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Nicholas Meyer Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MsC0425

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Scope and Contents

The papers of Nicholas Meyer consist of 69.5 feet of manuscripts dating from 1945 to 2015. The collection is arranged in ten major categories with additions integrated within from 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2016. The first series relates to books written by Nicholas Meyer, with some later becoming film projects and feature films. Included here are drafts, galleys, printer’s proofs, financial matters, film rights, screenplays, Academy Award notices, reviews, etc. for Black Orchid, The Canary Trainer, Confessions of a Homing Pigeon, The Love Story Story, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, Target Practice, The West End Horror, and The View from the Bridge. The second series is made up of screenplays, film treatments, and film ideas with related items. Both produced and unproduced projects are represented here. Some of the titles included are Conjuring, Invasion of the Bee Girls, and Time After Time. The third series consists of plays that were either written, directed, or produced by Nicholas Meyer. Meyer’s articles, essays, stories, reviews, and other additional writings can be located in the fourth series. The general files found in series five include correspondence, genealogical material, real estate transactions, and speeches, amongst other topics. Miscellaneous material written by others are located in series six. Series seven includes correspondence, written to and from Nicholas Meyer and others. A series of scripts for consideration for the SAG awards are organized alphabetically in series eight. Series nine consists of various audiovisual materials including DVDs, videocassettes, compact discs, laserdiscs, reel-to-reel audio tapes, and film reels. Lastly, the majority of oversized posters and scrapbooks are located in series ten.

Dates

  • Creation: 1945-2015
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1980-1999

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Prior to the death of Meyer, no person may publish any portion of the papers without first obtaining the express written consent of Meyer or his agent. Subsequent to the death of Meyer, express written consent must be obtained from the executor of his estate or from his heirs, whichever shall have the legal right to defend Meyer's copyright interests. Any publication of Meyer's copyrighted work must contain a copyright notice in the following form, "copyright Nicholas Meyer [date of creation of the quotation]."

Biographical / Historical

Nicholas Meyer was born in New York City on December 24, 1945. After high school he moved to Iowa City, Iowa, where he attended the University of Iowa. While he was a student there he wrote movie reviews for the campus newspaper, The Daily Iowan. In 1968, he graduated with a B.A. in speech and dramatic art. Nicholas Meyer has maintained close ties to the University. In 1976, he was honored with the University of Iowa's Distinguished Young Alumni Award. He later became a member of the President's Club and established the Nicholas Meyer Playwriting Scholarship.

After graduating from Iowa, Meyer returned to New York City where he took a job as a unit publicist on set of Paramount Picture's Love Story. It was this experience that spawned his first book, The Love Story Story. At age twenty-eight, Nicholas Meyer published his best selling novel, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution. He then went on to write the screen adaptation, which earned him an academy award nomination. Meyer has published a number of novels since The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, including The West End Horror, Black Orchid, and Confessions of a Homing Pigeon.

Nicholas Meyer made his debut as a director in 1979 with the film Time After Time (for which he also wrote the screenplay). His career as a motion picture director and writer is now firmly established having written and/or directed a number of films including Volunteer, Star Trek's II and IV, and Sommersby. He has also done quality work for television. He directed The Day After, a television movie about a nuclear holocaust. In 1997, Meyer co-produced the Odyssey, a miniseries for NBC television.

Extent

69.50 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Screenwriter and director. Typescripts, screenplays, correspondence, clippings, proofs, photographs, etc.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

These papers were donated to the University of Iowa Libraries in 1983.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Placed on deposit by Nicholas Meyer in 1983.

Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the University of Iowa Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Special Collections Department
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City IA 52242 IaU
319-335-5921
319-335-5900 (Fax)