Documentary Screening and Panel Discussion

Join us Thursday, Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m. for an hour-long documentary titled, “Walter Tevis: A Writer’s Gambit.” The virtual Zoom screening explores the life of Walter Tevis, an OHIO alumnus and professor of English literature and creative writing from 1965-1978.  His well-known novels and screen adaptations include: "The Hustler," "The Man Who Fell to Earth," "The Color of Money" and "The Queen's Gambit."  

Tom Thurman, a documentarian at Kentucky Educational Television (KET), explores Tevis’ multifaceted life and career beginning at a young age when his family moved to Lexington, to his struggles with alcohol abuse, to his successes as a writer. Despite his best-selling novels-turned-into-moneymaking films, like “The Queen’s Gambit” highlighted in this documentary, Tevis never received the same fame as some his writing contemporaries of his time  

“‘The Queen’s Gambit,’ was taken from Tevis’ own [experiences] about [playing] chess,” explained Bill Kimok, University archivist and records manager and one of the screenings’ panelists. “Walter [Tevis] loved chess, so he wrote about chess in this story.”

Thurman reached out to Kimok during his research phase of the documentary after becoming aware of University Libraries’ Walter S. Tevis Papers, which span two decades of Tevis’ life, 1950s-1970s. 

“This is a small collection. There are only two boxes in the collection. The first box is filled with work that is related to his creative [process] as a writer, [which includes] materials that he has written, some drafts of poetry, some drafts of short stories, an updated list of his short stories” explained Kimok. 

The second box in Tevis’ collection is totally dedicated to his work as an English professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at Ohio University.  

Kimok continued, “Meaning there are stuff on teaching classes. There are his syllabi, [and] there is work with some of his students, course evaluations, rosters—all those kinds of things you would see with any professor’s personal papers.” 

Tevis’ collection gives an insight not only in the study of his writing style, but also in how his mind works— an asset for all students, faculty and scholars engaged in creative writing. 

“Certainly, if you are going to be a writer, the best thing you can do is to study other people who have written, and what they have written” said Kimok. “One of my professors told me that the best way to become a good writer is to be a good reader. So, the more you read the better you write, and the more you can develop your own style.”

The documentary, presented in partnership with University Libraries, WOUB and the Alumni Association, will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A session with Tevis’ children, Julia McGory and Will Tevis; Sam Crowl, former English professor and colleague of Tevis; and Bill Kimok, University archivist and record manager. The panel will be moderated by Cheri Russo, WOUB community engagement manager. 

For more information about the Walter Tevis Papers, please contact Bill Kimok.