Stephen Maclean papers relating to Peter Allen, ca. 1965-1996

MLMSS 8873

fonds

ca. 1965-1996

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Moving Images, Clippings, Ephemera, Photographs, Musical Sound Recordings, Nonmusical Sound Recordings

151924

1.53 metres of textual material (9 boxes)

Stephen Maclean, 1950-2006, was a writer, screenwriter and film and television director. In 1995 he directed ‘The Boy From Oz’, a television documentary on Peter Allen, and a year later he wrote the biography, ‘The Boy From Oz: The Peter Allen Story’. This collection contains his research material on Peter Allen, including papers, ephemera, photographs and videocassettes.

Peter Allen, Australian singer, songwriter and entertainer, was born Peter Richard Woolnough in Tenterfield, New South Wales, in 1944. In the late 1950s he teamed with Chris Bell to form ‘The Allen Brothers’. In 1964, while touring in Hong Kong, they were spotted by Judy Garland, who became their manager and flew them to London. Allen married Garland’s daughter, Liza Minnelli in 1967. In 1969, Allen and Minnelli separated, and in 1970 he started his solo career in the United States. During the next decade he had numerous songwriting hits including ‘Tenterfield Saddler’, ‘I Honestly Love You’ and ‘I Go to Rio’. In 1982, with fellow songwriters Christopher Cross, Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, he won an Academy Award for Best Song for the theme for the movie ‘Arthur’. Allen's musical 'Legs Diamond' opened on Broadway in 1988, but it was not a great success and closed after 64 performances. Allen continued to perform both in Australia and overseas until his death in 1992. He was posthumously inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1993.


References:
'Starstruck boy from Oz made it', Obituaries, Sydney Morning Herald, 2 May 2006
http://www.smh.com.au/news/obituaries/starstruck-boy-from-oz-made-it/2006/05/01/1146335667560.html (accessed 06/03/2013)

'The Allen Brothers / Peter Allen', Milesago: Australasian music and popular culture, 1964-1975,
http://www.milesago.com/Artists/allen.htm (accessed 06/03/2013)

'Peter Allen', wikipedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Allen (accessed 06/03/2013)

Stephen Maclean papers, ephemera, photographs and video tapes, ca. 1965-1996, relating to Peter Allen.

BOX 1
Clippings, ephemera, typescripts and photograph, 1965-1992, relating to Peter Allen

Folder 1: annotated newspaper clippings, 1965-1976, mainly concerning Peter Allen, Liza Minnelli and Judy Garland

Folder 2: annotated newspaper clippings and 1 colour photograph, 1977-1980, mainly concerning Peter Allen

Folder 3: annotated newspaper clippings and ephemera, 1981-1989, mainly concerning Peter Allen; includes concert tickets

Folder 4: annotated newspaper clippings and ephemera, 1989-1992, mainly concerning Peter Allen; includes concert tickets

Folder 5: annotated typescript, draft of ‘The Boy From Oz’,

Folder 6: typescript, ‘The Boy From Oz’, synopsis for a biography by Stephen Maclean (partially restricted)

BOX 2
Papers, printed material, clippings, 1965-1995, relating to Peter Allen

Folder 1: papers relating to the Gannon Television production of ‘The Boy From Oz’, including an annotated script, ca.1994; correspondence concerning Josie Mann’s memories of Peter Allen, 1994; production schedule, 1995; production budget, 1995; list of interviewees

Folder 2: typescript of biographical notes on Peter Allen

Folder 3: letters to Stephen Maclean from people who knew Peter Allen in Australia, 1994; printed brochure: 1994 visitors’ guide to Armidale

Folder 4: annotated newspaper clippings; photocopied articles and photographs; Stephen Maclean’s research notes; ca.1965-1995

Folder 5: annotated clippings; photocopied articles and photographs; Stephen Maclean’s research notes; 1967-1990

Printed material, ‘A&M Records: The First 25 Years’, 1987

BOX 3
Four folders containing annotated typescripts of draft copies ‘The Boy From Oz: Biography of Peter Allen', by Stephen Maclean

BOX 4

Eight folders containing annotated typescripts of draft copies of ‘The Boy From Oz: Biography of Peter Allen', by Stephen Maclean

BOX 5
One expanding file box containing papers, clippings and photographs, ca. 1965-1995, relating to Stephen Maclean’s research on Peter Allen, including correspondence, transcripts of interviews, notes, and photocopied articles and book chapters. Files include: Ann-Margret and Alan Margulies, with black & white photographs; A&M Records; Dee Anthony; Frances Faye; Scooter Davidson; Peter Frampton; Judy Garland; David Smith and Neal Peters; Bruce Cudd; Bruce Vilanach; Liza Minnelli; Lana Cantrell; Harry Connick Jr.; Bernadette Peters; Julie Wilson; and Terry Hughes

BOX 6
One expanding file box containing papers and clippings, ca. 1983-1995, relating to Stephen Maclean’s research on Peter Allen, including correspondence, transcripts of interviews, notes and photocopied articles. Files include: itineraries; book synopsis (partially restricted); documentary [The Boy From Oz]; the Allen Brothers; television appearances; list of producers; and cabaret culture

BOX 7
One expanding file box containing papers and clippings, ca. 1994-1995, relating to Stephen Maclean’s research on Peter Allen, including correspondence and transcripts of interviews. Files include: Judy Stone; Trisha Noble; Alex Buzo; Rae Davidson; Hall Ludlowe; Ross Coleman; Sam Green; the 1982 Academy Awards; Larry Saltzman; Jerry Moss; Carol Bayer Sager and John Fricke


BOX 8
Printed material, ephemera, photographs, slides and typescripts, ca. 1980-1996

Folder 1: Peter Allen tour itineraries, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1990 and 1992; Bernadette Peters and Peter Allen tour itinerary, 1989

Folder 2: Peter Allen tour programs, ca. 1986-1990; typescript: ‘Into Africa’ by Patsy Rosenthal
September 1991; photocopied draft manuscript of ‘The Boy From Oz: a musical celebration of the life and work of Peter Allen', by Nick Enright, 1996; concert tickets; handbills

Folder 3: colour and black & white photographs, photographic negatives, colour slides, ca. 1973-1992, including 75 photographs used in the Maclean’s biography of Peter Allen, ‘The Boy From Oz’; 75 photographs of Peter Allen holidaying in Greece, Venice and Africa.

BOX 9
Printed material, 1983-1995, including ‘External Combustion: Glenn A. Baker on Music’, 1990; two copies of ‘Peter Allen: Between the Moon and New York City’, by David Smith and Neal Peters, 1983; Architectural Digest, April 1992; the Yellow Pages , 1995 [Armidale, Glen Innes, Gunnedah etc.]

VIDEO RECORDINGS

85 VHS videocassettes of material relating to Peter Allen, ca. 1964-1991, including copies of Allen’s home movies, theatrical performances and interviews with colleagues and friends.

Housed separately from the records at MLMSS 8873.

Partly restricted: Applies to Box 1, folder 6 and Box 6 "Book Synopsis" folder. Prior approval is required for access. Any requests for access will be referred to the Head of Manuscripts.

Copyright status:: In copyright
Approval for reproduction required:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder

Information upgraded as part of the Manuscripts Unprocessed eRecords project 2012-2013