Len O'Connor papers
- Creator Names O'Connor, Len.
- Title Len O'Connor papers [manuscript], 1950-1969, 1983.
- Physical description
- 23 linear ft. (56 boxes)
- 140 sound recordings.
- 57 sound discs.
- Access and usage restrictions
- The addition to the collection is unprocessed. Contact research@chicagohistory.org for access to unprocessed portions. Staff will typically respond to your inquiry within two weeks. However, due to the high volume of inquiries and depending upon the nature of your request additional time may be required to respond. Please note that not all material will be available for researcher access due to condition, location, staff availability, confidentiality and/or other factors. Scheduling an appointment to view available material may require several additional weeks.
- For listening purposes, it is necessary to use a copy, not the original (and to have a listening copy made if one is not available).
- Collection summary Radio and television newscast scripts (1950-1969), correspondence (1964-1969), personal documents, and sound recordings of Len O'Connor, a Chicago (Ill.) commentator on political, social, criminal, and human interest matters and personalities in Chicago and elsewhere. Includes letters from audience members and materials relating to O'Connor's brother, Bishop William A. O'Connor of Springfield (Ill.). Sound recordings are of interviews, on-the-spot events, news, and feature broadcasts, including O'Connor's conversations with young men in trouble with the law in "They Talked to a Stranger," programs which were the basis for O'Connor's book (1959) of the same title; and interviews with Mayor Richard J. Daley, Senator Everett M. Dirksen, Arthur M. Fitzgerald, who was a lawyer for Orville Hodge, Ben Hecht, Nathan F. Leopold, and Carl Sandburg.
- Terms Governing Use and Reproduction Materials may not be used for commercial broadcast or non-historical commercial purposes without the specific written consent of those who might have cause to protest that use of them would constitute an invasion of their privacy.
- Acquisition information Gift of Len O'Connor (M19773.0034?; M1981.0003; 1989.0943).
- Finding Aids Note Descriptive inventory available in the Research Center; lacks description of later additions to the collection.
- Location of Other Archival Materials Note Related materials at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, include the Len O'Connor and Most Rev. William O'Connor collection of photographs (1989.0943); a collection of Len O'Connor video and motion picture film; and books by O'Connor cataloged separately.
- Biographical or Historical Note Len O'Connor (1912-1991).
- Names
- O'Connor, Len Archives.
- Daley, Richard J., 1902-1976.
- Dirksen, Everett McKinley,
- Fitzgerald, Arthur M.
- Hecht, Ben, 1893-1964.
- Hodge, Orville.
- Leopold, Nathan Freudenthal, 1904-1971.
- O'Connor, Len. They talked to a stranger.
- O'Connor, William Aloysius, 1903-1983.
- Sandburg, Carl, 1878-1967.
- Catholic Church Clergy.
- Daley, Richard J., 1902-1976.
- Dirksen, Everett McKinley,
- Fitzgerald, Arthur M.
- Hecht, Ben, 1893-1964.
- Leopold, Nathan Freudenthal, 1904-1971.
- O'Connor, Len. They talked to a stranger.
- O'Connor, William Aloysius, 1903-1983.
- Sandburg, Carl, 1878-1967.
- Subjects
- Catholics Illinois Chicago 20th century.
- Catholics Illinois Springfield 20th century.
- Journalists Illinois Chicago 20th century.
- Radio journalism Illinois Chicago 20th century.
- Radio journalists Illinois Chicago 20th century.
- Reporters and reporting Illinois Chicago 20th century.
- Television journalists Illinois Chicago 20th century.
- Television broadcasting Illinois Chicago 20th century.
- Television broadcasting of news Illinois Chicago 20th century.
- Geographic coverage
- Chicago (Ill.) Politics and government 20th century.
- Illinois Social conditions 20th century.
- Genre
- Audiotapes. aat
- Commentaries. aat
- Correspondence. aat
- Scripts. aat
- Geographic name United States Illinois Cook County Chicago.