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RUBEN GAINES (1912-1994). Papers; n.d., 1952-1983. 2.8 cu. ft. Inventory.
Ruben Gaines was born in 1912. During World War II, he worked in Hollywood, California, as a radio broadcaster. He came to Alaska around 1946 to work in radio broadcasting in Fairbanks, and moved to Anchorage in 1950. He is best known for his daily five-minute radio program, “Conversations Unlimited,” in which he presented readings of his stories about life in Alaska. He published several books of poetry, including On Distance and Recall, and A Chugach Album and On Youth - Verse by Ruben Gaines. He served as Alaska State Poet Laureate from 1973 to 1978. Ruben Gaines died in Anchorage in 1994.
The collection consists of the papers of Ruben Gaines relating to his work as an author and radio broadcaster. The collection is divided into five series: papers and published works; slides of story illustrations; reel-to-reel audiotapes; phonograph albums; and oversize documents. The papers include correspondence from Gaines to Alaskan artist Rusty Huerlin; copies of Gaines’ published books; Gaines’ unpublished manuscripts of novels, plays, and poetry; scripts for “Conversations Unlimited” radio programs; scripts for other programs including “Pop” and “Beluga Bugle”; artwork and illustrations for “Conversations Unlimited” and other presentations; and reference materials and a six Gold Rush era photographs. The 311 color slides illustrate episodes of “Beluga Bugle” and other stories. The 30 reel-to-reel audiotapes are recordings of “Conversations Unlimited,” “Pop,” “Beluga Bugle” and other stories and poetry, along with 28 CDA master discs and 28 reference audiocassettes of those recordings. The four published LP phonograph albums consist of three different volumes of “Conversations Unlimited” stories and “Chilkoot Charlie Writ’n’Reed by Ruben Gaines.”
The collection was presented to the archives by Ruben Gaines in 1986. Papers were added in 1987 and 1991. A deed of gift was signed in 1987. Copyright is retained by the donor’s family. Two phonograph albums were transferred to the archives from the Technical Services Department. Two phonograph albums were acquired by the archives in 2001.
HMC-0110
JAS (10/2004)