The Production Papers, particularly for those productions directed by Delbert Mann, form the heart of the collection, and they are placed at the beginning. With few exceptions, the Production Papers are arranged in the order in which the productions were made, with their release dates noted in instances where there was considerable time gap between the time the production was completed and the time it was released or aired. Most of the motion pictures, television films, and plays directed by Mr. Mann are well documented in the papers. The papers that survived from these early shows consist of a script, sometimes with a cast list, or sometimes just a tantalizing congratulatory letter. For the productions that are better documented a Script is almost always included.
Cast lists are also quite common.
Many of the scripts are annotated by the director and often his views on character and action, as well as approaches to the technique of directing. A prose outline often is included with a Script, similar to and sometimes the same as a Treatment. The Outline gives a summary of the story, description of the characters, and delineate the structure the Script will take. Cast Lists often include notes about interviews and auditions and people being considered for acting roles. Sometimes biographical details and physical characteristics are part of the cast lists.