (1 of 2) undated
12 Edited Manuscript (2 of 2) undated
13 Edited Index Pages 1993
14 Edited Manuscript (1 of 3) undated
15 Edited Manuscript (2 of 3) undated
16 Edited Manuscript (3 of 3) undated
17 Galley Proof 1993
18 Edited Galley proof 1993
19 Edited Galley Proof 1993
16 Audio Script

1993
17 Audio Script undated
18 Correspondence 1992
19 Publicity Materials 1992

 

Box 11
Folder Description Date
How Does Aspirin Find A Headache? (cont'd)
1 Edited Galley proof 1993
2 Edited Galley Proof 1993
3 Audio Script undated
4 Publisher Correspondence 1993

 

Box 12
Folder Description Date
Oversized Materials
1 Imponderables- Edited Galley proof (1 of 2) 1985
2 Imponderables- Edited Galley proof (2 of 2) 1985
3 Imponderables- Galley Proof (Author Set) undated
4 Who Put the Butter in Butterfly- Galley Proof 1988