Lewis, Mort Reis.

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Lewis was a scriptwriter who wrote for numerous radio and television programs during the 1940s to 1960s. During World War II Lewis worked as a dramatic consultant for the United States Army Special Services. He wrote scripts and staged shows in service hospitals across the country, using patients in the shows. Lewis was active in the Lincoln Sesquicentennial Association of California and the Civil War Centennial Commission during the late 1950s and early 1960s, serving as chair of the Commission's Television Program Committee. In honor of the centennial he wrote a Civil War teleplay, "A Pair of Boots."

From the description of Papers, 1939-1985. (University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center). WorldCat record id: 28485056

Mort Reis Lewis was a Southern California writer and historian. His script for the radio show "A Pair of Boots" was nominated for a Writers Guild of America award (Lewis was a member of the Writers Guild of America). Lewis wrote scripts for several TV shows including "Bonanza," "Rawhide," "Bewitched," and "Dennis the Menace." Lewis also wrote several articles including one each in Lincoln, a contemporary portrait and Lincoln for the ages. Lewis served on the following committees: Television Program Committee Advisory Council to U.S. Civil War Centennial Commission; California Civil War Centennial Commission; Southern California Civil War Round Table; and Lincoln Sesquicentennial Association. He was a life-long friend of historian Allan Nevins and worked on an Oral History Project about Nevins for Columbia University.

From the description of Interviews with Irving Stone and Lilian Bean on Allan Nevins, 1969-1971. (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 316604520

Mort Reis Lewis was a Southern California writer and historian. Lewis wrote scripts for several TV shows including "Bonanza," "Rawhide," "Bewitched," and "Dennis the Menace." His script for the radio show "A Pair of Boots" was nominated for a Writers Guild of America award (Lewis was a member of the Writers Guild of America). Lewis also wrote several articles including one each in the anthologies Lincoln, a contemporary portrait and Lincoln for the ages. Lewis served on the following committees: Television Program Committee Advisory Council to U.S. Civil War Centennial Commission; California Civil War Centennial Commission; Southern California Civil War Round Table; and Lincoln Sesquicentennial Association.

Lewis met historian Allan Nevins in 1953 in New York when Nevins was a consultant for a radio show written by Lewis. The two became good friends and continued their friendship until Nevins' death in 1971. After Nevins' death, Lewis spent much of his time trying to honor Nevins' memory by nominating his image for a U.S. postage stamp and by writing pieces on Nevins for a variety of publications including The Los Angeles times West magazine. He also worked on an Oral History Project about Nevins for Columbia University.

From the description of Papers of Mort Reis Lewis, 1953-1985. (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 317629510

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Lewis, Mort Reis. Interviews with Irving Stone and Lilian Bean on Allan Nevins, 1969-1971. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
creatorOf Lewis, Mort Reis. Papers of Mort Reis Lewis, 1953-1985. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
creatorOf Lewis, Mort Reis. Papers, 1939-1985. Univerisity of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Heritage. corporateBody
associatedWith American Scholar. corporateBody
associatedWith Bean, Lillian K. person
associatedWith Billington, Ray Allen, 1903- person
associatedWith Bradbury, Ray, 1920- person
associatedWith Canfield, Cass, 1897-1986. person
associatedWith Catton, Bruce, 1899-1978. person
associatedWith CBS Television Network. corporateBody
associatedWith Churchill, Winston, 1874-1965. person
associatedWith Commager, Henry Steele, 1902-1998. person
associatedWith Eden, Anthony, Earl of Avon, 1897-1977. person
associatedWith Ford, Henry, 1863-1947. person
associatedWith Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885. person
associatedWith Haverlin, Carl, 1899-1985. person
associatedWith Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery corporateBody
associatedWith Historical Times, Inc. corporateBody
associatedWith Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines), 1908-1973. person
associatedWith KCET (Television station : Los Angeles, Calif.) corporateBody
associatedWith Kennedy, Edward Moore, 1932- person
associatedWith Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963. person
associatedWith Kennedy, Robert F., 1925-1968. person
associatedWith Kissinger, Henry, 1923- person
associatedWith Knopf, Alfred A., 1892-1984. person
associatedWith Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870. person
associatedWith Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865. person
associatedWith Lincoln Sesquicentennial Association of California. corporateBody
associatedWith Loftis, Anne. person
associatedWith Long, E. B. (Everette Beach), 1919-1981. person
associatedWith Los Angeles Times (Firm) corporateBody
associatedWith McGovern, George S. (George Stanley), 1922- person
associatedWith National Broadcasting Company, inc. corporateBody
associatedWith National Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Nevins, Allan, 1890-1971. person
associatedWith New York Times Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994. person
associatedWith Pell, Claiborne, 1918-2009. person
associatedWith Reagan, Ronald. person
associatedWith Ribicoff, Abraham, 1910-1998. person
associatedWith Rockefeller, John D. (John Davison), 1839-1937. person
associatedWith Rolle, Andrew F. person
associatedWith Schlesinger, Arthur M. (Arthur Meier), 1917-2007, person
associatedWith Starr, Louis Morris, 1917-1980. person
associatedWith Stone, Irving, 1903-1989. person
associatedWith Thorpe, James Ernest, 1915- person
associatedWith Turner, Justin G. person
associatedWith United States. Civil War Centennial Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith Wiley, Bell, 1906-1980. person
associatedWith Woodward, D. H. (Daniel Holt), 1931-2007. person
associatedWith Writer's Guild of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Writers Guild of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Writers Guild of America, West. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
San Marino (Calif.)
United States
United States
Subject
Historians
Historians
Military hospitals
Live television programs
Radio authorship
Radio comedies
Radio programs
Radio scripts
Recreational therapy
Soldiers
Television and history
Television authorship
Television comedies
Television programs
Television scripts
Watergate Affair, 1972-1974
World War, 1939-1945
Occupation
Radio writers
Television writers
Activity

Person

Active 1969

Active 1971

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