Finding aid for the Sonny Bono papers 2654
Sarah Jardini for History Associates Incorporated
USC Libraries Cinematic Arts Library
2022 November
Doheny Memorial Library G4
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-0185
ctlibarc@usc.edu
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Cinematic Arts Library
Title: Sonny Bono papers
Creator:
Bono, Sonny
Identifier/Call Number: 2654
Identifier/Call Number: /repositories/5/resources/3248
Physical Description:
101.3 Linear Feet
85 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1966-1998
Abstract: The Sonny Bono papers consist of television scripts, production records, film reels, photographs, memorabilia, and personal
materials belonging to musician and politician Sonny Bono. Also included are scripts from television programs produced by
George Schlatter and written by his collaborators Allan Blye and Chris Bearde. Many of these programs featured Sonny & Cher
as guest stars.
Language of Material:
English.
Biographical / Historical
Born Salvatore Bono in 1935, Sonny Bono was an American singer and actor who came to fame in partnership with his second wife
Cher as the performing duo Sonny & Cher in the 1960s and 1970s and on their own television program
The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour (1972-1974). The couple divorced in 1975 and began their respective solo short-lived television programs
The Sonny Comedy Revue (1975) and
Cher (1975-1976), but eventually returned to television together for
The Sonny and Cher Show (1976-1977). Bono's acting career continued with small parts as a guest performer in various television programs.
Bono ran for political office and served as the mayor of Palm Springs, CA from 1988 to 1992 and as a Republican congressman
for California's 44th district from 1995 until his death on a skiing trip in 1998. His widow, Mary Bono, was elected to fill
the remainder of her husband's congressional term.
Scope and Contents
The Sonny Bono papers consist of television scripts, production records, film reels, photographs, memorabilia, and personal
materials belonging to musician and politician Sonny Bono. Also included are scripts from television programs produced by
George Schlatter and written by his collaborators Allan Blye and Chris Bearde. Many of these programs featured Sonny & Cher
as guest stars.
The series Sonny and Cher records include scripts and reels from
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour (1971-1974),
The Sonny & Cher Show (1976-1977), and
The Sonny Comedy Revue (1974).
The series Blye Bearde Productions scripts is composed of materials from shows produced and written by Allan Blye and Chris
Bearde including:
The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show (1974-1975),
The Ken Berry "Wow" Show (1972), and a selection of Osmand Brothers specials.
The series Other materials includes personal materials such as family photographs, home movies, political and show business
memorabilia, a custom western saddle and bridle, and items from Bono's office.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Cinematic Arts Library
at ctlibarc@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Cinematic Arts Library as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder no. or item name], Sonny Bono papers, Collection no. 2654, Cinematic Arts Library, USC Libraries, University of
Southern California.
Processing Information
Collection is unprocessed
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Correspondence
Costumes and clothes
Home movies
Memorabilia
Moving images
Musicians -- 20th century -- Photographs
Realia
Scripts
Television scripts
Bono, Sonny -- Archives
Bearde, Chris
Blye, Allan
Cher, 1946-
Farmer, Gene
Schlatter, George, 1932-
Sonny & Cher
Sonny Bono scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/633765
Box 51, Box 52, Box 81, Box 53, Box 54, Box 55, Box 56, Box 57, Box 69, Box 47
Sonny and Cher Show footage /repositories/5/archival_objects/665770
Box 1, Box 2, Box 3, Box 4, Box 5, Box 6, Box 7, Box 8, Box 9, Box 10, Box 11, Box 12, Box 13, Box 14, Box 15, Box 15A, Box 16, Box 17, Box 18, Box 19, Box 20, Box 21, Box 22, Box 23, Box 24, Box 25, Box 26, Box 27, Box 28, Box 29, Box 30, Box 31, Box 32, Box 34, Box 35, Box 38
Sonny and Cher Show scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/665759
Box 72
Sonny Comedy Hour production files /repositories/5/archival_objects/665777
Box 39, Box 40, Box 41, Box 42, Box 43, Box 43A
Sonny Comedy Revue scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/665761
Blye Bearde Productions scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/633767
Box 44, Box 45, Box 46
American Bag scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/665762
Box 58, Box 59, Box 60, Box 61
Andy Williams Show scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/665771
Box 49
Business files /repositories/5/archival_objects/665767
Box 44
Furst Family scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/665764
Box 44, Box 46
Hamburger scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/665763
Box 33, Box 36, Box 37, Box 41, Box 42, Box 44
The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/665760
Box 50
Jackson 5 scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/665768
Box 64, Box 65, Box 66, Box 67
The Ken Berry 'Wow' Show scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/665774
Box 49
Li'l Abner scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/665766
Box 20, Box 42
Osmond Brothers Specials scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/665788
Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/665787
That's My Momma scripts /repositories/5/archival_objects/665769
Other materials /repositories/5/archival_objects/663050
Box 68, Box 68A
And the Beat Goes On book /repositories/5/archival_objects/665775
Box 62, Box 71, Box 74, Box 75, Box 76, Box 77, Box 78
Miscellaneous materials /repositories/5/archival_objects/665778
Box 48, Box 73, Box 79, Box 82
Personal materials /repositories/5/archival_objects/665765
Box 63
Press Clippings and Realia /repositories/5/archival_objects/665773
Item 80
Saddle /repositories/5/archival_objects/665779
Box 70
Sonny and Cher Tour schedules /repositories/5/archival_objects/665776
