Delbert W. Blumenshine collection
Scope and Contents
The collection is divided into four series: Papers, Photographs, Video Films and Audio Tapes. The papers detail the WOOD-AM,FM,TV news department, including policies and procedures, a copy of an early Blumenshine autobiography, and biographical papers. The photos depict his work in Cedar Rapids, IO and Grand Rapids, MI and include sporting events, traffic accidents, portraits of people in the news, members of the Kent County Sheriff's Department, airplanes and events at the 1959 Allegan County Fair. The 16mm films are copies of his work at WOOD-TV news and films broadcast by the station during the early 1960s. The sound recordings are of his interviews with politicians in Lansing and productions. The topics covered include political conventions, interviews, editorials, demonstrations, the ecology and other news stories.
Dates
- 1949-1975
Creator
- Blumenshine, Delbert W (Person)
Biographical / Historical
A single amputee (left leg), Delbert W. Blumenshine (1920-1978) was an early photo journalist who during the 1950s moved from print media to electronic media and was an early investigative reporter for television. At the age of 19 Blumenshine went to work for the Cedar Rapids (IO.) Gazette as a reporter and photographer. He attended the University of Iowa, majoring in Communication Skills, but did not graduate. He taught photojournalism at Coe College for several years. He won several awards as a photographer and invented a flash gun for shooting action shots at Big Ten basketball games.
In 1955 he switched from print media to electronic media, going to work at WMT-TV, Cedar Rapids, IO. During his tenure at WMT it was recognized as the best television news operation in the nation by the National Television and Radio News Directors Association. Much of this success was due to the news department's leadership under Richard Cheveraton.
In 1957 Cheveraton and Blumenshine were hired by WOOD-AM FM TV in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Blumenshine was the chief photographer for WOOD and successively held positions as Managing Editor and State Capitol Bureau Chief. While at WOOD Blumenshine pioneered the use of hidden microphones and cameras while doing investigative reporting. His first such effort was documenting the condition of homeless men in Grand Rapids. The resultant film, "The Wasted World," won the George Foster Peabody Award for Best Investigative News Film Series.
Blumenshine left WOTV and WOOD radio in 1970 to become a motion picture producer for the Michigan Department of Public Health. In addition to numerous other duties, Blumenshine produced three movies for Public Health, including "The Two Foot World of Paul Jackson" dealing with vision problems, a film that won the Golden Eagle Award for Film Direction at the Cannes International Film Festival in 1973.
Extent
4.8 Linear Feet (Eight boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Delbert W. Blumenshine (1920-1978) was a photojournalist and investigative reporter who worked in Grand Rapids, Michigan for much of his career. He worked for the Cedar Rapids Gazette (Iowa), WMT-TV in Iowa, WOOD TV and radio (Grand Rapids, Michigan) and the Michigan Department of Public Health. This collection includes his papers from the WOOD AM FM TV news department, a copy of an early autobiography, photos from his work in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Grand Rapids, Michigan, 16mm films from his work at WOOD-TV and sound recordings of his interviews and productions. The topics covered include political conventions, interviews, editorials, demonstrations, the ecology and other news stories. The photographs include portraits of members of the Kent County Sheriff's Department.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Karen Blumenshine, accession number 1986.062
Photo Index
Acrobats - b.2-f.2
Airplanes - b.2-f.1
Airports - b.2-f.17
Allegan County Fair - b.2-f.2
American Businessmen's Club -b.2-f.3
Atomic Explosion Test Site - b.2-f.4
Automobiles. Midget Racers - b.2-f.5
Basketball - b.2-f.6
Biplanes - b.2-f.1
Bombers (B-52) - b.2-f.1
Bridges - b.2-f.21
Cemeteries - b.4
Children - b.2-f.7
Chuting Stars - b.2-f.8
Clowns - b.2-f.2
Dancers - b.2-f.2
Daredevils - b.2-f.2
Desecrated Indian Cemetery - b.4
Explosions - b.2-f.9
Fires - b.2-f.10
Fishing - b.2-f.11
Flash gun - b.2-f.12
Football - b.2-f.13
Governor's Office -b.2-f.14
Governor's Show - b.2-f.15
Handicapped people - b.2-f.16
Indian Trails Camp - b.2-f.16
Jet airplanes - b.2-f.1
Kalamazoo Airport - b.2-f.17
Kent County Sheriff's Department - b.2-f.18
Lear Siegler Inc. Interior - b.2-f.19
Leo and his Pioneers - b.2-f.20
Mackinac Bridge - b.2-f.21
Motorcycle racing (on ice) - b.2-f.22
Parachutists - b.2-f.8
People. Arntz, Walter - b.2-f.18
People. Barr, Bob - b.2-f.15
People. Barto, Bernard - b.3-f.1
People. Bigler, Marton - b.2-f.18
People. Blandford, Robert - b.3-f.1
People. Blumenshine, Delbert W. - b.2-f.15, b.3-f.2
People. Brand, Barry - b.2-f.15
People. Chapman, Victor - b.3-f.1
People. Cheveraton, Richard E. - b.3-f.1, b.3-f.8
People. Davis, Stan - b.3-f.1
People. Debbie and the Diplomats - b.2-f.2
People. Delano, Robert - b.3-f.1
People. Durfey, Clare - b.2-f.18
People. Durfey, Marie - b.2-f.18
People. Elkins sisters - b.2-f.2
People. Fahling, Carolyn - b.2-f.18
People. Fallon, Tom - b.2-f.15
People. Gillmore, James Jr. - b.3-f.1
People. Gulter, Mr. - b.3-f.1
People. Hank the Clown - b.2-f.2
People. Hefferon, Philip - b.2-f.18
People. Helsel, Philip - b.2-f.18
People. Hiaeshutter, James - b.2-f.18
People. Higley, Robert - b.2-f.18
People. Hill, Robert - b.2-f.18
People. Homer and Jethro - b.2-f.2
People. Hotchkiss, George - b.2-f.18
People. Johnson, Carol - b.2-f.18
People. Keselring, Leslie - b.2-f.18
People. Ketchel, Arthur - b.2-f.18
People. Lanson, Snooky - b.2-f.2
People. Lemmen, Jack - b.2-f.18
People. Ley, Arnold - b.3-f.1
People. Logan, Leonard - b.2-f.18
People. Luther, Edwin - b.2-f.18
People. MacMillan, Harold - b.3-f.1
People. Manhattan Rockets - b.2-f.2
People. McArthur, Charles - b.2-f.18
People. Moore, David William - b.3-f.1
People. Mueller, Frederick Henry - b.3-f.1
People. Neeley, Horace - b.2-f.18
People. Neinhuis, Roger - b.2-f.18
People. Noordyke, Herbert - b.2-f.18
People. Porter, Donald J. - b.3-f.1
People. Price, David - b.2-f.18
People. Quinn, Carmel - b.2-f.2
People. Ray, Roger - b.2-f.2
People. Renis, Al - b.2-f.18
People. Reynhout, William - b.2-f.18
People. Roberts, Eli - b.2-f.18
People. Romney, George - b.3-f.1
People. Romney, Lenore Lafount - b.3-f.1
People. Rudy, Ernie - b.2-f.2
People. Ryan, Jack - b.2-f.18
People. Rypstra, Alfred H. - b.3-f.1
People. Sack, Florence - b.2-f.18
People. Sarnoff, David - b.3-f.1
People. Siedman, L. William - b.3-f.1 [sic, William L. Seidman, 7/222/2004]
People. Sluiter, Arnie - b.2-f.18
People. Snyder, Robert - b.2-f.18
People. Stafford, Thomas - b.3-f.1
People. Swainson, John B. - b.2-f.15, b.3-f.1
People. Tanner, Robert - b.2-f.18
People. TenBrink, William - b.2-f.18
People. Thomas, Danny - b.3-f.3
People. Toohey, James - b.2-f.18
People. Tucker family - b.2-f.2
People. Van Narden, Leona - b.2-f.18
People. VanderKodde, James - b.2-f.18
People. Walsh, Joseph M. - b.3-f.1
People. Watrous, Richard - b.2-f.18
Political Conventions - b.3-f.5
Singers - b.2-f.2, b.2-f.20
Svenson's Thrillcade - b.2-f.2
Traffic accidents - b.3-f.6
WOTV News Department - b.3-f.8
Waters Building - b.3-f.7
Your Show of Shows - b.2-f.2
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Delbert W. Blumenshine collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Richard H. Harms
- Date
- February 1990
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Grand Rapids History Center Repository
Grand Rapids Public Library
111 Library Street NE
Grand Rapids Michigan 49503 USA
616-988-5497
localhis@grpl.org