SEYMOUR FLEISHMAN PAPERS

de Grummond Children's Literature Collection
The University of Southern Mississippi

Creator: Seymour Fleishman
Title: Seymour Fleishman Papers
Dates: 1954-1981 [bulk 1958-1981]
Quantity: 7.50 cubic feet (12 boxes)
Identification: DG0328

Abstract: The Seymour Fleishman Papers contain ink and watercolor illustrations, dummies, typescripts, galleys, letters received, printed cards, and a photograph created and accumulated by Seymour Fleishman between 1954 and 1981. His papers were created from his illustration of 24 published books. Seymour Fleishman illustrated his first children's book in 1953 and subsequently illustrated more than 60 other titles, including five that he also wrote.

Biographical Note

Seymour Fleishman was born in Chicago, Illinois, on January 29, 1918, to Nathan and Rose (Yaffee) Fleishman. He attended the Art Institute of Chicago between 1935 and 1941, and then served with the U.S. Army in Australia and New Guinea during World War II, where he was a cartographer and illustrator. After the war, Fleishman returned to Chicago and worked as an artist in the promotional department of the Chicago Sun for three years. He married Esther Marcussen, the Sun's out-of-town circulation manager, in 1946, and the couple had two daughters.

Fleishman illustrated his first children's book, Helen Lobdell's Golden Conquest, in 1953. He subsequently illustrated more than 60 other children's books, including five that he also wrote. Perhaps his most famous illustrations were those of "Gus the Friendly Ghost," who was the star of a popular book series by Jane Thayer.

Esther Fleishman died in 2003, and Seymour Fleishman passed away in June 2012 at the age of 94.

Sources:
Something About the Author, ed. Donna Olendorf (Detroit: Gale Research, 1991), 66:68-69.
Obituary of Esther Fleishman in the Chicago Sun-Times, 28 March 2003.
Obituary of Seymour Fleishman in the Chicago Sun-Times, 13 June 2012.

Scope and Content Note

The Seymour Fleishman Papers contain ink and watercolor illustrations, dummies, typescripts, galleys, letters received, printed cards, and a photograph created and accumulated by Seymour Fleishman between 1954 and 1981. Fleishman's papers were created from his illustration of 24 published books. The material is organized into two series: Books and Other Material.

The Books Series contains ink and watercolor illustrations, dummies, typescripts, galleys, and letters received concerning 24 books published between 1958 and 1981. All but one of the books are picture books and 18 of those were written by Catherine Woolley under the pseudonym, Jane Thayer. Two of the picture books represented in the series were both written and illustrated by Seymour Fleishman: Four Cheers for Camping (1963) and Too Hot in Potzburg (1981). The majority of the material in the series is artwork. Final ink and watercolor illustrations with color separations exist for every book and many titles include dummies featuring early sketches. Other production material such as letters, typescripts, and galleys are relatively rare.

The papers in the Books Series are arranged alphabetically by title and the material for each book is arranged chronologically in order of creation when known. The quantity of material for specific titles varies, from a dummy with a couple of drawings to a large assortment of dummies, typescripts, proofs, and illustrations. The container listing offers detailed descriptions of the holdings for each title and information on the material's process of creation may be gleaned easily from the container listing for each book.

The Other Material Series consists of a few assorted items created or accumulated by Fleishman that were unrelated to his books. It includes two printed holiday cards designed by Fleishman, a printing stencil for one of the cards, a 1954 photograph of Catherine Woolley, and a dust jacket for her 1958 picture book Andy Wouldn't Talk.

Series and Subseries
 

A. Books (1958-1981)

 

The Blueberry Pie Elf (1961)

 
The Cat That Joined the Club (1967)
 
Curious, Furious Chipmunk (1969)
 
Emerald Enjoyed the Moonlight (1964)
 
Four Cheers for Camping (1963)
 
Gus and the Baby Ghost (1972)
 
Gus Was a Christmas Ghost (1969)
 
Gus Was a Friendly Ghost (1962)
 
Gus Was a Gorgeous Ghost (1978)
 
Gus Was a Mexican Ghost (1974)
 
I'm Not a Cat, Said Emerald (1971)
 
The Lighthearted Wolf (1966)
 
A Little Dog Called Kitty (1961)
 
Little Monkey (1959)
 
Little Mr. Greenthumb (1968)
 
The Little Old Man Who Cooked and Cleaned (1970)
 
The Little Old Man Who Could Not Read (1968)
 
One, Two, Three for Fun (1967)
 
Orphan, a Raccoon (1958)
 
The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy (1958)
 
The Pussy Who Went to the Moon (1960)
 
Quiet on Account of Dinosaur (1964)
 
Too Hot in Potzburg (1981)
 
What’s a Ghost Going to Do? (1966)

 
 

B. Other Material (1954-1958 & [n.d.])

Restrictions

Restrictions on Use

Noncirculating; available for research.

Copyright Restrictions

The collection is protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). Reproductions can be made only if they are to be used for "private study, scholarship, or research." It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials, other than that noted above.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item), Seymour Fleishman Papers, de Grummond Children's Literature Collection, University of Southern Mississippi Libraries, (Cite the item's box/folder numbers).

Provenance

These papers were donated to the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection of the University of Southern Mississippi Libraries by Seymour Fleishman between 1967 and 2001.

Processing Information

Processed by Hans Rasmussen, July 2003. This finding aid is the product of a grant funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Container Listing

Box/Folder


Books

 

The Blueberry Pie Elf by Jane Thayer, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1961)

1/1

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red and blue color separations for dust jacket and pp. 1, 3-5 & 10-17, 8 items

1/2 Ink and watercolor illustrations with red and blue color separations for pp. 18-25, 27-29 & 32 and endpapers, 8 items.

   
 

The Cat That Joined the Club by Jane Thayer, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1967)

1/3

Bound dummy featuring ink and color pencil sketches for dust jacket, endpapers and pp. 1-32, 1 item

1/4

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for cover and pp. 32 & 1-7, 5 items

1/5

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for pp. 8-15, 4 items

1/6

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for pp. 16-23, 4 items

1/7

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for pp. 24-31 and endpapers, 5 items

1/8

Blues featuring finished illustrations for pp. 1-32, edited, 1 signature

   
 

Curious, Furious Chipmunk by Jane Thayer, illustrated by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1969)

2/1

Ink and watercolor illustrations with blue, green and brown color separations for dust jacket, endpapers and pp. 32 & 1-5, 6 items

2/2

Ink and watercolor illustrations with blue, green and brown color separations for pp. 8-19, 6 items

2/3

Ink and watercolor illustrations with blue, green and brown color separations for pp. 20-31, 6 items

   
 

Emerald Enjoyed the Moonlight by Jane Thayer, illustrated by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1964)

2/4

Ink and watercolor illustrations with blue, green and purple color separations for dust jacket, endpapers and pp. 32 & 1-3, 4 items

2/5

Ink and watercolor illustrations with blue, green and purple color separations for pp. 4-9 & 12-13, 4 items

2/6

Ink and watercolor illustrations with blue, green and purple color separations for pp. 14-21, 4 items

2/7

Ink and watercolor illustrations with blue, green and purple color separations for pp. 24-31, 4 items

2/8

Color separations for unused illustrations, 7 items

2/9

Stencil sheets for text, 7 items

12/1

Incomplete color separations for press sheets, 16 items

   
 

Four Cheers for Camping story and pictures by Seymour Fleishman (Chicago: A. Whitman, 1963)

3/1

Layout sheet for flap copy and watercolor illustrations with ink drawing & text overlays for dust jacket and pp. 2, 3, 6, 30, 31 & 37, 5 items

3/2

Watercolor illustrations with ink drawing & text overlays for pp. 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18, 19 & 26,5 items

   
 

Gus and the Baby Ghost by Jane Thayer, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1972)

3/3

Bound dummy featuring ink and color pencil sketches for dust jacket, endpapers and pp. 1-32, 1 item

3/4

Layout sheet for flap copy and matted ink and watercolor illustration with red, blue and yellow color separations for dust jacket and endpapers, 6 items

3/5

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for pp. 32 & 1-17, 9 items

3/6

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for pp. 18-31, 7 items

   
 

Gus Was a Christmas Ghost by Jane Thayer, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1969)

4/1

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue, yellow and green color separations for pp. 32, l-7 & 10-15, 7 items

4/2

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue, yellow and green color separations for pp. 16-17, 22-31 and endpapers, 7 items

   
 

Gus Was a Friendly Ghost by Jane Thayer, illustrated by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1962)

4/3

Bound dummy featuring pencil and crayon sketches for dust jacket, endpapers and pp. 1-32, 1 item

4/4

Ink and watercolor illustrations with purple and orange color separations for dust jacket and pp. 1-5 & 10-15, 7 items

4/5

Ink and watercolor illustrations with purple and orange color separations for pp. 16-17, 20-31 and endpapers, 8 items

   
 

Gus Was a Gorgeous Ghost by Jane Thayer, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1978)

4/6

Letters received, May 1977-September 1978, 8 items

4/7

Bound dummy featuring ink and crayon sketches for dust jacket, endpapers and pp. 1-32, 1 item

4/8

Early ink and watercolor illustration for pp. 30-31, 1 item

4/9

Ink and watercolor illustrations with occasional color separations for dust jacket, front endpapers and pp. 32 & 1-7, 6 items

4/10

Ink and watercolor illustrations with occasional color separations for pp. 8-13 & 16-19, 7 items

4/11

Ink and watercolor illustrations with occasional color separations for pp. 20-31 and back endpapers, 7 items

   
 

Gus Was a Mexican Ghost by Jane Thayer, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1974)

5/1

Bound dummy featuring ink and marker sketches for dust jacket, endpapers and pp. 1-32, with letter received, June 1973, 1 item

5/2

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for dust jacket, endpapers and pp. 32 & 1-7, 6 items

5/3

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for pp. 8-13 & 16-21, 6 items

5/4

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for pp. 22-31, 5 items

   
 

I’m Not a Cat, Said Emerald by Jane Thayer, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (Kingswood, U.K.: World's Work Ltd., 1971)

5/5

Bound dummy featuring ink and crayon sketches for dust jacket, endpapers and pp. 1-32, 1 item

5/6

Color separation fragments and copyright text for dust jacket and p. 2, 4 items

5/7

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and green color separations for endpapers and pp. 32 & 1-9, 6 items

5/8

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and green color separations for pp. 10-21, 6 items

5/9

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and green color separations for pp. 22-31, 5 items

   
 

The Lighthearted Wolf by Jane Thayer, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1966)

5/10

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and green color separations for dust jacket, endpapers and pp. 32 & 1, 3 items

5/11

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and green color separations for pp. 2-7, 3 items

5/12

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and green color separations for pp. 8-13, 3 items

6/1

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and green color separations for pp. 14-19, 3 items

6/2

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and green color separations for pp. 20-25, 3 items

6/3

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and green color separations for pp. 26-31, 3 items

   
 

A Little Dog Called Kitty by Jane Thayer illustrated by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1961)

6/4

Bound dummy featuring color pencil sketches for dust jacket, endpapers and pp. 1-32, 1 item

6/5

Ink and watercolor illustrations for pp. 1 & 26-27, 2 items

   
 

Little Monkey by Jane Thayer illustrated by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1959)

6/6

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red and green color separations for dust jacket, cover and pp. 1-5, 5 items

6/7

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red and green color separations for pp. 8-15 & 18-19, 5 items

6/8

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red and green color separations for pp. 20-25 & 30-32, 5 items

   
 

Little Mr. Greenthumb by Jane Thayer, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1968)

6/9

Bound dummy featuring ink and color pencil sketches for dust jacket, endpapers and pp. 1-32, 1 item

6/10

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, green and yellow color separations for dust jacket, cover, endpapers and pp. 32, 1-3 & 6-7, 6 items

6/11

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, green and yellow color separations for pp. 8-9, 12-17 &
20-22, 6 items

6/12

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, green and yellow color separations for pp. 23-31, 5 items

6/13

Red, green and yellow color separations for pp. 4-5, 10-11 & 18-19, 10 items

   
 

The Little Old Man Who Cooked and Cleaned by Irma Simonton Black, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (Chicago: A. Whitman, 1970)

7/1

Watercolor illustrations with ink drawing & text overlays for pp. 32 & 1-9, 5 items

7/2

Watercolor illustrations with ink drawing & text overlays for pp. 10-11 & 14-21, 5 items

7/3

Watercolor illustrations with ink drawing & text overlays for pp. 22-23 & 26-31, 4 items

   
 

The Little Old Man Who Could Not Read by Irma Simonton Black, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (Chicago: A. Whitman, 1968)

7/4 Watercolor illustrations with ink drawing & text overlays for dust jacket and pp. 32 & 1-7, 5 items
7/5

Watercolor illustrations with ink drawing & text overlays for pp. 8-15, 4 items

7/6

Watercolor illustrations with ink drawing & text overlays for pp. 16-23, 4 items

7/7

Watercolor illustrations with ink drawing & text overlays for pp. 24-31, 4 items

   
 

One, Two, Three for Fun story by Muriel Stanek, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (Chicago: A. Whitman, 1967)

8/1

Bound dummy featuring ink and crayon sketches for dust jacket and pp. 1-32, 1 item

8/2

Watercolor illustration for dust jacket, with proof, 2 items

8/3

Ink and watercolor illustrations for pp. 32, 1 & 4-9, 4 items

8/4

Ink and watercolor illustrations for pp. 10-17, 4 items

8/5

Ink and watercolor illustrations for pp. 18-25, 4 items

8/6

Ink and watercolor illustrations for pp. 26-31, 3 items

8/7

Galley for pp. 1-32, edited, August 1967, 4 sheets

8/8

Layout sheets featuring photocopies of watercolor illustrations and text from galley for pp. 1-11, 13-15 & 17-32, marked for publication, 30 sheets

   
 

Orphan, a Raccoon by Era Zistel, illustrated by Seymour Fleishman (New York: Rand McNally, 1958)

9/1

Ink illustrations for pp. 2-3 & 9 and an unused illustration, 3 items

9/2

Ink illustrations for pp. 13, 16, 21, 26, 31 & 37, 6 items

9/3

Ink illustrations for pp. 42, 50, 56, 61, 68, 75 & 80, 7 items

9/4

Ink illustration with color separations, proof with overlay, and color proof, all for dust jacket, 3 items

   
 

The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy by Jane Thayer, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1958)

9/5

Watercolor illustrations with pink and blue color separations for dust jacket, endpapers and pp. 1-7, 6 items

9/6

Watercolor illustrations with pink and blue color separations for pp. 8-13, 16-17 & 20-23, 6 items

9/7

Watercolor illustrations with pink and blue color separations for pp. 24-25 & 28-37, 6 items

9/8

Watercolor illustrations with pink and blue color separations for pp. 38-48, 6 items

9/9

Stencil sheet for text for pp. 39, 44 & 46-48; proof of flap copy; and ink illustration for an unused drawing, 3 items

9/10

Paste up of dust jacket and watercolor illustrations for pp. 10-11 & 33-34 of El Perrito Que Deseaba un Niño, f970, 3 items

   
 

The Pussy Who Went to the Moon by Jane Thayer, illustrated by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1960)

9/11

Bound dummy featuring watercolor sketches for dust jacket and pp. 1-32, 1 item

9/12

Watercolor illustrations with red and gold color separations for dust jacket, cover and endpapers, 3 items

9/13

Watercolor illustrations with red and gold color separations for pp. 1-5, 3 items

10/1

Watercolor illustrations with red and gold color separations for pp. 8-13, 3 items

10/2

Watercolor illustrations with red and gold color separations for pp. 14-19, 3 items

10/3

Watercolor illustrations with red and gold color separations for pp. 20-25, 3 items

10/4

Watercolor illustrations with red and gold color separations for pp. 26-27 & 32, 2 items

   
 

Quiet on Account of Dinosaur by Jane Thayer, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1964)

12/2

Ink and watercolor illustration with red, blue and yellow color separations for dust jacket, 1 item

10/5

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for endpapers and pp. 32 & 1-5, 4 items

12/2

Matted ink and watercolor illustration with red color separation for pp. 6-7, 1 item

10/6

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for pp. 8-15, 4 items

10/7

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for pp. 16-23, 4 items

10/8

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for pp. 24-31, 4 items

10/9

Proofs for flap copy and back of dust jacket, 6 items

12/3

Incomplete color separations for press sheets, 20 items

   
 

Too Hot in Potzburg story and pictures by Seymour Fleishman (Chicago: A. Whitman, 1981)

11/1

Composition notes, 2 items

11/2

First bound dummy featuring ink sketches for pp. 3-32, 1 item

11/3

Second bound dummy featuring ink and color pencil sketches for dust jacket and pp. 1-32, 1 item

11/4

First typescript for pp. 3-32, 7 pp.

11/5

Carbon copy of first typescript for pp. 3-32, marked for publication, 7 pp.

11/6

Carbon copy of second typescript for pp. 3-32, lightly edited, 6 pp.

11/7

Letter received, with annotated tags, February 1981, 1 item

11/8

Photocopy of galley for pp. 3-32, marked for publication, August 1981, 4 sheets

11/9

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for dust jacket and pp. 32 & 1-11, 7 items

11/10

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for pp. 14-23 & 28-31, 7 items

   
 

What's a Ghost Going to Do? by Jane Thayer, pictures by Seymour Fleishman (New York: William Morrow, 1966)

11/11

Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for dust jacket, endpapers and pp. 32 & 1-7, 6 items

11/12 Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for pp. 8-19, 6 items
11/13 Ink and watercolor illustrations with red, blue and yellow color separations for pp. 20-31, 6 items
   

Other Material

11/4 Printed holiday card and stencil, 2 items
11/15

Printed holiday card, 1 item

11/16

Photograph of Catherine Woolley, with overlay, 1954, 1 print

11/17

Dust jacket and proof of flap copy for Andy Wouldn't Talk by Jane Thayer, 1958, 2 items

   

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