The Bruce Gilbert papers span the years 1973-1993 and encompass 53 linear feet. The collection consists of production files (produced and unproduced), television files, subject files, and oversize material. The bulk of the material concerns projects Gilbert developed with Jane Fonda for both film and television, mainly with their production company, IPC Films.

The production files (produced) include extensive material for the six films he produced, or executive produced, for Jane Fonda. There are comprehensive production files and scripts for THE CHINA SYNDROME (1979), COMING HOME (1978), THE MORNING AFTER (1986), NINE TO FIVE (1980), ON GOLDEN POND (1981), and ROLLOVER (1981). There is also a considerable amount of material on the two titles Gilbert produced without Fonda, JACK THE BEAR (1993) and MAN TROUBLE (1992). Much of the production material is in the form of agreements, call sheets, clippings, correspondence, production reports, and research, as well as documentation regarding casting, distribution, editing, finances, insurance, music, and publicity.

The production files (unproduced) include material for projects scripted by Charles Gaines, Francisco Goldman, James Lineburger, Darryl Ponicsan, and Phoef Sutton, among others. There is substantial preproduction material for ANOTHER WORLD, a project scripted by Don Keith Opper, which would have potentially involved cinematographer Gale Tattersall and Handmade Films. There is a small amount of material regarding a possible adaptation of David Breskin’s short story “Boomers.” There are story and pre-production documents pertaining to an adaptation of Steven Levy’s 1982 article “Hacker’s in Paradise.” There are scripts by Bo Goldman and preproduction material for a remake of MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN (1936) that would have starred Jane Fonda. There is copious material for THE SPIRIT, about mountaineer Willi Unsoeld, scripted by Dennis Palumbo and later John Pielmeier, before Pielmeier wrote a one-man show about Unsoeld.

The television files consist entirely of material for the television projects BY DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT (1990), THE DOLLMAKER (1984), and the series adaptation of 9 TO 5. There are numerous drafts of the teleplay for BY DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT (1990), adapted by Gilbert from the William Prochnau novel “Trinity’s Child,” as well as abundant production material for the television movie. There are several scripts for THE DOLLMAKER (1984) as well as considerable production material. Of particular interest are the early drafts of the script, all written by Millard Lampell, as well as correspondence from Lampell regarding script revisions. The material for 9 TO 5 consists primarily of scripts and production material covering the series’ first two seasons.

The subject files include agreements, biographical material on Gilbert and Jane Fonda, clippings, and a small amount of correspondence. Of interest is the material on IPC Films, including correspondence, forms, pamphlets, and information on the company’s various offices.

The oversize material consists of a People’s Choice Award for THE CHINA SYNDROME, two Box Office Blue Ribbon awards for ON GOLDEN POND, a framed print from the 9 TO 5 television series, and a framed magazine cover of Gilbert and Fonda.

Bruce Gilbert was born in California in 1947. He attended the University of California, Berkeley as a psychology major but dropped out following the “Bloody Thursday” events in People’s Park in May of 1969. A few years later, while teaching at the Blue Fairyland Nursery School in Berkeley, Gilbert met Jane Fonda, the mother of one of his students. Gilbert became involved in the Indochina Peace Campaign, an anti-war group organized by Fonda and her husband, Tom Hayden. At the same time, Fonda decided to start an independent production company to develop acting projects for herself. She enlisted Gilbert as her partner, and they established IPC Films circa 1974.

IPC Films’ first production was COMING HOME (1978), for which Gilbert served as an associate producer. Over the next several years, he produced, or executive produced, such films as THE CHINA SYNDROME (1979), NINE TO FIVE (1980), and ON GOLDEN POND (1981), the latter earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Gilbert also worked in television. He was executive producer of THE DOLLMAKER (1984) and he executive produced and wrote the teleplay for BY DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT (1990). Since 1980, Gilbert has served as President and CEO of American Filmworks, Inc.