Hugh Atkinson archive, 1930-1994

MLMSS 11455/Boxes 1-9
MLMSS 11455/Box 10X

fonds

1930-1994

Textual Records, Ephemera, Clippings, Graphic Materials, Photographs

9663655

1.71 metres of textual material (9 boxes, 1 outsize box) includes photographs

Hugh Geddes Atkinson (1921-1994) was born in Parkes, NSW. He was a journalist, author and screenwriter with over 40 works to his name. Between 1967-1968 he was a Vietnam special war correspondent. Atkinson won three awards for his work including 1964 Xavier Society Prize and 1968 International Awards - American Literary Guild Prize. He was made an Emeritus Fellow of the Literature Board of the Australia Council in 1993.

He has published more than 15 books, including novels, children's books, and numerous short stories. Two of his novels were made into films, with Atkinson writing the screenplays for both films. His 1968 novel The Games, about the Olympics, was made into a film of the same name in 1970. His 1967 novel The Reckoning was made into a dramatic film in 1978 entitled Weekend of Shadows.

References
https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A4027 accessed 24 November 2021

From the daughter of Hugh Atkinson via Sydney Rare Book Auctions.

Collection of papers documenting writer, Hugh Atkinson's work and life, 1930-1994. Includes manuscripts and proof copies of 'The Games' and 'Who killed Cock Robin?', travel scrapbooks and memorabilia, letters from authors, publishers, agents and known figures including Xavier Hubert, Hal Porter, Hubert Opperman and Mulk Raj Anan.

BOX 1
Folder 1
Two letters to Atkinson from Phillip Jones Griffiths regarding their trip to Vietnam, copy of BFA CORDS, Quang Ngai report on Atkinson and Griffiths' visit to Vietnam, small notebook with Atkinson's travel notes from Vietnam, circa 1967 and Sunday Telegraph Daily Magazine clipping, 'Vietnam: The Death of a Village' containing an article written by Atkinson and photographic essay by Griffiths, 26 January 1968.
Folder 2
Correspondence with literary figures, 1956-1993
Topics include: The Games, authorship, publishing, reviews, mutual acquaintances, 'Poor Fellow My Country', Atkinson's Emeritus Fellowship and film projects.
Correspondents include: Mulk Raj Anand, the Australian Arts Council, Robert [Bob] S. Close, Fred Cooksey, Geoffrey Dutton, Marcus Fielding, Frank Hardy, Xavier Herbert, Frank Hodgkinson, Phillip Knightley, Jack Lindsay, Frederic Mullally, Hubert Opperman, Harold Edward (Hal) Porter, David Saw, Dr. Hugh Schonfield, R. W. Thompson, Terry Trench and Morris West
Folder 3
Travel related ephemera including ticket, sick bag and Indian tax exemption certificate in the name of Zulfiquar Vellani, bookmark made from Guinea Ecuatorial stamps (Jason Atkinson, 1977), cheque book, Grosvenor Advertising Christmas leaflet and New Zealand health stamps original souvenir cover, 1949
Folder 4
Who killed cock robin? typed manuscript
Folder 5
All that glitters, a novel about the leadup to the 1968 Olympic Games, typed synopsis
Folder 6
Correspondence and clippings related to Mary Lord's 1993 biography of Hal Porter, 'Hal Porter: man of many parts'. Includes letters to and from Mary Lord, Graeme Morris, Hugh and Phoebe Atkinson and Geoffrey Dutton, 1991-1994
Folder 7
The Pyjama girl case: the novel of the film by Shad Kreek typed manuscript. Atkinson wrote this book under his pseudonym, Hugh Geddes.
Folder 8
Alone and Together, typed manuscript

BOX 2
Folder 1
The Games, research notes, letters and part of an early manuscript
Folder 2
Jumping Jeweller, typed manuscript with a handwritten note to Jason
Folder 3
Jumping Jeweller, artist proofs, endpaper, and manuscript page layout proof with accompanying letter from Blanche Hewett from Penguin Book Australia, 1988
Folder 4
Jumping Jeweller, Master Ddee format text lay sheets from Penguin
Folder 5
List of short stories by Hugh Atkinson written in pen and annotated typed manuscript of 'Faulkner’s Find', a film script set in Alice Springs
Folder 6
Newspaper articles, invitations, clippings from scrapbook, 1950s-1960s

BOX 3
Author, publisher and agent correspondence from Hugh Atkinson’s personal filing system
Folder 1
Search for the Great South Land, 1972-1978
Folder 2
Savage Animal and The Games, 1966-1978
Folder 3
Low Company, 1959-1961
Folder 4
The Pink and the Brown, 1957-1967
Folder 5
The Man in the Middle, 1971-1985
Folder 6
Short Stories, 1952-1984
Folder 7
The Reckoning, 1962-1978
Folder 8
The Reckoning (American Edition), 1971-1978
Folder 9
The Games, 1966-1993

BOX 4
Folder 1
The Games, clippings, correspondence and ephemera, 1966-1974
Folder 2
The Games film, production photographs of cast and crew including Ryan O'Neal, Michael Crawford and Michael Winner, 1969
Folder 3
The Manipulators, 1970-1973
Folder 4
Going back, returned manuscript from Curtis Brown, 1990
Folder 5
Going back, annotated typed manuscript, 1989

BOX 5
Folder 1
Jumping Jeweller proof
Folder 2
Jumping Jeweller annotated proof
Folder 3
Language of Flowers, photocopied manuscript with accompanying letter discussing structural changes to the text, Memorandum of Agreement for the Three Novella project, 1991
Folder 4
Lasseter's Lost Golden Reef, outline and treatment for a film script
Folder 5
Lasseter, a film proposal

BOX 6
Folder 1
Dingo Man, manuscript
Folder 2
Dingo Man, Part 1
Folder 3
Dingo Man, Part 2
Folder 4
Dingo Man, Part 3
Folder 5
The Asylum, manuscript

BOX 7
Folder 1
The Games, three scrapbooks with images and research on previous Olympic Games. Includes photographs and typed and handwritten notes.
1. Santa Anna the Olympic Village, 2. The Marathon, 3. The Stadium.
Folder 2
Jackaroo, story and screenplay by John Cundill, Final Draft, 1989
Folder 3
Weekend to Kill, screenplay by Peter Yeldham based on the novel 'The Reckoning' by Hugh Atkinson, Revised Final Draft, 1977
Folder 4
Gallipoli, screenplay by David Williamson based on a story by Peter Weir, Final Draft, 1980
Folder 5
Peter Weir's Gallipoli an original screenplay by David Williamson based on the story outline by Peter Weir, Third Draft, 1979
Folder 6
The Burial of Robinson Crusoe manuscript

BOX 8
Alone and Together, 3 folio note books
The Man in the Middle, 2 folio note books
Cross Stitch, 3 folio note books
The Manipulators, 4 folio note books

BOX 9
The Games typed manuscript returned with annotations by Judith Lippes, Simon and Schuster, July 1968
The Games typed manuscript from Monica McCall Inc., 1970

BOX 10X
Scrapbook of newspaper and magazine clippings, announcements and invitations, 1930-1969

Copyright restrictions may apply:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder