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Tom Chehak Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MsC0744

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Scope and Contents

Thomas Chehak was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and took his undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa. After graduation, he headed directly for Hollywood where he found work as a gofer on the Mary Tyler Moore and other television series. With keys to the MGM script vaults, he taught himself to write scripts by reading scripts while, he has said, resting against one or another of the several stuffed collies used for static shots on the Lassie program. In addition to his work as a writer, since the late 1970s Chehak has directed and produced teleplays and television series. He is widely known as a showrunner as well as writer. The papers Chehak has given the Libraries document two projects produced by the Thomas W. Lynch Company: 26 episodes for the children's program, Galidor (sponsored by the Lego Media Company and the Disney Channel) and 13 episodes of a half-hour, action-adventure series, Scout's Safari, shot in South Africa; as well as scripts and DVDs for 13 episodes of The Listener, donated in 2009. The Galidor papers comprise Series I, the Scout's Safari papers comprise series II, The Listener materials comprise Series III; and Miscellaneous items make up Series IV.

Dates

  • Creation: 2000-2008

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright restrictions may apply; please consult Special Collections staff for further information.

Extent

20.00 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Television and film writer, producer and director. 26 episodes of Galidor, an action series for children sponsored by Lego Media International and the Disney network; 13 episodes of Scout's Safari, an action-adventure series for young people set and shot in South Africa; materials relating to The Listener, for which Chehak served as an Executive Producer, shot in Toronto.

Method of Acquisition

Tom Chehak gave these files to the University of Iowa Libraries in 2002.

Subject

Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
eng

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)