Rare Books and Manuscripts Library

William S. Burroughs interview conducted by Howard Brookner, March 27, 1980, March 28, 1980, and April 1, 1980

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Description
  • Side B: silence can be heard from approximately 03:36 minutes and continues until approximately 04:05 minutes
  • Side B: bell-like sounds begin at approximately 27:09 minutes and continues until approximately 28:45 minutes
  • Side A: silence heard from approximately 14:59 minutes and continues until approximately 16:21 minutes
  • Side B: individuals' movement can be heard throughout the recording
  • Side B: sound of clapperboard can be heard throughout the recording
  • Side A: periodic gaps in the recording
  • Side B: feedback (sounds similar to a gas stove being turned on for cooking) can be heard throughout the recording
  • Side B: periodic gaps can be heard throughout the recording
  • Side A: Howard Brookner states the date of the recording as March 27 on tape
  • Side B: telephone rings from approximately 26:37 minutes and continues until approximately 26:45 minutes
  • Side A: periodic instructions from the film director can be heard throughout the film
  • Side A: sound of clapperboard can be heard throughout the recording
  • Side B: silence can be heard from approximately 16:03 minutes and continues until approximately 17:04 minutes
  • Side B: silence can be heard from approximately 21:06 minutes and continues until approximately 21:20 minutes
Contributor
Subject
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Date created
  • March 27, 1980
  • March 28, 1980
  • April 1, 1980
Last modified
  • November 29, 2023
Identifier
  • SPEC_RARE_CMS_87_audiofile_33
Summary
  • In 1980, Howard Brookner, director and film producer, interviewed William S. Burroughs for his film, titled “Burroughs: The Movie,” a documentary about Burroughs’ life and work. Side A: In this recording, dated as March 27, 1980, Burroughs performs as Dr. Benway from his work, "Naked Lunch," doing multiple takes of the scene in which Dr. Benway performs an appendectomy. Side B: In this recording, dated as March 27, 1980, March 28, 1980, and April 1, 1980, Burroughs describes some of his personal belongings, focusing on an Indonesian or Tibetan figurine of a demon removing the heart from another demon and a painting with a boy in it. He also spends some time exploring the scrapbooks he has kept for the past 15 years, describing some of the contents such as Scientologists, the Strait of Gibraltar, and cattle. Then Burroughs and his companions have a conversation in which they discuss sex and language, sex and music, voices in their heads, the weather, and more.
Source Collection
Collection identifier
  • SPEC.RARE.CMS.0087
Repository
  • Ohio State University. Libraries. Rare Books and Manuscripts Library
Alternative title
  • SR 53-56
File Format
Access rights
  • Users may access the recordings on site in an Ohio State University Libraries’ reading room.
Related finding aid
Rights note
  • This item, made available for research and educational purposes, may be protected by copyright; the user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status.
Medium
  • Audio cassette
Source
  • Item digitized from Box 57, William S. Burroughs Papers (WSB97), Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, The Ohio State University Libraries
Permanent link
Provenance
  • According to James W. Grauerholz, executor of William S. Burroughs' estate, the audio tracks were Howard Brookner's safety copies of his sound rolls for the film “Burroughs: The Movie”
Time period (Topic)
Genre
Extent
  • 00:33:12 [Side B]
  • 00:32:18 [Side A]
Credit line: William S. Burroughs Papers, The Ohio State University, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library

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Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Visibility Actions
file details Asset Front 2018-12-31 Public
file details Box Side 2018-12-31 Public
file details Tape Back 2018-12-31 Public