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Series II: Radio Scripts, 1946-1952

Louis Dropkin papers, 1941-1956, bulk 1947-1952

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Series I: Stage and Television Scripts, circa 1948-1956

Series I is composed almost entirely of scripts written by Louis Dropkin. In the vast majority of cases, these scripts were co-written with Felix Leon. Correspondence concerning the production or attempted production of one of the scripts is included in a small number of folders in this series.

Items are arranged in alphabetical order according to script title in each subseries of Series I. Multiple drafts of substantially similar material occasionally appear in the collection under different titles. In these cases, all identifiable draft titles are listed in the folder title. The folder title indicates those folders in this series which include multiple drafts of the same script or materials that are not a script (eg., correspondence).

Subseries 1: Sketches, circa 1948-circa 1953

Comprising the majority of this series, this subseries contains drafts of short comedic sketches that were written for the stage, television screen, or potentially both. In almost every case, the same sketch appears in a variety of forms—often with substantial changes from draft to draft. In many cases, these scripts had attached note cards which appear to indicate which drafts were sent to which producers. In a few cases, the sketches appear to be performing scripts rather than drafts, and in one case a newspaper review was attached to a script.


Box 1 Folder 1 "The Aldrich Family," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon, undated

Box 1 Folder 2 Aldrich Family Script (Untitled), undated

Box 1 Folder 3 "A Bartender's Bartender," "Special Material for George De Witt," "Say When," or "The Bartender Spot," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts (with Correspondence), circa, 1949-1951

Box 1 Folder 4 "The Battle of Battle Creek," circa, 1949

Box 1 Folder 5 "Call a Taxi," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1949

Box 1 Folder 6 "The Child is the Father of the Man," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts,, undated

Box 1 Folder 7 "Cinder in the Eye," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1949

Box 1 Folder 8 "Don't Wake Up Till I Grow Up," Sketch by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon, Lyrics by Larry Markes, Music by Charles Murray--Multiple Drafts,, undated

Box 1 Folder 9 "Faye and Elliot at Breakfast," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1949

Box 1 Folder 10 "A Federal Offense," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1949

Box 1 Folder 11 "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow,", undated

Box 1 Folder 12 "The Front Page Story," or "The Family Newspaper," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1948

Box 1 Folder 13 "High School Reunion: A Routine for Sid Caesar," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts,, undated

Box 1 Folder 14 "The Home Life of an Eskimo," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1949

Box 1 Folder 15 "Home of the Brave,", undated

Box 1 Folder 16 "The House That Jack Built," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon, undated

Box 1 Folder 17 "An Important Message," or "Don't Write--Telegraph!," by Louis Dropkin, Felix Leon, and David Rodgers--Multiple Drafts,, undated

Box 1 Folder 18 "In a Little Gypsy Tea Room," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon, circa, 1949

Box 1 Folder 19 "Kill the Umpire," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts,, undated

Box 1 Folder 20 "Marriage License," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1949

Box 1 Folder 21 "The Missing Check," "The Lost Check," or "Cafeteria Sketch," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts (with Review), circa, 1949

Box 1 Folder 22 "Nothing But the Best," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon, undated

Box 1 Folder 23 "A Pair of Shoelaces," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1949

Box 1 Folder 24 "The Patient in Spite of Himself," or "Pulse: Normal," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon,--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1949

Box 1 Folder 25 "Princess Margaret Rose," Featuring the Song "Decorum," Sketch and Lyrics by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon, circa, 1953

Box 1 Folder 26 "The Rooster and the Hen," Sketch by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon, Music by Bob Colby, Lyrics by Mauri Edwards--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1950

Box 1 Folder 27 "Sauce for the Goose: A Dropkin & Leon's Eye View,", undated

Box 1 Folder 28 "The Second Report," by Louis Dropkin, Felix Leon, and Ray Golden--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1949


Box 2 Folder 1 "A Slight Case of Fungus," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1949

Box 2 Folder 2 "Soda with Two Straws," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1949

Box 2 Folder 3 "A Street Car Named Rumpelmeyer," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1949

Box 2 Folder 4 "Subway Fare," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1949

Box 2 Folder 5 "Suits Pressed While You Wait," or "Jack Haley at the Cleaners," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts,, undated

Box 2 Folder 6 "Tickets Please!," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts, circa, 1949

Box 2 Folder 7 "The Typewriter: A Specialty for Sid Caesar," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon,, undated

Subseries 2: Television Scripts and Treatments, 1950-1956

This subseries contains scripts and treatments that were clearly intended for television production. Several of the items in this subseries appear to be shooting scripts rather than drafts. With only two exceptions, it is unclear whether Dropkin was the author, producer, or both for these productions.

Box 2 Folder 8 Angel Auditions: "Crosstown,", 1954

Box 2 Folder 9 "Genius at Work," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon, undated

Box 2 Folder 10 "The Goldwyn Story," WNBT Screenplay, 1950

Box 2 Folder 11 New York Disaster Preparedness Screenplay (Untitled), undated

Box 2 Folder 12 "The Piano," by Ben Ames Williams, Adapted for Television by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon (with Correspondence),, 1956

Box 2 Folder 13 "Pin-Up Girl--1950," WNBT Screenplay, 1950

Box 2 Folder 14 "The Return,", undated

Box 2 Folder 15 Weeping Willow Screen Treatment (Untitled), undated

Subseries 3: "An Eagle in the House", circa 1940s-1952

This subseries is comprised of three drafts of a full-length stage play entitled either "An Eagle in the House" or "Peter and the Platypus," and one draft of a musical called "Don't Mention It!" that was based on the play.

Box 2 Folder 16 "Don't Mention It!," Book and Lyrics by Lowell Salaway, Music by George Engles, Based on "An Eagle in the House," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon,, 1952

Box 2 Folder 17-19 "An Eagle in the House," or "Peter and the Platypus," by Louis Dropkin and Felix Leon--Multiple Drafts,, undated, (3 Folders)