The Jack and Bonita Granville Wrather Papers document the considerable careers of this couple in the areas of entertainment, business, and politics.
Bonita Granville (1923-1988) ranked with Mickey Rooney and Jackie Cooper as one of the more popular childhood stars in Hollywood's golden era of the 1930s, noteworthy for playing mean-spirited juveniles in such films as William Wyler's "These Three," for which she earned an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress in 1936. She parlayed her acumen in entertainment into a very successful career as a producer, especially of the long-running television program "Lassie." Her husband Jack (John Devereaux) Wrather, Jr., a member of Ronald Reagan's kitchen cabinet, had acquired his initial fortune in the Texas oil business, from which, in the far-sighted entrepreneurial spirit that so characterized him, he expanded into the entertainment and leisure business. His many, many business interests included the production of television properties, eg, "The Lone Ranger," and the development of such resorts as the Disneyland Hotel and the Queen Mary.
From the description of Jack and Bonita Granville Wrather papers, 1890-1989, bulk 1950-1988. (Loyola Marymount University). WorldCat record id: 57365359
