The Tom Fontana Collection, 1983-2016

Summary

Creator:
Fontana, Tom, 1951-
Abstract:
Includes drafts, scripts, audiocassettes, and videos of television pilots, movies, and series written and/or produced by Fontana, including St. Elsewhere, Tattingers, Home Fires, Homicide: Life on the Street, Hoop Life, Oz, and episodes of Law & Order; many photographs of Fontana, his production associates, and cast members; taped television interviews and speeches of Fontana and cast members; set layouts and designs; research notes and story ideas; scripts submitted to Fontana by others; some publicity materials; cartoons regarding St. Elsewhere; and awards presented to Fontana, including the Emmy and Peabody, Humanitas Prize, and the Buffalo State College Alumni Award. There are also biographies of Fontana, short stories written by him, and videos of presidential bloopers, from Presidents Kennedy through Bush.
Extent:
329 linear feet
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Includes drafts, scripts, audiocassettes, and videos of television pilots, movies, and series written and/or produced by Fontana, including St. Elsewhere, Tattingers, Home Fires, Homicide: Life on the Street, Hoop Life, Oz, and episodes of Law & Order; many photographs of Fontana, his production associates, and cast members; taped television interviews and speeches of Fontana and cast members; set layouts and designs; research notes and story ideas; scripts submitted to Fontana by others; some publicity materials; cartoons regarding St. Elsewhere; and awards presented to Fontana, including the Emmy and Peabody, Humanitas Prize, and the Buffalo State College Alumni Award. There are also biographies of Fontana, short stories written by him, and videos of presidential bloopers, from Presidents Kennedy through Bush.

Biographical / historical:

Tom's accomplishments include involvement as a writer and producer on the series "Tattinger's," "Home Fires," and "The Beat." He wrote the ABC special "The Fourth Wiseman," "Firehouse: the Movie" a pilot for CBS, and "Homicide: Life Everlasting", a TV movie of the week for NBC. He also wrote a made-for-television movie "Judas" that premiered on February 15, 2002 at Canisius High School in Buffalo, NY. The premier honored a fellow graduate of the school, Sean Rooney, who died September 11th during the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

Tom taught a class on ensemble writing at Buffalo State College in the fall of 2003. On November 19, 2003, Tom's new play "The Day Jack London Got Pinched," based on the memoirs of the 19th century writer, premiered at the college. On November 24, 2003 Tom was inducted into the Western New York Entertainment Hall of Fame at the Shea's Performing Arts Center. Past inductees include Lucille Ball, Buffalo Bob Smith, Broadway's George Abbott and Michael Bennett, playwright A.R. Gurney and jazz musician Grover Washington Jr. Tom's portrait, by Buffalo artist George Palmer, will hang in the lobby of the Shea's theater.

Tom has written several plays which have been produced in New York City, San Francisco, and at the Studio Arena in Buffalo. His collection contains one of his unpublished plays entitled "A Slice of Buffalo, A Peace of Paris."

Access and use

Restrictions:

The Tom Fontana Collection is open for research with prior approval. Please contact an information concerning use, specific areas of the collection, and inventory lists.

http://library.buffalostate.edu/archives/visiting

http://library.buffalostate.edu/archives/fontana

Terms of access:

Please visit our Policies page for additional restrictions and copyright information: http://library.buffalostate.edu/archives/policies

Location of this collection:
E. H. Butler Library
Room 214
1300 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY 14222, United States
Link to repository site
Contact:
716-878-6304