Milburn & Jane Stone Papers, 1910-1989
1.0 cubic feet (2 document boxes)
Location: 0190
Collection #: 051
Accession #: 92.015, 97.28
Introduction
The Milburn & Jane Stone Papers contains interviews, a draft of Milburn Stone’s autobiography, biographical information, photographs, slides, audiocassettes, and reel-to-reel tapes related to his career and personal life. The collection contains extensive biographical notes and background material of Milburn Stone’s portrayal of “Doc” in the television series Gunsmoke. Publicity photographs and slides from Gunsmoke along with Milburn Stone’s autobiographical data highlight the collection.
Biography
Most notable for his portrayal of “Doc” on Gunsmoke, Milburn Stone began his career with Monogram Pictures Film Company during the 1930s. He appeared in over 140 films spanning four decades. In 1955, he accepted the role of “Doc” on Gunsmoke and achieved celebrity status from the popular television series. Born July 5, 1904 in Burrton, Kansas he was a Kansas State alumnus. Proud of his Kansas heritage, he was an Honorary Marshall of Dodge City. He died of a heart attack on June 12, 1980 in La Jolla, California.
Scope & Content Note
The collection contains a draft of Stone’s autobiography, biographical material about his personal and professional life, and 60 photographs related to Gunsmoke, and his early movie career. There are also thirty-five slides, a majority of which duplicate the photographs, along with audio recordings of interviews.
Series 1: Autobiographical (ca. 1970s)
This series includes chapter drafts of his autobiography and transcripts of interviews given by Stone.
Series 2: Biographical Material (1910-1989)
This consists of materials related to his career including personal appearances, clippings, interviews, scripts from Gunsmoke, and his appearances at the Western Heritage Awards.
Series 3: Photographs & Negatives (ca. 1930s – ca. 1970s)
This includes individual and group photographs of “Gunsmoke” characters. There are a small number of Hutchinson, Kansas photographs along with film publicity photographs.
Series 4: Slides (ca. 1930s- ca. 1970s)
This includes slides duplicating the photographs of Stone’s early acting roles and Gunsmoke. A small number of the slides depict Hutchinson and Dodge City, Kansas, and Milburn Stone’s wife, Jane Stone.
Series 5: Audio Cassettes (1980-1983)
This includes two cassettes of a Milburn Stone interview and the theme song from Gunsmoke. Those audio cassettes were digitized to CDs in 2011.
Series 6: Reel-to-Reel Tapes (1980)
This series consists of six reel-to-reel tapes of a Milburn Stone interview taped May 23, 1980. Reel-to-reel recordings were dubbed to audio cassettes April 2003. Those audio cassettes dubs were digitized to CDs in 2011.
Subject Terms
Personal Names:
Arness, James
Blake, Amanda
Curtis, Ken
Stone, Jane
Stone, Milburn
Weaver, Dennis
Film and Television Titles:
Arrowhead
Atlantic Flight
Black Tuesday
Blazing Barriers
Blind Alley
Chasing Trouble
A Doctor’s Diary
Federal Bullets
Gunsmoke
The Private War of Major Benson
Sky Dragon
Sky Pilot
Stunt Pilot
Swing Brother Swing
The Three Musketeers
Trouble for Two
White Feather
Corporate Names:
Monogram Pictures
Republic
Universal-International Pictures
Processing Information
In 1992, the collection received an accession number and catalog numbers on all photographs and slides. The collection was separated into two storage locations and not accessioned until November 2001. The collection was assigned an accession number in 1992. The photographs and slides were segregated from the tapes and stored in a document box. In November 2001, Pam Bell accessioned the complete collection, including audiocassettes, reel-to-reel tapes, biographical information and copies of Milburn Stone’s autobiography drafts previously stored in a separate location. Upon receipt of the collection, folder files were established for temporary order. These folders were maintained with series division established at the time of the collection’s final accessioning.
Copyright
The Milburn & Jane Stone Papers is the property of the Donald C. & Elizabeth M. Dickinson Research Center, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Literary right, including copyright, belongs to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, with the exception of copyrighted artwork images and published literary works, which are the property of the respective copyright holders. It is the responsibility of the researcher, and his/her publisher, to obtain publishing permission from individuals pictured, relevant copyright holders, and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
Copyright
The collection is open for research. It is advisable for researchers to discuss their proposed research with staff prior to visiting the Center.
Preferred Citation
Milburn & Jane Stone Papers, Box ##, Folder ##, Dickinson Research Center, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Container List
Series 1: Autobiographical
ca. 1970s
| Box/Folder # | Folder Title/Description |
| Autobiography | |
| 001/001 | Preface, chapters 1-3, memo, cover letter |
| 001/002 | Burrton and Before Show Business |
| 001/003 | Show Business Before Hollywood I |
| 001/004 | Show Business Before Hollywood II |
| 001/005 | Show Business, California to New York |
| 001/006 | Return to California, Hollywood |
| Interview Transcripts | |
| 001/007 | Tape XVI, prologue, youth |
| 001/008 | Tape XVII |
| 001/009 | Tape XVIII, Carey I |
| 001/010 | Tape XVIII, Carey II |
| 001/011 | Charlton Heston tape |
| 001/012 | Dr. Balsch tape |
Series 2: Biographical Materials
1910-1989
| Box/Folder # | Folder Title/Description |
| C01/D01 | Advertising, “When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion,” 1979 |
| 001/013 | Burrton High School and Kansas, 1910-1922 |
| 001/014 | Clippings, 1976-1980 |
| 001/015 | Clippings, Daily Globe, Dodge City, Kansas, 1955-1958 |
| 001/016 | Funeral and memorials, 1980 |
| 001/017 | Golden Globe nomination, 1971 |
| 001/018 | Interview of Milburn Stone conducted by Dick Russell, “A Day with Doc,” ca. 1960s |
| 002/001 | Interviews, Milburn Stone, ca. 1970s |
| 002/002 | Letters, 1974-1983 |
| 002/003 | “Never Let ‘Em Catch You At It,” An Evening with Milburn Stone, 1989 |
| 002/004 | Newspaper publicity, 1962 |
| 002/005 | Personal appearances, 1967-1989 |
| 002/006 | Script, Gunsmoke, “He Who Steals,” 1965 |
| 002/007 | Script proposal, Valley Center U.S.A., ca. 1960s |
| 002/008 | Western Heritage Awards, 1970-1982 |
Series 3: Photographs & Negatives
ca. 1930s-ca. 1970s
| Box/Folder# | Folder Title/Description |
| 002/009 | Photographs, .01-.12 |
| “White Feather,” 1955 [92.15.1] | |
| “Black Tuesday,” 1954 [92.15.2] | |
| “Port of Missing Girls,” Milburn Stone, Judith Allen, 1938 [92.15.3] | |
| Milburn Stone in military costume, n.d. [92.15.3] | |
| Emmy Awards, Milburn Stone, Barbara Anderson, 1968 [92.15.4] | |
| Milburn and Jane Stone welcomed back after heart attack, w/ negative, 1971 [92.15.6] | |
| Milburn Stone woodworking, promotional photograph, 1946 [92.15.7] | |
| Milburn Stone with unidentified man, at piano, ca. 1930s [92.15.8] | |
| Milburn Stone, Ken Curtis with Kansas Jayhawk mascot, ca. 1960s [92.15.9] | |
| “Stunt Pilot,” Milburn Stone, Margorie Reynolds, John Trent, 1939 [92.15.10] | |
| “Cross Your Fingers” aka “Hat Check Honey,” 1943 [92.15.11] | |
| “Stunt Pilot,” Milburn Stone, John Trent, 1939 [92.15.12] | |
| 002/010 | Photographs, .13-.24 |
| “A Doctor’s Diary,” Milburn Stone, Molly Lamont, 1937 [92.15.13] | |
| “Blind Alley,” Milburn Stone, 1939 [92.15.14] | |
| “Smoke Signal,” Milburn Stone, 1955 [92.15.15] | |
| Milburn Stone with Sebastian Cabot and “Family Affair” cast, ca. 1970 [92.15.16] | |
| “Sky Dragon,” Joel Marston, Noel Neill, Milburn Stone, 1949 [92.15.17] | |
| “Chasing Trouble,” Milburn Stone, 1940 [92.15.18] | |
| Milburn Stone, Ken Curtis with Kansas Jayhawk mascot, ca. 1960s [92.15.19] | |
| “Swing Brother Swing” aka “Swing It, Professor,” Milburn Stone, 1937 [92.15.20] | |
| “The Private War of Major Benson,” Milburn Stone, Charlton Heston, 1955 [92.15.21] | |
| Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake, Dennis Weaver on stage, n.d. [92.15.22] | |
| Gunsmoke, James Arness, Amanda Blake, Ken Curtis, Milburn Stone w/ negative, n.d. [92.15.23] | |
| Milburn Stone on film set, n.d. [92.15.24] | |
| 002/011 | Photographs, .25-.32 |
| Milburn Stone in his wood shop in promotional photograph, n.d. [91.15.25] | |
| Dining Room, n.d. [91.15.26] | |
| Milburn Stone with unidentified woman, 1946 [91.15.27] | |
| Milburn Stone with his handmade furniture in promotional photograph, 1946 [91.15.28] | |
| Milburn Stone at Air Force Academy, 1973 [91.15.29] | |
| Milburn Stone in Gunsmoke titles, n.d. [91.15.30] | |
| “Young Mr. Lincoln,” Milburn Stone, Marjorie Weaver w/ Weaver inscription, ca. 1940s [92.15.31] | |
| Milburn Stone as Doc, n.d. [92.15.32] | |
| 002/012 | Photographs, .33-.40 |
| “Atlantic Flight,” Milburn Stone, 1937 [92.15.33] | |
| “The 13th Man,” Milburn Stone, 1937 [92.15.34] | |
| “Federal Bullets,” Milburn Stone, 1937 [92.15.35] | |
| “Federal Bullets,” Milburn Stone, 1937 [92.15.36] | |
| “The Private War of Major Benson,” Milburn Stone portrait, 1955 [92.15.37] | |
| “Blazing Barriers,” Frank Coughlin, Jr., Florine McKinney, Milburn Stone, 1937 [92.15.38] | |
| “Trouble for Two,” Milburn Stone, n.d. [92.15.39] | |
| “Arrowhead,” Charlton Heston, Milburn Stone, 1953 [92.15.40] | |
| 002/013 | Photographs, .41-.48 |
| Milburn and Glennis Stone, ca. 1910 [92.15.41] | |
| Milburn Stone in Dodge City, ca. 1960s [92.15.42] | |
| Glenn Strange as Sam w/ autograph, ca. 1970 [92.15.43] | |
| Buck Taylor as Newly w/ autograph, ca. 1970 [92.15.44] | |
| Milburn Stone in Dodge City, ca. 1960s [92.15.45] | |
| Milburn Stone in costume in Dodge City w/ negative, ca. 1960s [92.15.46] | |
| Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake in costume in Dodge City w/ negative, ca. 1960s [92.15.47] | |
| Milburn Stone in costume signing autographs in Dodge City, ca. 1960s [92.15.48] | |
| 002/014 | Photographs, .49-.57, .86-.87 |
| L’Dora class of 1914 with Milburn Stone and classmates, 1914 [92.15.49] | |
| “The Three Mesquiteers,” Milburn Stone in group, 1936 [92.15.50] | |
| Milburn Stone in western costume w/ negative, n.d. [92.15.51] | |
| Milburn Stone in his boat, ca. 1960s [92.15.52] | |
| Milburn Stone as Doc, studio portrait, ca. 1955 [92.15.53] | |
| Milburn Stone as Doc, late studio portrait, ca. 1970s [92.15.54] | |
| Milburn Stone as Doc, studio portrait, ca. 1960s [92.15.55] | |
| Dennis Weaver as Chester, portrait, ca. 1960s [92.15.56] | |
| Milburn and Jane Stone, ca. 1970s [91.15.57] | |
| Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty, studio portrait, ca. 1955 [92.15.86] | |
| James Arness as Matt Dillon, studio portrait w/ negative, ca. 1955 [92.15.87] | |
| 002/015 | Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty, autographed studio portrait, 1964 [92.15.88] |
Series 4: Slides
ca. 1930s-ca. 1970s
| Box/Folder # | Folder Title/Description |
| 002/016 | Personal and professional images, ca. 1930s-ca. 1970s [34] |
Series 5: Audio Cassettes
1980-1983
| Box/Folder # | Folder Title/Description |
| 003/001 | MS Theatre master tape, Korbelik intro and Milburn Stone interview, 1980, 15 minutes [1] Includes audio cassette dub. |
| Gunsmoke theme, 1983 [1] Includes audio cassette dub. |
Series 6: Reel-to-Reel
1980
| Box/Folder # | Folder Title/Description |
| 003/001 | Milburn Stone interview and Kansas Sheriff Youth Ranch commercial, 1980 [6] Includes audio cassette and CD dubs. |
