Dan Knapp
Stories by Dan Knapp:
All about Bette Davis, from the legendary star’s longtime confidant
USC alumna Kathryn Sermak recounts a decade-long association with one of Hollywood’s most iconic actresses, and how it helped to shape her career.
Cultural critic shifts from political satire to rocket science
USC Dornsife’s M.G. Lord recounts a career that led from New York newspapers to books on Barbie and feminism.
Psychology, social work spark the dreams of a drag performer
Alum sees personal strength where others perceive weakness, which leads to professional opportunities.
Down on the ranch house
The L- and U-shaped ranch homes pioneered by the late designer Cliff May are among the predominant structures that define 20th-century architectural landscape in Southern California.
Volcanic power depicted in rare artwork
After centuries of dormancy, a catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius cast a column of debris more than 20 miles into the air in 79 A.D.
Last call for Wonderland submissions
The eighth USC Libraries Wonderland Award is accepting submissions from USC students and participating institutions throughout Southern California.
The Descendants ascend with Scripter win
Author Kaui Hart Hemmings and screenwriters Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash won the 24th annual USC Libraries Scripter Award for their creative contributions to The Descendants.
Zinner Collection always in fashion
A pioneering woman in a field once dominated by men, Christa Zinner worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Fred Astaire and Katharine Hepburn.
All’s Fair in Industrial Technology
Between May 1 and Oct. 15, 1851, more than 6 million people wound their way through London’s Crystal Palace to experience the first World’s Fair.
Finalists named for 24th annual Scripter Award
The authors and screenwriters of A Dangerous Method, The Descendants, Jane Eyre, Moneyball and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy have been named finalists for the 24th annual USC Libraries Scripter Award.
Haggis to Receive Scripter Literary Achievement Award
The Friends of the USC Libraries announced that screenwriter, producer and director Paul Haggis is the recipient of the 2012 Scripter Literary Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to the art of film adaptation.
Artifacts Recall Civil War History
Although exact figures are unknown, it’s estimated that nearly 4 million soldiers fought in the American Civil War, with more than 618,000 killed during the four-year conflict.
Archival View of a Screen Siren
The relationship between meticulous research and fascinating storytelling came together at a recent Friends of the USC Libraries Literary Luncheon as USC professor Lois Banner discussed her book MM – Personal: From the Private Archive of Marilyn Monroe.
17th-Century Book Examines Abnormalities
Early in the 1500s, tales of a baby born with bat-like wings, an eye located in its knee and an eagle’s claw for a foot quickly spread throughout Europe.
David Rose: Witness to the Prosecution
When Hillside Strangler Angelo Buono faced his accusers in Los Angeles Superior Court, artist David Rose often sat near him in the courtroom looking for any hint of emotion from one-half of the duo who terrorized Southern California in the fall of 1977. What he found was Buono’s contempt for society.
Eisenshtat Papers Trace the History of Sinai Temple
During the first weeks of September in 1960, craftsmen and artisans worked around the clock to put the finishing touches on Los Angeles’ Sinai Temple, so that congregants could begin to recite the Selichot (penitential poems and prayers) for the High Holidays.
Peyton Place Finds a Home at USC Libraries
For generations of soap opera fans, the mere mention of Port Charles, Genoa City, Llanview, Oakdale or Pine Valley conjures memories of intrigue, infidelity and blackmail.
Politics, Norman Mailer Style
After Ronald Reagan’s victory in the 1966 California gubernatorial election opened doors for celebrities with political aspirations, the late award-winning novelist and essayist Norman Mailer launched his bid to be the 104th mayor of New York City in 1969.
Wall of Scholars Recognizes Academic Achievements
The names of nearly five dozen exceptional students will be added to the USC Wall of Scholars housed in the Weingart Reading Room of Leavey Library. An afternoon ceremony honoring the inductees’ achievements was held on May 12.
Music Student Hits All the Right Notes
The works of Lewis Carroll have inspired generations of writers, artists and musicians. Walt Disney, Tom Petty, Jim Henson, Grace Slick, Clive Barker, Dave Fleischer and The Beatles are among the many who have reinterpreted Carroll’s work.
Poster Collection Gives ‘The Duke’ Top Billing
While at USC, Marion Morrison was known as a dedicated pre-law student and a 6-foot-4 inch offensive lineman whose football career was cut short by a bodysurfing injury.
In Memoriam: Harold von Hofe, 98
Harold von Hofe, professor emeritus of German and former director of the Feuchtwanger Institute for Exile Studies at USC, died Feb. 3 at his home in Beverly Hills. He was 98.
In Memoriam: Ruth Cox Britton, 88
Former USC librarian Ruth Britton died in Rosemead on Jan. 27. She was 88.
USC Libraries Friend The Social Network
Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and author Ben Mezrich, respectively, were given the 23rd annual USC Libraries Scripter Award for the film The Social Network and the book The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal, upon which it was based.