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Grey, Romer, 1909-1976

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1909 - 1976

Biographical History

Romer Grey (1909-1976) was the oldest son of Zane and Lina Elise Grey, a producer, writer, and executive of Zane Grey Inc. and Romer Grey Inc.

Romer Zane Grey was born on October 1, 1909 at Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania. Romer followed in the footsteps of his father in many ways including with his love of the outdoors and with his career pursuits. He contributed to his father’s work on occasion by suggesting ideas for books including Western Union, and characters such as Tex Thorne. He is also accredited with writing the "Big Little Books," which were his father's stories, but composed by Romer. He would later write various western novels, many of which included aspects of and characters used by his father. He also spent a lot of time on fishing expeditions with his father, which gave him the expertise to write two books on fishing. From 1930 to 1931, he pursued a career in animation employing many of the most prominent animators of the era. Despite creating the character of Binky the Bear-Cub, the studio never took off and little is remaining.

Romer married Dorothy Chasen in 1930 and had one child before they divorced, and was married another three times during his life. He served in the Pacific in World War II as a pilot and acted as president of Zane Grey, Inc. He built his own company entitled Romer Grey, Inc. but always found it difficult to live in the shadow of his father and was never able to break free from that feeling. He died on March 8, 1976 at Pasadena, California.

Citation:
His The cruise of the "Fisherman," 1929.

His The other side of the canyon, 1981: ǂb t.p. (Romer Zane Grey)

Wikipedia, website viewed Sept. 29, 2011 (Romer Grey; oldest son of Zane and Lina Elise Grey, a producer, writer, and executive of Zane Grey Inc. and Romer Grey Inc.; born, 1 October 1909 at Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania; contributed to his father’s work on occasion by suggesting ideas for books including Western Union, and characters such as Tex Thorne; accredited with writing “Big Little Books”; wrote various western novels; fishing expeditions with his father; married Dorothy Chasen, 1930; had one child before they divorced; married another three times; served in the Pacific in World War II as a pilot; acted as president of Zane Grey, Inc.; built Romer Grey, Inc.; died, 8 March 1976 at Pasadena, California.)

www.awn.com/articles/profiles/lost-studio-romer-grey/page/1%2C1, website viewed Sept. 29, 2011 (pursued a career in animation employing many of the most prominent animators of the era, 1930-1931; created Binky the Bear-Cub, the studio never took off and little is remaining)

Found in 37 Collections and/or Records:

Zane Grey fan mail and solicitations, 1920-1938

 Sub-Series — Box 2: Series 1; Series 2; Series 3 [Barcode: 31197233647665], Folder: 1-3
Identifier: MSS 8316 Series 1 Sub-Series 4
Scope and Contents

This subseries contains fan mail and solicitations from individuals and corporations asking for various things from Zane Grey, dating from 1920 to 1938.

Dates: 1920-1938

Zane Grey financial records, 1920-1943

 Series — Box 2: Series 1; Series 2; Series 3 [Barcode: 31197233647665], Folder: 11-14
Identifier: MSS 8316 Series 3
Scope and Contents

This series contains meeting minutes of the Board of Directors for the Altadena National Bank, legal records in response to the Internal Revenue's claims that Zane and Lina Elise Grey were not a business partnership, an expenses book for Zane Grey and Zane Grey, Inc., and invoices for fishing and hunting supplies, dating from 1920 to 1939.

Dates: 1920-1943

Zane Grey fishing and hunting receipts, 1922-1939

 Sub-Series — Box 2: Series 1; Series 2; Series 3 [Barcode: 31197233647665], Folder: 14
Identifier: MSS 8316 Series 3 Sub-Series 4
Scope and Contents

This subseries contains receipts and invoices for fishing supplies from Jack McGann Boatshed and for arms from Tufts-Lyon Arms Co., dating from 1922 to 1939.

Dates: 1922-1939

Zane Grey fishing correspondence, 1922-1938

 Sub-Series — Box 1: Series 1 [Barcode: 31197233647673], Folder: 17-18
Identifier: MSS 8316 Series 1 Sub-Series 3
Scope and Contents

This subseries contains correspondence regarding the Izaak Walton League and correspondence regarding fishing expeditions, requests for fishing information, endorsements of fishing equipment, Captain Laurie Mitchell, and other matters relating to Zane Grey's connections with fishing, dating from 1922 to 1938.

Dates: 1922-1938

Zane Grey legal correspondence, 1924-1930

 Sub-Series — Box 2: Series 1; Series 2; Series 3 [Barcode: 31197233647665], Folder: 6-8
Identifier: MSS 8316 Series 2 Sub-Series 1
Scope and Contents This subseries contains legal correspondence regarding royalties, creditor settlements, accusations of plagerism, relations with film companies, and other legal matters relating to Zane and Lina Elise Grey, dating from 1924 to 1930. The correspondence is from the offices of Taylor & Forgy, Stern & Reubens, James, Pace, Smith & Younkin, Frank James and Everett H. Mills, and others. It aslso includes a letter from the Royal Norwegian Consulate regarding compensation owed to a...
Dates: 1924-1930

Zane Grey legal records, 1924-1937

 Series — Box 2: Series 1; Series 2; Series 3 [Barcode: 31197233647665], Folder: 6-10
Identifier: MSS 8316 Series 2
Scope and Contents This series contains legal records, copyright assignments and property records for Zane and Lina Elise Grey dating from 1924 to 1937. It includes legal correspondence regarding royalties, creditor settlements, accusations of plagerism, relations with film companies, and other legal matters relating to Zane and Lina Elise Grey. It also includes assignments of copyrights, a list of published works with dates of publication and copyright registration numbers, correspondence regarding land...
Dates: 1924-1937

Zane Grey manuscripts, between 1900 and 1990

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 8316 Series 4
Scope and Contents

This series contains manuscripts for books, short stories and screenplays by Zane Grey, Loren Grey, and others related to Zane Grey, and two biographical manuscripts, dating from between 1910 and 1990.

Dates: between 1900 and 1990

Zane Grey miscellaneous photographs, approximately 1900-1960

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 8316 Series 6 Sub-Series 6
Scope and Contents

This subseries contains unidentified or miscellaneous photographs dating from approximately 1900 to 1960. It contains photographs of actresses, people and places with an unknown connection to Zane Grey or his family.

Dates: approximately 1900-1960

Zane Grey personal correspondence, 1895-1936

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 8316 Series 1 Sub-Series 1
Scope and Contents This subseries contains personal correspondence of Zane and Lina Elise Grey from 1895 to 1936. It includes correspondence and postcards between Zane Grey, Lina Elise Grey, R. C. Grey, and his children Betty Zane and Romer Grey. It also includes correspondence concerning various women including Claire Wilhelm, Louise Anderson, describing their relationships with Zane Grey, and letters from a clairvoyant named Anna Andre regarding her belief in Zane Grey's talents. There is also a letter from...
Dates: 1895-1936

Zane Grey photographic negatives, approximately 1890-1940

 Sub-Series — Box 14: Series 6 [Barcode: 31197233647731]
Identifier: MSS 8316 Series 6 Sub-Series 7
Scope and Contents

This subseries contains negatives for photographs contained in box 13, folders 18-21. Each negative possesses the same item number as its corresponding photograph with an N after the number and date from approximately 1890-1940.

Dates: approximately 1890-1940