Documentary Screening and Panel Discussion
September 3, 2021
Join us Thursday, Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m. for an hour-long documentary titled, āWalter Tevis: A Writerās Gambit.ā The explores the life of Walter Tevis, an OHIO alumnus and professor of English literature and creative writing from 1965-1978. His well-known novels and screen adaptations include: "The Hustler," "The Man Who Fell to Earth," "The Color of Money" and "The Queen's Gambit."
Tom Thurman, a documentarian at Kentucky Educational Television (KET), explores Tevisā multifaceted life and career beginning at a young age when his family moved to Lexington, to his struggles with alcohol abuse, to his successes as a writer. Despite his best-selling novels-turned-into-moneymaking films, like āThe Queenās Gambitā highlighted in this documentary, Tevis never received the same fame as some his writing contemporaries of his time
āāThe Queenās Gambit,ā was taken from Tevisā own [experiences] about [playing] chess,ā explained Bill Kimok, University archivist and records manager and one of the screeningsā panelists. āWalter [Tevis] loved chess, so he wrote about chess in this story.ā
Thurman reached out to Kimok during his research phase of the documentary after becoming aware of University Librariesā , which span two decades of Tevisā life, 1950s-1970s.
āThis is a small collection. There are only two boxes in the collection. The first box is filled with work that is related to his creative [process] as a writer, [which includes] materials that he has written, some drafts of poetry, some drafts of short stories, an updated list of his short storiesā explained Kimok.
The second box in Tevisā collection is totally dedicated to his work as an English professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at 51ĀŅĀ×.
Kimok continued, āMeaning there are stuff on teaching classes. There are his syllabi, [and] there is work with some of his students, course evaluations, rostersāall those kinds of things you would see with any professorās personal papers.ā
Tevisā collection gives an insight not only in the study of his writing style, but also in how his mind worksā an asset for all students, faculty and scholars engaged in creative writing.
āCertainly, if you are going to be a writer, the best thing you can do is to study other people who have written, and what they have writtenā said Kimok. āOne of my professors told me that the best way to become a good writer is to be a good reader. So, the more you read the better you write, and the more you can develop your own style.ā
The documentary, presented in partnership with University Libraries, WOUB and the Alumni Association, will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A session with Tevisā children, Julia McGory and Will Tevis; Sam Crowl, former English professor and colleague of Tevis; and Bill Kimok, University archivist and record manager. The panel will be moderated by Cheri Russo, WOUB community engagement manager.
For more information about the Walter Tevis Papers, please contact Bill Kimok.