Book People Archive

Re: Query - Looking for Clarence Budington Kelland info



In Glenn Hauman's message dated Wednesday, 30 May 2001 he wrote :
> I'm trying to hunt down any biographical info on Clarence Budington Kelland,
> a very popular writer in the first half of the 20th century, almost unknown
> today. Best known nowadays as the writer of "Opera Hat", which was the
> basis for the film Mr. Deeds Goes To Town.
>
> Specifically, I'm trying to find out who got his rights when he died in
> March 1964, and if that has any connection to why his stuff isn't in print
> today.

His "Contemporary Authors" entry lists his date of death as 1964 Feb 18.

The LoC copyright registration database gives his two children as the owners
after his death: Thomas Smith Kelland & Horace Kendall Kelland, who were both
still living in 1987.  The Social Security Death Index has two persons named
Thomas Kelland deceased since then, but none named Horace Kelland (nor H
Kelland), so he may well still be alive, though very old.

Does that get you anywhere?

--