Papers of Molly Haskell, 1892-2016 (inclusive), 1970-2010 (bulk)

This collection documents Haskell's personal and professional life and includes appointment books; diaries covering Haskell's life from 1959 to 2015; articles on Haskell and interviews of her; schoolwork; correspondence with family, friends, and professional associates; dismantled scrapbooks; movie reviews, interviews with and articles about actors and directors; reviews and other material related to Haskell's books; speeches and lecture materials, including for classes Haskell taught at Columbia University and other schools; and photographs. Some material related to Haskell's husband, Andrew Sarris, and members of the extended Haskell family is also included. The bulk of the folder headings were created by Haskell; those created by the archivist appear in square brackets.

Series I, BIOGRAPHICAL AND PERSONAL, 1892-2016 (#1.1-22.6), consists of Haskell's journals, appointment books, articles and other biographical information about Haskell, schoolwork, and Haskell family papers. It is arranged in the two subseries described below.

Subseries A, Biographical and personal, 1892-2016 (#1.1-7.19), includes appointment books; Haskell's baby book; articles about Haskell and interviews with her and Sarris; and schoolwork including grades and college papers. Also included is a dismantled scrapbook documenting Haskell's social debut and a theatrical production in which she appeared. The series also contains material related to other members of Haskell's family; this includes correspondence between John Cheves Haskell Sr. and Mary Clark Haskell, including the period when John was stationed at a camp in Alabama during World War II. The series also includes a Haskell Family genealogy, material related to shows of Mary Clark Haskell's paintings, and condolence letters upon her death. The subseries is arranged alphabetically.

Subseries B, Journals, 1959?-2015 (#8.1-22.6), consists of Haskell's journals, in which she discusses such topics as her professional projects, her relationship with her husband and with other romantic partners, therapy sessions and her feelings about her analyst, feelings of depression and inadequacy in various areas of her life, and her mother's illness and death. The subseries is arranged with chronologically arranged journals followed by a chronological run of folders of typed journal entries, some of which may duplicate entries in the journals. The subseries is closed until March 16, 2020.

Series II, CORRESPONDENCE, 1944-2015 (#23.1-26.3), consists primarily of letters received by Haskell. Correspondents include boyfriends and male admirers; other friends; her parents, Mary Clark Haskell and John Cheves Haskell Sr.; brother, John Cheves Haskell Jr. (later known as Ellen Hampton); relatives; and professional acquaintances. Haskell's early letters to her mother provide a detailed look at her experiences while studying at the University of London, while early letters from friends mainly discuss school and social life. The series also includes "thank you" letters she received from actors including John Wayne, Burt Reynolds, and Carol Burnett, after writing articles about them; correspondence related to speaking engagements and writing assignments; Haskell's thoughts on books by others; and letters about daily life events. Also included are letters responding to the "Hers" column she wrote for the New York Times, with many corespondents expressing strong reactions to the view of male/female relationships that Haskell presented in her columns. Haskell's responses to these letters are also included. The series is arranged with alphabetical correspondence appearing first, followed by chronological correspondence.

Series II, PROFESSIONAL, 1957-2015 (#26.4-43.6), includes readers' reports; publicity; reviews; correspondence with publishers and editors; manuscript drafts; and research materials for Haskell's published books as well as for an unpublished memoir about her relationship with her mother. The material for My Brother My Sister: Story of a Transformation also includes segments of an interview Haskell conducted with Ellen Hampton and Haskell's journal entries reflecting her thoughts about her brother's decision to transition. The series also includes Haskell's movie reviews and articles. Haskell's writings primarily focus on movies, directors, and actors, with a particular emphasis on the way women, romance, and the work/life balance are depicted in film, but some other topics are also covered. Of particular note are the article on rape fantasies she wrote for Ms. and the "Hers" column she wrote for the New York Times. In the "Hers" column, Haskell reflected on male/female roles and relationships in movies and everyday life, often drawing on her relationship with Andrew Sarris. Haskell was frequently asked to speak at film screenings, at panel discussions, and at film festivals, and the series includes some of these speeches, as well as related publicity, correspondence, and notes. Haskell's early professional work is represented by a dismantled scrapbook of her theater reviews; newsletters and press releases she wrote for the French Film Office; and press releases and speeches she wrote for UNIversal Automatic Computer. Other material includes syllabi, course outlines, and lecture notes for classes Haskell taught at Columbia University and other colleges; plays, screenplays, and fiction by Haskell; notes and writings on movies, actors, and directors; and writings by Andrew Sarris. Also included are correspondence (including fan mail) and lists of films related to Haskell's involvement with Turner Classic Movies' program "The Essentials." The series is arranged alphabetically.

Series III, PHOTOGRAPHS AND OVERSIZED, 1916-ca.2010 (#PD.1-PD.7, FD.1, F+D.1-F+D.2, 44FB.1v, SD.1), includes images of Haskell as a child and adult, alone and with family members (including her parents, brother, and husband), camp and class mates, friends, and professional associates. Photographs of her wedding to Andrew Sarris are included, as are images of Haskell with notable figures in the literary and film worlds, including directors François Truffaut, Michael Powell, and Martin Scorsese, and authors Joyce Carol Oates and Walter Mosley. The series also includes an oversized scrapbook documenting Haskell's summers at Camp Glenlaurel, a scrapbook compiled for her by her colleagues at UNIversal Automatic Computer, and a poster for a film festival at which she was speaking. The photographs, arranged chronologically, are listed first, followed by the chronologically arranged oversized items.

Most of the photographs in this collection are or will be digitized and available online.