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Posted to Internet: May 2003

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Scope and Contents

Thomas Chehak was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and took his undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa. After graduation, he headed directly for Hollywood where he found work as a gofer on the Mary Tyler Moore and other television series. With keys to the MGM script vaults, he taught himself to write scripts by reading scripts while, he has said, resting against one or another of the several stuffed collies used for static shots on the Lassie program.

In addition to his work as a writer, since the late 1970s Chehak has directed and produced teleplays and television series. He is widely known as a showrunner as well as writer.

The papers Chehak has given the Libraries to date document two projects produced by the Thomas W. Lynch Company: 26 episodes for the children's program, Galidor (sponsored by the Lego Media Company and the Disney Channel) and 13 episodes of a half-hour, action-adventure series, Scout's Safari, shot in South Africa. The Galidor papers comprise Series I, the Scout's Safari papers comprise series II.

Inventory

Series I: Galidor: Defenders of the Outer Dimension

Box 1, Folder

1. Series Bible. Revised January 11, 2002

2. Character Bible. Updated 26 April 2002

Final scripts printed on white paper; production order:

3. Episode 101. “Identity.” Written by Thomas W. Lynch.

4. Episode 102. “Euripides Please.” Written by Thomas W. Lynch.

5. Episode 103. “All For One, One For All.” Written by Jonas E. Agin and Vijal M. Patel.

6. Production 104, Episode 4. “Bouncing Off the Walls.” Written by Shari Goodhartz.

7. Production 105, Episode 5. “Dust ‘Til Dawn.” Written by Jonas E. Agin and Vijal M. Patel.

8. Production 106, Episode 9. “Truth, Lies and Videotape.” Written by Alex Epstein.

9. Production 107, Episode 7. “A Crack in the Map.” Written by Doug Cooney.

10. Production 108, Episode 8. “Seeing is Just Seeing.” Written by Terry Saltsman.

11. Production 109, Episode 6. “Belonging.” Written by James-Patrick Stoteraux and Chad Fiveash.

12. Production 110, Episode 20. “State of the Art.” Written by John Mandel.

13. Production 111, Episode 11. “Frozen Feud.” Written by Vijel Patel.

14. Production 112, Episode 13. “Déjà Vu All Over Again.” Written by Tom Chehak.

15. Production 113, Episode 15. “A Room With No View.” Written by Leila Basen and David Preston.

16. Production 115, Episode 10. “Just Because You’re Paranoid.” Written by Alex Epstein.

17. Production 116, Episode 12. “Relativity.” Written by Damien Kindler.

18. Production 117, Episode 17. “Pieces of Nick.” Written by Tom Chehak.

19. Production 118, Episode 18. “A Tale of Two Nicks.” Written by Laura Kosterski.

20. Production 119, Episode 16. “Escape from Kek.” Written by Alex Epstein.

21. Production 120, Shooting Order 22, Airing Order 25. “The Gates of Galidor, Part I: The Gauntlet.” Written by Alex Epstein.

22. Production 121, Episode 14. “The Road to Kek.” Written by Tom Chehak.

23. Production 122, Shooting Order 24, Airing Order 23. “Area 51.” Written by Erik Saltzgeber.

24. Production 123, Episode 19. “Go for the Bronze.” Written by Jana Vevrka.

25. Production 124, Episode 21. “The Great Glinch Switch.” Written by Thomas W. Lynch and Jonas E. Again & Vijal M. Patel.

26. Production 125, Shooting Order 26, Airing Order 22. “Mr. Tager Goes to Earth.” Written by Therese Beaupre.

27. Production 126, Shooting Order 23, Airing Order 26. “The Gates of Galidor Part 2.” Written by Tom Chehak.

28. Production 127, Shooting 25, Airing 24. “Remembering.” Written by Tom Chehak.

Box 2, Folder

1. Final scripts on floppy disks; cast list, production crew.

Final scripts with interleaved colored revises; episode order:

2. Episode 1. “Identity.” Written by Thomas W. Lynch.

3. Episode 2. “Euripides Please.” Written by Thomas W. Lynch.

4. Episode 3. “All For One, One For All.” Written by Jonas E. Agin and Vijal M. Patel.

5. Episode 4. “Bouncing Off the Walls.” Written by Shari Goodhartz.

6. Episode 5. “Dust ‘Til Dawn.” Written by Jonas E. Agin and Vijal M. Patel.

7. Episode 6. “Belonging.” Written by James-Patrick Stoteraux and Chad Fiveash.

8. Episode 7. “A Crack in the Map.” Written by Doug Cooney.

9. Episode 8. “Seeing is Just Seeing.” Written by Terry Saltsman.

10. Episode 9. “Truth, Lies and Videotape.” Written by Alex Epstein.

11. Episode 10. “Just Because You’re Paranoid.” Written by Alex Epstein.

12. Episode 11. “Frozen Feud.” Written by Vijel Patel.

13. Episode 12. “Relativity.” Written by Damien Kindler.

14. Episode 13. “Déjà Vu All Over Again.” Written by Tom Chehak.

15. Episode 14. “The Road to Kek.” Written by Tom Chehak

16. Episode 15. “A Room With No View.” Written by Leila Basen and David Preston.

17. Episode 16. “Escape from Kek.” Written by Alex Epstein.

18. Episode 17. “Pieces of Nick.” Written by Tom Chehak.

19. Episode 18. “A Tale of Two Nicks.” Written by Laura Kosterski.

20. Episode 19. “Go for the Bronze.” Written by Jana Vevrka.

21. Episode 20. “State of the Art.” Written by John Mandel.

22. Episode 21. “The Great Glinch Switch.” Written by Thomas W. Lynch and Jonas E. Again & Vijal M. Patel.

23. Episode 22. “Mr. Tager Goes to Earth.” Written by Therese Beaupre.

24. Episode 23. “Area 51.” Written by Erik Saltzgeber.

25. Episode 24. “Remembering.” Written by Tom Chehak.

26. Episode 25. “The Gates of Galidor, Part 1: The Gauntlet.” Written by Alex Epstein.

27. Episode 26. “The Gates of Galidor Part 2.” Written by Tom Chehak.

Box 3, folder

1. Pre-production planning: “The Outer Dimension: Let the Adventure Begin” brought to you by Tom Lynch Co. and Lego Media International (dated August 2000); designs for characters; 3rd Revised Bible.

2. ----. Notes, memos, Curriculum vitae for Francesca Chamberland.

Production materials; in production order.

3. Production 101, Episode 101. “Identity.” Script revises, production notes, storyboards.

4. ----.

5. Production 102, Episode 102. “Euripides Please.” Script revises, production notes.

6. ----.

Box 4, folder

1. ----.

2. ----. Storyboards.

3. Production 103, Episode 103. “All For One, One For All.” Script revises, production notes, storyboards.

4. ----.

5. ----.

6. ----.

Box 5, folder

1. Production 104, Episode 4. “Bouncing Off the Walls.” Script revises, production notes, storyboards.

2. ----.

3. Production 105, Episode 5. “Dust ‘Til Dawn.” Script revises, production notes, storyboards.

4. ----.

5. Production 106, Episode 9. “Truth, Lies and Videotape.” Production notes, storyboards.

Box 6, folder

1. ----. Script revises.

2. ----.

3. Production 107, Episode 7. “A Crack in the Map.” Notes.

4. ----. Scripts.

5. ----.

6. ----. Storyboards.

7. Production 108, Episode 8. “ Storyboards.

Box 7, folder

1. ----. Script revises, production notes.

2. ----.

3. Production 109, Episode 6. “Belonging.” Script revises.

4. ----.

5. Production 110, Episode 20. “State of the Art.” Script revises, production notes.

Box 8, folder

1. ----.

2. Production 111, Episode 11. “Frozen Feud.” Storyboard.

3. ----. Script revises.

4. ----.

5. Production 112, Episode 13. “Déjà Vu All Over Again.” Outlne, storyboard, notes.

6. ----. Script revises.

Box 9, folder

1. Production 115, Episode 10. “Just Because You’re Paranoid.” Production outline, second draft.

2. ----. Script revises.

3. Production 116, Episode 12. “Relativity.” Outline, storyboard, notes.

4. ----. Script revises.

5. Production 119, Episode 16. “Escape from Kek.” Outline, script revises.

6. ----. Storyboards.

7. Production 120, Episode 25. “The Gates of Galidor, Part I: The Gauntlet.” Production notes, storyboards.

Box 10, folder

1. ----. Script revises.

2. Production 121, Episode 14. “The Road to Kek.” Script revises, productions notes.

3. Production 122, Episode 23. “Area 51.” Script revises, production notes.

4. Production 123, Episode 19. “Go for the Bronze.” Script revises, production notes.

5. ----.

Box 11, folder

1. Production 124, Episode 21. “The Great Glinch Switch.” Script revises, production notes.

2. ----. Production notes, storyboards.

3. Production 125, Episode 22. “Mr. Tager Goes to Earth.” Script revises, production notes, storyboard.

4. Production 126, Episode 23. “The Gates of Galidor Part 2.” Script revises, production notes, storyboards.

5. Production 127, Episode 24. “Remembering.” Script revises, production notes.

6. Timing Logs and Legal Notes from Marshall/Plumb Research Associates. Production 101-127. Not correctly ordered by episode number.

Box 12, folder

1. ----.

2. ----.

3. ----.

4. General production and budget notes, Lego character designs.

5. Focus group report, “Standards & Practices for Disney Channel” and other background on children.

6. Main title sequence.

7-30. Call sheets and production reports; individually foldered in episode order.

Series II: Scout’s Safari

In 2002 Chehak was hired to produce the first 13 episodes (numbered 101-113) of a television series set in South Africa. Titled Scout's Safari, the Series Overview of 6/17/02 describes its premise as follows:

“SCOUT'S SAFARI is a half-hour, action-adventure series that centers around a thirteen-year-old girl who leaves behind life in an Eastern metropolis [i.e., Manhatten] for a rustic Safari resort on the edge of an African Jungle.

“It is a series that focuses on the coming of age of thirteen-year-old JESSICA "SCOUT" LAUER, who, at a critical time in her life, is forced to leave the world she knows and venture into a world that is totally foreign to her. The series is about the fun, drama, pain and laughter that occurs as Scout learns there is something more to life than video games, on-line chats, mall tours, and top-ten recording artists.”

Box 13, folder

1. Pre-travel information, including notes and documents on South Africans, a glossary of South African words, travel advisories, capsule histories, etc.

2. Production calendars for June-December 2002; series overview; premises and outlines for a number of episodes (including “Crushed,” Consolation Constellation,” “The Voodoo That You Do,” and others.

3. Tom Lynch Company crew lists; email printouts; preliminary information.

4. Album of photographs of South African birds and animals.

5. Crew contact lists; calendar revises; pre-production meeting notes.

6. Episode 101: Pilot. Written by Thomas Lynch. Production reports, scripts; printouts of email exchanged.

7. Episode 102: “Lost in Africa”. Written by Chehak.

Box 14, folder

1. Five floppy disks labeled: “wardrobe fitting pics,” “overview episodes 1-2-3,” “102 An Elephant Never Forgets,” “Scout 3 of 3” and “Scout Misc.”

2. Episode 103: “An Elephant Never Forgets.” Written by Lynch and Chehak. Includes photos and summary bios for some cast members..

3. Episode 104: “Science Friction.” Written by Chehak.

4. Episode 105. “The Lie.” Written by Lynch.

5. Episode 106: “Rites of Passage.” Written by Jonas Agin.

6. Episode 107: “Constellation Consolation.” Written by Chehak and Kevin Arnovitz.

Box 15, folder

1. Episode 108: “Released.” Written by Jessica Klein.

2. Episode 109: “The Vistor.” Written by Lynch.

3. Episode 110: “A Time to Go.” Written by Lynch.

4. Episode 111: “A Night at the Lodge.” Written by Jessica Klein.

5. Episode 112: “Krugers Gold.” Written by Lynch and Chehak.

6. Episode 113: “Fathers.” Written by Lynch.

7. ----. First draft. Printouts of production email.