Fonds 83-7 - William Stevenson fonds

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William Stevenson fonds

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Fonds

Reference code

83-7

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Date(s)

  • 1953-1979 (Creation)

Physical description area

Physical description

1.68 m of textual records and other material

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Name of creator

(July 1924-)

Biographical history

Journalist and author William H. Stevenson was born in London, England in July 1924. He was brought up in France and England, and completed his education at Russell College, Oxford. During World War II he served as a Royal Navy fighter pilot, training at a base near Kingston, Ontario in 1942. Following the war he worked as a reported for several British newspapers including the 'London Sunday Express' and the 'Sunday Times'. He immigrated to Canada in 1947, working as a journalist for the 'Toronto Star' and 'Star Weekly'. From 1950 to 1963 he worked as foreign bureau chief for the 'Toronto Star' and the CBC in Hong Kong, India and Africa. He worked for many years as a war and foreign correspondent, and documentary film maker in Europe, the Middle East and the Far East, and lived at various times in Hong Kong, New Delhi, and Peking. As a producer for CBC Television's 'Tuesday Night' he produced documentaries, and in 1954 he produced the first documentary on Red China for NBC and the BBC. Stevenson left the CBC in 1976 to devote more time to research and writing. He is the author of many articles and numerous books of fiction and non-fiction including: 'The Yellow Wind' (1957); 'The China Watchers'; 'Birds' Nests in Their Beards' (1964); 'The Bushbabies'; 'Strike Zion: Isreal's Six-Day Battle for Survival' (1967); 'Zanek: A Chronicle of the Isreali Air Force' (1971); 'Emperor Red' (1972); 'The Bormann Brotherhood' (1973); '90 Minutes at Entebbe' (1976); 'A Man Called Intrepid' (1976); 'The Ghosts of Africa' (1980), and 'Intrepid's Last Case'(1983). After living for many years in Toronto with their children, Andrew, Jacqueline, Kevin, and Sally, William Stevenson and his wife, Glenys reside in Bermuda.

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Scope and content

Fonds consists of personal and professional papers created by author, journalist, and television producer, William H. Stevenson, 1953-1979. Since Stevenson often worked simultaneously as a foreign correspondent, author, and T.V. producer, the records have been arranged chronologically to delineate these roles during various periods of his life. Included are notebooks, brochures, publications, articles, correspondence, and photographs pertaining to his work as a correspondent in Asia, Africa, China, Russia, and Malaysia while reporting for Near and Far East News (Asia) Ltd., the 'Toronto Telegram', the CBC, and other agencies. His records as an author include reviews, publications, correspondence, publicity materials, manuscripts, contracts, notes, expenses, research files, notebooks, newspaper clippings, and photographs relating to the research, writing, publication, and promotion of the books, 'Birds' Nests in Their Beards', 'The Bushbabies'. 'Strike Zion', 'Zanek', 'Emperor Red', 'The Bormann Brotherhood', 'A Man Called Intrepid', 'Intrepid's Last Case', '90 Minutes at Entebbe', and 'Ghosts of Africa'. Records documenting Stevenson's activities as a television producer relate to programs on China, Yugoslavia, various CBC 'Tuesday Night' productions, and film and T.V. treatments of 'Bushbabies', and 'A Man Called Intrepid'. Small quantities of personal material and records relating to speaking engagements are also present in this fonds. Of particular note is the 60cm of material dealing with Stevenson's biography of Sir William Stephenson, 'A Man Called Intrepid', which contains extensive correspondence between the author and his subject, 1972-1978. Researchers should note that, despite information to the contrary contained in the book's introduction, no copies of British intelligence documents are included in this fonds.

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Restrictions on access

Ten files containing confidential material are restricted.

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Inventory avilable for 83-7.

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General note

Includes 123 photographs, 3 slides, 1 film reel, and 30 oversize items.

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