Rare spiral-bound 1973 datebook belonging to singer-songwriter Harry Chapin, 4.5 x 6.5, containing over 100 entries in his own hand dating between January 1st and July 27th, with Chapin also filling out the final three pages of the ‘Names and Addresses’ section. Penned in ink and felt tip, the entries consist of Chapin’s daily comings and goings, which includes notes on people he met, movies he watched, sports he played, places he visited, and items he purchased, with many of the entries difficult to read due to his quick handwriting; the period between March 20th and the last entry left mostly blank. Examples are as follows:
January 8th: “Bought this book $2.02…Jack Paar opening night on T.V., Heat off—too much water, awake almost all night.”
January 10th: “Started plot of screenplay, before dinner / Movie—’Boys in Band’ $2.00 / Before bed—good work on screenplay.”
January 11th: “Called John Davis on Sniper, Mel about basketball / set up tennis with Dad, 6:15 FRI…Knick game Hawks, Maravich bad-Bradley good 2nd ½ / drove home.”
January 13th: “Finished plot outline…Saw Marlene Dietrich on T.V. / Started work on ‘Protest Song.’”
January 14th: “Maryland lost to N.C. State, #2 & 3 ranked teams / Super Bowl - Miami 14-7 wipe up from Washington…Saw ‘Sands of Kilamanjaro’ on T.V., better than expected.”
January 19th: “Went to brunch, got 25 records, WFIL—lunch with PD / Grammy nomination, Best artist.”
January 20th: “Nixon inaugurated, no spark or imagination / Ask not what government can do for you, what you can do for yourselves / went to Valley Forge.”
February 10th: “Good concert / Girls squealing like pigs at party.”
February 13th: “11:00 Rehearsal NBC…taping Midnight Special / Did great on floor…Last minute taping of Taxi & Sniper, bad sound.”
February 15th: “Drove to Cincinnati, NEC Convention / Booth at Ed Rubin’s…20 minute set-Wow! Place like a cattle auction, did great-boomy sound, went and did long radio interview / Party at Ed’s suite, wrote script / Publishing deal with Warner Bros.”
February 21st: “Day at home / High Fi set up…Dinner with Peter Yarrow, Gene McCarthy lecture, Spanish restaurant.”
In very good to fine condition, with heavy cover wear and a musty odor; interior pages are overall fine, with the first two pages detached but present. Accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity from his wife Sandy Chapin, who writes: "This black spiral datebook has hand-written entries for many months of the year. Much more than a date book, many of the entries are in diary-form with fascinating and funny commentaries."
