Inventory of the Chris Costner Sizemore Papers, 1952-1989 (bulk 1956-1979)
[top]Descriptive Summary
TitleChris Costner Sizemore Papers,
1952-1989 (bulk 1956-1979)
Creator
Sizemore, Chris Costner
Extent
8 Linear Feet
6000 Items
Repository
6000 Items
Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University
Language
English.
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Administrative Information
Access RestrictionsRestrictions apply to the use of the Chris Costner Sizemore Papers.
In addition, patrons must sign the Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.
Also, all or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. Consequently, there may be a 24-hour delay in obtaining these materials.
Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library to use this collection.
Use Restrictions
The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Chris Costner Sizemore Papers, Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University.
Provenance
The papers of Chris Costner Sizemore were acquired by the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library from 1982 through 1989.
Processing Information
Processed by Lisa Stark
Completed December 1999
Encoded by Lisa Stark
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
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Biographical Note
| 1927 Apr 4 | Born in Edgefield, S.C. to Acie and Zueline Hastings Costner. |
| 1929 | Traumas witnessed. First memory of additional personalities: the Red Head Girl, Ugly Girl, and Black Patent Shoe Girl. |
| 1933 | Twin sisters, Elyse and Louise, born. |
| 1946 | Married George Rodgers. |
| 1948 | Daughter Taffy born. |
| 1952 | Divorced George Rodgers. Multiple personality disorder diagnosed by Dr. Corbett Thigpen and Dr. Hervey Cleckley. |
| 1953 | Married Don Sizemore. |
| 1957 | McGraw-Hill released The Three Faces of Eve by Corbett Thigpen. Film version came out the same year. |
| 1958 | Co-authored The Final Face of Eve with James Poling. |
| 1959 | Son, Bobby Sizemore, born. |
| 1974 | Illness resolved. |
| 1975 | Began lecturing. |
| 1977 | Doubleday released I'm Eve, by Sizemore and cousin Elen Sain Pittillo. |
Collection Overview
The Chris Costner Sizemore Papers span the time period 1952-1989, with the bulk of the papers dating between 1956 and 1979. The collection consists largely of correspondence; diaries and writings by Sizemore; clippings centered on film and book promotions or speaking engagements; printed materials related to her appearances; interviews and documentary materials (including film, video- and audiocassettes); and miscellaneous materials including photographs, legal and financial papers, and a general file. Most items relate to Sizemore's struggle with multiple personality disorder (dissociative identity disorder), both personally through letters, writings, and diaries, and publicly through interviews, documentary media, and clippings. The papers provide an in-depth look into the life of a woman with a rare disorder who later came to clearly articulate her life to the public. She became a mental health advocate in a time when mental illnesses were still kept secret. A biography was written by her doctors in 1957, Corbett Thigpen and Hervey Cleckley, called The Three Faces of Eve. It was turned into a film the next year. Under the pseudonym, Evelyn Lancaster, Sizemore co-authored The Final Face of Eve with James Poling in 1958. In 1977 she wrote, under her given name, the autobiography I'm Eve.
The Correspondence Series is arranged chronologically, and consists primarily of incoming letters. Dr. Corbett Thigpen, the doctor to deliver the original diagnosis of multiple personality disorder, is prominent in much of the collection; this particular series plainly documents his relationship to Sizemore during treatment and continuing well into the 1970s. He wrote to Sizemore about his writings, revealing much about the publication of The Three Faces of Eve (book), and its subsequent movie release. Other correspondents include other doctors, family members, Sizemore's editors and publishers, and organizations for which she lectured. Thus they help document earlier years, when her identity remained a secret, through its release, and her subsequent public life of art shows, lectures, broadcasts, and appearances, often for mental health organizations.
The Writings Series is comprised primarily of the holograph manuscript, typescript, final galley proofs, and paperback edition of I'm Eve, the memoir written by Sizemore with the help of Elen Patillo. This comprehensive view of the book's publication is represented from handwritten copy to final edition. All other parts of the collection provide the context in which the book was created, including a large amount of correspondence from editors, recordings of family interviews (presumably recorded for I'm Eve), clippings, and financial papers. Other parts of the Writings Series include some short descriptions of parts of her life and poetry. There are a few writings by others.
There are six diaries in the Diaries Series, kept during certain spans of the 1950s and 1970s. Here Sizemore clearly discloses inner thoughts, which reveal very personal information about enduring mental illness and its effects on her family. The Clippings Series conveys the breadth of the advertising campaign for The Three Faces of Eve, as well as clippings regarding Sizemore's books, art shows, articles, and lectures. The Printed Materials Series also includes information on I'm Eve, including newsletters, flyers, book tour itineraries, programs, and a few journal articles about Sizemore and multiple personality disorder. There is also an Interviews and Documentary Materials Series that again reflects the public's interest in her life, as well as her own desire to document and share her experiences in writing, speaking, and art. Included is a documentary film by Dr. Thigpen, and video- and audiocassettes of television interviews, other appearances, and of family members discussing a shared past (Warning: Sound quality of some of the audiocassettes is very poor). The Miscellaneous Series also contains items relating to Sizemore's illness and subsequent writing and speaking career, such as financial and legal papers, medical files, notes from certain personalities, and photographs.
Subject Headings
These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will bring up other related research materials.
- Women authors, American
- Multiple personality-United States-Case studies
- Multiple personality in art
- Mental illness-Personal narratives
- Women-Biography
- Women-Mental health-Personal narratives
- Women-Psychology-Case studies
- Diaries-Women authors
- Diaries
- Sizemore, Chris Costner-I'm Eve
Detailed Description of Collection
Correspondence Series, 1949-1982,and undated
Includes letters from Dr. Corbett H. Thigpen, other doctors, friends, family members, editors, publishers, and some who had recently seen Sizemore on television or read her works. Letters are arranged chronologically with undated letters at the end. Most attachments remain clipped to the individual letters, and so this particular series also includes some photographs, royalty statements, and other miscellaneous materials.
Box 1-2
Correspondence (additional in ovsz materials)
1949 Dec.-1983 Dec. and undated
(23 folders)
Box 2
Diaries (2 folders)
1973 Jan.-1973 Dec.
1974 Jun.-1974 Nov.
(2 vol.)
1975 Jan.-1975 May
Writings (additional in ovsz materials)
Typescript of I'm Eve
(6 folders)
Paperback copy of I'm Eve
Poetry and miscellaneous by Sizemore and others
(2 folders)
Also in this series: Final galley and page proofs of I'm Eve (See ovsz materials)
Also in this series: I'm Eve, handwritten manuscript
(12 folders) (See boxlist of final accession following this boxlist)
Box 3
Clippings (additional in ovsz materials)
1953 Jul.-1986 Oct. and undated
(3 folders)
Printed Materials (additional in ovsz materials)
Materials primarily related to speaking engagements
(2 folders)
Articles about Sizemore or multiple personality disorder
Interviews and Documentary Materials Series
This series contains a variety of formats. There are master audiocassettes and also copies for use. Some of the audiocassettes have very poor sound quality. Use copies of the film and videotape need to be made before playing.
(A) South Carolina Medical Association Hearing regarding Sizemore's father
(B) Patricia McCann Program, WOR-AM, 9 Jul. 1977,interview
(C) Unnamed speaking engagement
(D) "The Three Faces of Eve," readings and commentary, Corbett H. Thigpen
(E) "I'm Eve" radio spot
(F) Family interviews
It is likely that these were recorded by Sizemore and Pittilo in preparation for writing I'm Eve. Each tape is listed below with the first name found written on the master copy, although there may be more than one person interviewed on each tape. See Master Copy labels for more information.
(1) Tiny
(2) Becky
(3) Bobby
(4) Anne
(5) Aunt Mamie Lee
(6) Taffy
(7) Taffy
(8) Taffy
(9) Don
(10) Don
(11) Don
(12) Chris
(13) Maud Cogburn
(14) Jane
(15) Don
(16) Chris
(17) Chris
(18) Chris
(19) Chris
(20) Chris
Box 4
Videotapes
Lecture for the Mental Health Association of Utah
Eve's Art, KHOU-TV, 7 Dec. 1978
Morning Break/Chris Sizemore
Sunday Break "Eve," 12 Mar. 1982
Good Morning America,
28 Sept. 1989
Film
What's Your Opinion (1 reel)
Series on Sizemore (2 reels)
Also in this series: Box 6 : Case Study of Multiple Personality (1 reel)
Miscellaneous Series
Financial and Legal papers
(2 folders)
Medical information
General
(4 folders)
Box 5
Photographs including movie stills
(3 folders)
Also in this series: Photographs in correspondence and in ovsz materials
Box 6
Case Study of Multiple Personality (1 reel)
Oversize materials
Final galley proofs and page proofs of I'm Eve
Printed materials including art publicity,1953 Jul.-1981 Jul.
Photograph
Correspondence, 1977? Dec.-1981 Mar.
Ready For Interfile Accession
This list includes items from an additional accession acquired after processing of the main collection began. These boxes contain items in nearly all of the series noted in the original collection, and should be consulted for a comprehensive review of the collection.
Box 1
Correspondence (additional in ovsz materials)
Corbett H. Thigpen
(4 folders)
I: 1956 Mar.-Dec.
II: 1957 Jan.-Dec.
III: 1958 Apr.-1970 Mar.
IV: 1972 Jan.-1974 Feb.
James W. Poling
1957 Feb.-1958 Nov.
Maclean's
1954 Jul.-1957 Feb.
Miscellaneous
I: 1959 Mar. 1982 Jan. and undated(undated)
Box 2
II: 1953 Apr.-1982 May and undated
Diaries,
1953 Dec.-1957 Dec.
Volumes, 2 vols. handwritten in German and titled the following:
"Corbett H. Thigpen u. Hervey Cleckley, Medical College Georgia"
"Misters Corbett H. Thigpen and Hervey Cleckley, Medical College Georgia, Amerika"
Box 3
Clippings
(3 folders)
Financial papers
"Multiple Personality" file
Medical file
Photograph
Miscellaneous
(2 folders)
Box 3
I'm Eve, handwritten manuscript
(12 folders)
Oversize materials
Printed materials including art publicity, 1980 Mar.-1982 May, and undated
Book jackets
Correspondence, undated(undated)
Financial papers,
1966 Mar.
Clippings
Legal papers including contract agreements with Dr. Thigpen
