DACS

felkerclay Inventory of the Clay Felker Papers, 1945-1996 Processed by: Meghan Lyon; machine-readable finding aid created by: Meghan Lyon David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library Duke University Durham, N.C., USA

Aleph Number: 004649292

Machine-readable finding aid derived from XML authoring program. Date of source: November 2010Processed by Meghan Lyon, November 2010; finding aid encoded by Meghan Lyon, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University, November 2010 Description is in English Finding aid was prepared using DACS and local Style Guide Inventory of the Clay Felker Papers, 1945-1996 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library Duke University Durham, North Carolina 27708-0185 USA

Descriptive Summary David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University Felker, Clay. Clay Felker Papers, 1945-1996 Material in English 14.0 Linear Feet 9000 Items For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog. Clay Felker (1925-2008) was an editor and publisher who edited magazines such as New York Magazine (which he founded in 1968), New West Magazine, Village Voice, and Esquire. Collection includes materials from Felker's journalism career, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1968 through 1981. The majority of the materials relate to Felker's publishing and editorial work on New York Magazine, New West Magazine, Village Voice, Esquire, and Daily News Tonight. Included are story ideas and correspondence with various writers and editors; drafts of articles and columns; contract and legal negotiations; correspondence from Felker's fans and friends; budgetary materials; press clippings and news coverage; and other miscellaneous materials. Also includes copies of Duke University Chronicle, 1948-1952, dating from Felker's years as a writer and editor; copies of The Blue Jacket, 1944-1945, dating from Felker's years as a sports editor; some personal correspondence and materials from Felker's friends and family; and some other miscellaneous material. Administrative Information Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

However, collection may contain materials to which the Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibilities and Privacy Rights form applies. Patrons must sign this 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 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

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 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Clay Felker Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library

Provenance

The Clay Felker Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library as a gift in 2010.

Processing Information

Processed by Meghan Lyon, November 2010

Encoded by Meghan Lyon, November 2010

This collection is minimally processed: materials may not have been ordered and described beyond their original condition.

Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory: DACS, EAD, NCEAD guidelines, and local Style Guide.

This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.

Biographical Note Chronology List 1925 October 2 Born, Webster Grove, Mo. 1942 Entered Duke University 1943 Left Duke University to join the Navy 1948 Editor, Duke Chronicle newspaper 1948 Expelled from Duke for staying out with his date, Leslie Blatt, past the Women's College curfew 1949 Married Leslie Blatt 1950 Re-enrolled at Duke University 1951 Graduated Duke University 1950-1951 Worked as a statistician with New York Giants broadcasting 1951-1954 Sports writer for Life magazine 1954 Helped develop Sports Illustrated 1954-1957 Political reporter in Washington for Life magazine 1957-1962 Features editor, Esquire 1962 Married Pamela Tiffin, an actress and fashion model 1963-1967 Editor, New York, the Sunday supplement magazine of the New York Herald Tribune 1966 Herald Tribune, World-Telegram and Sun, and Journal-American merged into the World Journal Tribune 1967 World Journal Tribune folded; Felker purchased naming rights to New York 1969-1976 Editor, New York magazine 1969 Divorced Pamela Tiffin 1971 December New York issue included an insert of selections from Ms. magazine 1972 January Funded first stand-alone issue of Ms. magazine 1974 New York Magazine Company merged with The Village Voice; Felker became editor of The Village Voice 1975 New York spin-off, New West, began publishing in California 1976 Lost control of New York Magazine Company to Rupert Murdoch; resigned as editor of New York 1977 August Purchased Esquire magazine; became Esquire editor 1979 Sold Esquire magazine; resigned as editor 1980-1981 Editor, The Daily News Tonight, a division of The New York Daily News 1980-1981 Producer, 20th Century Fox 1981-1982 Editor, AdWeek 1984 Married Gail Sheehy, a writer 1987-1990 Editor, Manhattan Inc. magazine 1994 Lecturer, University of California at Berkeley 2008 July 1 Died, New York City, New York 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.

Felker, Clay. Murdoch, Rupert, 1931- New York Magazine Company. Duke University--Periodicals. New York (New York, N.Y.) Esquire (New York, N.Y.) Ms. Village voice (Greenwich Village, New York, N.Y.) 20th Century-Fox. Periodicals--Publishing--United States. Periodicals--Editing--United States. Editors--Correspondence. Men's magazines--Editing. Journalism--United States--History--20th century. Nonfiction novel--History and criticism. Editors--United States. Collection Overview

Collection includes materials from Felker's journalism career, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1968 through 1981. The majority of the materials relate to Felker's publishing and editorial work on New York magazine, New West magazine, Village Voice, Esquire, and Daily News Tonight. The collection contains the publications' annual reports, financial projections and budgets, circulation and advertising plans, and materials from stockholder questionnaires and meetings. Also included are story ideas and correspondence with various writers and editors, as well as drafts of articles and columns. Many materials are anonymous and undated, because the author's name is missing from Felker's version of the draft. Some writers and journalists represented in the collection include George Dennison, Benjamin Sonnenberg, Gail Sheehy (Felker's third wife), Aaron Latham, Robert Karen, Thomas Thompson, Arnold Beichman, Jimmy Breslin, Jane O'Reilly, Andrew Tobias, and many more.

Other magazine-related materials include contract and legal negotiations, particularly regarding Felker's launch of New York; his loss of New York and Village Voice; his acquisition of Esquire, The Advertiser, and AdWeek; and his subsequent loss of Esquire. Correspondence between Felker and various law firms involved in these sales and mergers is also included. There are also many letters, both congratulatory and condoling, reacting to his various career changes. Many of his friends and fans were powerful figures in the publishing world, including George Lang, Marianne Partridge, Peter Derow, Felix Rohatyn, Tom Wolfe, Gloria Steinem, Herb Goro, and Malcolm Forbes.

Press clippings covering Felker's career are also present in the collection, beginning with his early journalism career in the 1960s, but heavily covering his various publication acquisitions and activities as editor of New York, New West, Village Voice, Esquire, and The Daily News Tonight. Besides reporting on the acquisitions, these clippings also include profiles of Felker as well as evaluations and criticisms of his work. One subcomponent of the clippings includes coverage of the 1976 CIA press leak by Daniel Schorr to the Village Voice and the subsequent Congressional investigations.

The collection also includes files and materials from Felker's years as a producer at 20th Century Fox, where he proposed and developed story ideas for television and movies. The files include synopses of proposed scripts as well as expense reports for some of the research and travel he undertook.

The remainder of the collection is somewhat miscellaneous in content. There are issues of The Blue Jacket, 1944-1945, dating from Felker's years as a sports editor. Also represented are Felker's years at Duke, including his articles and editorials in a few issues of The Archive and Duke 'n' Duchess, as well as bound copies of the Duke University Chronicle, 1948-1952, dating from Felker's years as a writer and editor. There are also small amounts of correspondence and reports from some of Felker's other interests and ventures, many of which never went past the planning stages. There is some personal correspondence and materials from Felker's friends and family, dating largely from the 1970s, and some other miscellaneous material.

Contents of Collection Accession (2010-0207), 1944-1996 (10 boxes) 1Blue Jacket, July 1944-March 1945 (2 folders)

Military newspaper with issues featuring Felker as Sports Editor.

The Archive (Duke University), February 1948-April 1948

Magazine issues with articles written by Felker.

Duke 'N' Duchess (Duke University), September 1948-December 1948

Magazine issues featuring Felker as Assistant Editor.

Correspondence, Duke-related, 1948 Article drafts by Felker, 1956 and undated Casey Stengel's Secret, 1961

Book written by Felker.

Felker News Service reports, 1962 Teen magazine plans, undated International Intelligence Report, 1962-1963 (3 folders)

Memos, plans, correspondence, etc.

Research and Reportage, Inc., 1963-1968 The Girl of the Year movie plot, 1965 Correspondence, miscellaneous, pre-1967 Miscellaneous stories edited by Felker, undated (3 folders) World Journal Tribune, 1967

Regarding the shut-down of its Sunday feature, New York Magazine.

Capital, 1967

Correspondence between Felker and Adolph Theobald about setting up an independent magazine.

Cheetah magazine venture, for people under 30, 1967 Duke University, 1967-1976

Alumni affairs and donations.

Correspondence, re: Felker family, 1968-1977

Includes condolence letters following the death of Felker's father, and recommendation letters for Felker's nephew.

Scheduling and invite lists, 1967-1975

Guest lists for events, including New York Magazine and Village Voice programs.

Clippings and press coverage, 1960s-1975 (9 folders)

Coverage of Felker, his career, and his various publications.

2Clippings and press coverage, 1975-1977 (4 folders) Phone log books, 1977-1979 (4 folders) Battle, Fowler, Stokes, and Kheel, 1968-1977

Includes correspondence and transcripts with Felker and Theodore Kheel, a lawyer who worked with Felker and the New York Magazine Company.

Summer house, 1969-1975

Leases, etc., for house rentals on Long Island, N.Y.

Miscellaneous article by George Dennison, undated Correspondence and articles by Benjamin Sonnenberg, undated Correspondence and articles by or about Lally Weymouth, 1976 and undated Pamela Tiffon/Clay Felker divorce, 1967-1975 Correspondence and clippings by Gail Sheehy, 1972-1976 The Colonel, undated (4 folders)

Draft by Marge Crumbaker and Gabe Tucker.

3Herald Tribune's New York magazine (Sundays), 1965 New York magazine Founding and planning, 1968 Annual reports, 1969-1975 Budgets and budget projections, 1967-1974 (4 folders) Stockholder meetings, 1970-1973 Annual issues, 1971-1972 Editorial memos, 1974-1976

Internal correspondence between Felker and his editors, including discussions of the magazine's news coverage, etc.

Flow of Reading study, 1975 Bonuses/salaries, 1975 Circulation, 1971-1975 (2 folders) Legal guidelines, 1975-1976 Stockholders Questionnaire, 1976 Board of Directors, 1971-1976 Copyright, 1973-1976 Agreements between Felker and Carter Burden, 1975 Advertising reports, 1975-1976 Drafts of articles, 1970s and undated (3 folders)

Reporters and writers represented inclue Arnold Beichman, Paul Gardner, Robert Karen, Aaron Latham, Barth Schwartz, Charles Sopkin, and Thomas Thompson.

Story ideas and other drafts, 1968-1976 (4 folders)

Reporter, writer, editor, and agency correspondence with Clay Felker for New York Magazine articles and ideas, including Ken Auletta, John Berendt, Jimmy Breslin, John Bryson, Jon Carroll, Rasa Gustaitis, Anthony Haden-Guess, George Harris, Judith Kipper, Joan Kron, Aaron Latham, Leonard Mosley, Jane O'Reilly, Richard Reeves, Edgar Scherick, Gail Sheehy, Andrew Tobias, and John Walsh.

Draft of Abraham Michael Rosenthal/New York Times profile, undated Correspondence, with Tony Mayer, 1976 Ms. magazine, Felker's personal finances, 1972-1975 MAC/Jim Kelly, 1973-1975 Felker's employment contracts, 1972-1976

Includes negotiations and contracts for New York magazine and Village Voice.

4Village Voice stockholders, 1974 Clippings and coverage of the Village Voice's CIA leak with Daniel Schorr, 1976 (3 folders) New West finances and advertisements, 1975-1976 (2 folders) New West clippings and coverage, 1976 New West story ideas, 1976 New West Magazine, 1980 Research reports, New York Magazine Company, 1975-1976 Murdoch's purchase of New York Magazine Company, 1976 L'Express, 1977 Stigwood Group, 1977-1978

Includes contracts, correspondence, and other materials from the joint venture between Felker and Stigwood Group for literary and movie projects.

The American Lawyer, 1978-1979 Esquire Felker's purchase of Esquire, 1977 Congratulatory letters, 1977

Includes correspondence from Dorothy Monet, George Lang, Marianne Partridge, Peter Derow, Richard Wald, Felix Rohatyn, Terry Gwyn, David Brown, Barrett Gallagher (includes photograph portfolio), Herb Goro, Albert Goldman, and Malcolm Forbes.

Press clippings and coverage of Esquire, 1977-1979 (3 folders) Reports and finances, 1978-1979 Board of Directors reports and finances, 1977-1979 Sale, 1978-1979 Purchase of N.E. Corporation, 1979 5Mail about Esquire, 1977-1979

Includes general fan mail as well as condolence notes for Felker after losing Esquire; writers include Gary Trudeau, Geoffrey Norman, Gloria Steinem, and Ted Hearne.

Felker Communications Inc., 1979-1982

Correspondence regarding the purchase of other papers.

Winslow Maxwell and Partners, invoices and correspondence, 1978-1981 The Advertiser, 1978-1981 (3 folders)

Includes materials from its purchase by Felker, insurance papers, content, advertising, profits, and employees.

AdWeek, 1981-1982 (2 folders)

Includes materials on its columns and finances.

East Bay Newspapers, Inc., 1981-1982 Travel expenses, 1979-1982 (2 folders) Expenses, 1967-1978 (13 folders) 6Duke Chronicle clippings, 1948-1951 Broadside Art, Inc., 1967-1968 Clay Felker Publications, 1967-1969 London magazine project, 1972-1974 New York magazine office furniture, 1974-1976 Riverdale Press acquisition, 1977 Speeches and articles by Felker, 1968-1979 (3 folders) Village Voice Thesis on its history, 1973 Correspondence and reports, 1974 and undated Promotions and advertising, 1974 Subscriber surveys and lawsuit, 1973-1975 7Los Angeles Herald Examiner, 1980 Daily News Tonight Employment, 1980-1981 Congratulatory letters, 1981 Press clippings and coverage, 1980-1981 (2 folders) Focus groups, editorials, and plans, 1980 Operations, 1980 Promotions and advertising, 1980-1981 Name files, A-F, 1980-1981 (3 folders)

Name files include correspondence, story ideas, notes, clippings, and drafts from Felker's time at Daily News.

8Name files, G-Z Correspondence, Mike O'Neill, 1980-1981 Correspondence, Liz Smith, 1980-1981 Stigwood Group story, 1981 Expenses, 1980-1981 920th Century Fox producing Active story numbers, 1980 Submissions, 1979-1980 Rejections, 1979-1980 Untitled Brazilian Rock and Roll (Rio), with Aaron Latham (2 folders) Hip Capitalism, with writer Jack Nessel Jacques Mesrine story, with writer Harry Stein Lisa Lyon, body building Mob Lawyer, with Steven Brill Preppie, 1980 Redneck Riviera, with Geoffrey Norman, 1980 Super Thief, with Tom Zitto, 1980 Woman of the Year, undated Woman Who Has Everything, 1967 Weekly advance to producer reports, 1979-1980 General correspondence and miscellaneous movies, 1980-1981 Movie studio funding, undated Los Angeles to New York trips, 1980 Correspondence, personal, 1980 Correspondence, Richard Berger, 1980 Correspondence, Claire Townsend, 1980 Correspondence, Dennis Stanfill, 1980 Notebooks, 1993 and undated Exclusive right to sell, New York apartment, 1996 10Duke University Chronicle, 1948-1952

Oversize bound issues from Felker's career at the Chronicle.