Records from the Transco collection
Scope and Content Note
The Transco Collection consists of paper records from the Radio Transcription Company, Transco, which includes correspondence, business records, advertising and marketing materials, scripts, cue sheets, and other production documents. The papers were part of a larger collection the Library purchased in 1978, totaling over three thousand 16" program discs, and two thousand mothers and stampers.
This collection dates from 1931 to 1952 with the bulk of materials dating from 1932 to 1938 and 1950 to 1952. The collection has been arranged in four series: Advertising and Marketing, Business and Legal Documents, Correspondence and Production Materials. The collection totals approximately 2,000 wax cylinders, 4,000 discs, and 50 antique phonographs and related equipment, and assorted objects such as statues of the Victor dog, Edison banks and old needle tins. Some publications, especially record catalogs, donated with the Sayers Collection have been cataloged and added to the Library’s general collections.
Series 1 consists of materials designed to market or advertise radio programs. Catalogs and brief advertising flyers or sheets make up the bulk of this series. Materials are arranged alphabetically by program title. Materials not specific to one program are filed by company. There is one folder of miscellaneous material at the end of the series.
Series 2 consists of business and legal documents. Included are such items as talent releases, contracts, cancelled checks, cost sheets, affadavits, licences, shipping records, and copyright materials. The series is divided into two subseries: Program files and Subject/Genre files.
Series 3 contains correspondence relating primarily to shows, companies, or individuals. Materials date from 1936 through 1952, with most materials dating from 1936-38 and 1951-52. A large set of miscellaneous queries from 1951 are filed at the end of the series.
Series 4 contains documents relating to the production of radio programs. Included are scripts, synopses, program notes, cue sheets, proposals, music lists, talent lists and recording data. The series is arranged alphabetically by program title. Materials which relate to more than one program are filed at the end of the series under the heading “Multiple shows” and thereunder by subject.
Series 5 consists of oversize materials removed from series 1 and 2.
Dates
- Creation: ca. 1931-1952
- Creation: Majority of material found within ( 1932-1938, 1950-1952)
Language of Materials
Collection material in English
Access and Restrictions
The Records from the Transco Collection are open to research. Advance notice is required; contact a reference librarian in the Recorded Sound Research Center, National Audio-Visual Conservation Center, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, 20540-4690; (202) 707-7833.
Copyright Status
Restrictions may exist on copying, quoting, or publishing materials included in the collection. For additional information, contact a reference librarian in the Recorded Sound Research Center, National Audio-Visual Conservation Center, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, 20540-4690; (202) 707-7833.
Administrative History
During radio’s early years, many stations provided their own programming by hiring musicians, actors, and comedians to produce daily programs. Smaller stations, with limited production funds and access to performers, found they could provide listeners with a wider variety of radio programs by contracting with transcription companies, whose programs were syndicated and sold or rented to local stations around the country. Syndication also made it possible for smaller stations to become less dependent on major networks for their programming.
Transco, the Radio Transcription Company of America, Ltd., was started in 1931 by Charles C. Pyle, (1882-1939), a sports promoter known as “Cash and Carry” Pyle and his partner, radio engineer, Freeman Lang. They supplied non-network radio stations with programs through a leasing operation of 16" transcription discs. Stations aired these programs under their own schedules and returned the discs to Transco when finished. This arrangement continued until the 1950s when Transco went out of business.
Transco, with offices were in Hollywood, California, and Chicago, Illinois, initially entered the radio transcription market with “band remote” music programs featuring West Coast bandleaders. Later, Transco produced comedy, variety and dramatic programs, such as “The Country Church of Hollywood,” The Laff Parade,” “World Adventurer’s Club, ”and many others. They also ventured into children’s programing, with “Speed Gibson,” and “ Jerry at Fair Oaks,” and was known for their special Christmas series, “The Cinnamon Bear.”
Transco did not own a production studio but relied on local stock companies of actors and musicians for talent, hiring many of the staff of Los Angeles radio station KHJ as performers.
In 1942, Transco was sold to Broadcasters Program Syndicate, part of Bruce Eells & Associates of Hollywood, California, which re-released much of Transco’s programming onto their own original discs. Distribution continued into the 1950s but by the end of the decade, syndicated programs were considered out-date and were mostly dropped from programming schedules.
Extent
13,370 items (approximately)
40 containers
16.95 linear feet
Abstract
The Transco Collection consists of paper records from the Radio Transcription Company, Transco, which includes correspondence, business records, advertising and marketing materials, scripts, cue sheets, and other production documents.
Arrangement
The Records from the Transco Collection are organized in 5 series:
Physical Location
RPA 00292-00322 (boxes 1-31), RPA 03319-03324 (boxes 35-40); RPC 00004-00006 (oversize boxes 32-34)
Catalog Record
Provenance
Purchase; Wally Heider; 1978.
The records were part of a larger collection purchased by the Library of Congress in 1978, totaling over three thousand 16-inch program discs, and two thousand disc mothers and stampers.
Accruals
No further additions to the records are expected.
Processing History
The records were processed by Karen Fishman and Jennifer Lewis in 2005. An addition was processed by Karen Fishman and Marsha Maguire in 2009.
Source
- Transco Program Corporation (Creator, Organization)
Subject
- Eells, Bruce G. (Person)
- Eells, Bruce G.--Archives. (Person)
- Pyle, Charles C., 1882-1939. (Person)
- Bruce Eells and Associates. (Organization)
- Transco Program Corporation, creator. (Organization)
- Transco Program Corporation--Archives. (Organization)
- Title
- Records from the Transco Collection
- Author
- Prepared by Karen Fishman and Jennifer Lewis, with contributions from Marsha Maguire
- Date
- 2005
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Part of the Recorded Sound Section Repository
Recorded Sound Research Center
101 Independence Ave, SE
James Madison Building, LM 113
Washington, DC 20540-4810
(202) 707-7833