A display of memorabilia from the classic TV miniseries "Lonesome Dove" will be exhibited at the Southwestern Writers Collection at Texas State University-San Marcos from from February 5 through June 1, 1999. The Collection, founded in 1986, holds the complete "Lonesome Dove Miniseries" archives, including everything from Larry McMurtry's early version of his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel to the costumes worn by Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones in their legendary performances as Gus and Call.
"During the past ten years 'Lonesome Dove' has become a classic in television history and has endured in the hearts of the American public," says Southwestern Writers Collection Curator Connie Todd. "We think this special exhibit is absolutely the best way to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of the film."
The "Lonesome Dove" materials were donated through the efforts of Bill and Sally Wittliff, who are also the founding donors of the Southwestern Writers Collection and Wittliff Gallery of Southwestern & Mexican Photography. The "Lonesome Dove" archives contain a complete record of the miniseries, including props, costumes, set designs, photographs, production notes, screenplay drafts, and hundreds of hours of film "dailies."
Bill Wittliff, who wrote the screenplay adaptation of McMurtry's novel and was the executive producer of the film, has been described as a "Renaissance hombre." Wittliff, who has long been considered an accomplished photographer, created a series of transcendent images from the set of "Lonesome Dove." The photographs, which are part of TxState's permanent collection, have been widely exhibited and were recently featured in Texas Monthly, which called the images "landscapes of Texas myth...[that] whisk us back not just to 1988 but to the late 1870s."
The "Lonesome Dove" exhibit will also feature a special on-line component, as selected materials from the archive will be displayed on the Southwestern Writers Collection website at "www.library.txstate.edu/swwc"
The Southwestern Writers Collection is a major archival repository focusing on the literature, film, and music of the Southwest. The Collection is located adjacent to the Wittliff Gallery of Southwestern & Mexican Photography on the campus of Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, halfway between Austin and San Antonio. The Collection is housed on the top floor of TxState's Albert B. Alkek Library. Hours are 8-5 Monday through Friday, 1-5 Saturday, 2-6 Sunday. Call 512-245-2313 or visit our website at www.library.txstate.edu/swwc for more information.
Return to the Southwestern Writers Collection homepage