Julian Goodman Papers
Scope and Contents
This collection is comprised of the personal and corporate papers including photographs, audio visual material, and memorabilia of Julian Goodman who was both President and Chairman of the Board of NBC (the National Broadcasting Company) from 1966 until his retirement in May of 1979. The dates of these papers range from 1941 - 1996, with the majority of the material in the 34 year period that Goodman worked for NBC (1945 - 1979). Although there is not a separate Correspondence Series, the bulk of the material in one way or another is heavily weighted with Goodman’s letters, memos, and written comments and notes and with incoming memos, letters, reports, and notes from his colleagues and other associates with whom he conducted the business of this major U.S. broadcasting corporation on a daily basis. Prominent among the correspondents are David Brinkley, Robert Kintner, David Adams, Reuven Frank, Walter D. Scott, and William McAndrews.
Dates
- Creation: 1941 - 1996
Conditions Governing Access
The physical materials from this collection may be viewed only in the reading room of Vanderbilt’s Special Collections and University Archives. Materials should be requested two to three days in advance to facilitate easier access. Contact specialcollections@vanderbilt.edu to schedule an appointment.
Biographical Note:
Julian Goodman (1922-2012) son of Clara Franklin and Charles Austin Goodman, Sr., was born on 1 May 1922 in Glasgow, Kentucky. He served in WWII and received a degree in economics from George Washington University in 1948. In 1945, Goodman was hired as a news writer for NBC’s Washington news outlet and quickly climbed the ranks. Goodman was named Director of NBC News and Public Affairs in 1959 and produced the “Great Debates” between future presidents John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. In 1966, he was elected President and Chief Administrative Officer of NBC, becoming NBC’s youngest president. He served in this role until 1974 and then acted as NBC Chairman until 1979. He went on to serve on the board of directors of NBC, Gannett Inc., and the Gulf Oil Corporation in addition to staying active in civic, business, and journalistic endeavors. Goodman died in Juno Beach, Florida on 2 July 2012.
Chronology/Timeline:
- May 1, 1922 Born in Glasgow, Kentucky
- 1936-1939 Attends and graduates from Glasgow High School in Glasgow, KY
- 1939- 1942 Begins an A.B. program at Western State College (now Western Kentucky University)
- 1942 – 1943 Military service
- 1943 – 1945 Works for the Combined Production and Resources Board in Washington
- 1945 -1948 Attends and graduates from George Washington University night school with an A.B. in Economics
- 1945 – 1948 Begins career at NBC as a news writer for station WRC in Washington
- 1948 – 1950 Washington editor of NBC’s News of the World
- 1950 – 1959 Manager of News and Special Events for NBC Radio Network and NBC Washington
- 1956 Supervises NBC’s central news desk at the year’s political conventions; assigns Chet Huntley and David Brinkley to head the reports
- 1956 – 1970 the Huntley – Brinkley Report begins and airs
- 1959 – 1961 Director for NBC News and Public Affairs
- 1960 Produces the “Great Debates” between John. F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon
- 1961 – 1965 Vice President of NBC News
- 1965 – 1966 Senior Executive Vice President of Operations of NBC
- April 1966 – 1974 President and Chief Administrative Officer of NBC
- January 1966 Receives a spot with the Board of Directors of NBC
- March 1968 Calls for freedom from legislation and government regulation that tends to “suppress the progressive forces of broadcasting and limit what it can do for the public.”
- 1970 Named “Kentuckian of the Year”
- 1971 Becomes one of the names listed in Nixon’s Enemies List
- 1972 Elected to the Board of Directors of RCA Corporation on January 1, 1972
- April 1974 Becomes Chairman of the Board of NBC
- October 8, 1978 Becomes Chairman of the NBC Executive Committee
- May 31, 1979 Takes an early retirement from NBC
- 1980 Joins the Board of Directors of Gannett Inc.
- July 1981 Gulf Oil Corporation elects Goodman to its Board of Directors
- 1987 Makes a statement before the House Committee, stating strong disapproval of the Fairness Doctrine.
- July 2012 Death of Julian Goodman in Florida.
Full Extent
65 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Julian Goodman Papers, 1941-1996, consists of the personal and corporate papers, photographs, audio visual material, and memorabilia of broadcast executive and journalist Julian Goodman, 1922-2012.
Genre / Form
Topical
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Julian Goodman Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Date
- 2016
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Vanderbilt University Special Collections and University Archives Repository
Special Collections Library
1101 19th Ave. S.
Nashville TN 37212 United States
specialcollections@vanderbilt.edu
About this Site
This site contains collection guides, or finding aids, to the archival collections held by Vanderbilt University Special Collections and University Archives, the History of Medicine Collection, and the Scarritt Bennett Center. Finding aids describe the context, arrangement, and structure of archival materials, allowing users to identify and request materials relevant to their research.
Requesting Materials
Each finding aid contains a link to request materials from the collections. Collections can also be requested by emailing the repository directly through the library website. Each repository has its own location, hours, and contact information. Please consult the repository with questions about using the materials. Collections are non-circulating and must be used in the repository’s reading room. In many cases, the collections are stored off-site and require advance notice for retrieval.