Early scripts, storyboards and creative process materials of filmmaker Brian Levant will find a new home in the University of New Mexico’s Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections.
On Jan. 19, UNM announced that Levant, the mind behind the “Leave it to Beaver” series and the films “The Flintstones” and “The Spy Next Door,” starring Jackie Chan, has donated his work to the CSWR in Zimmerman Library.
Suzanne Schadl, director of the CSWR, said Levant worked in many aspects of the Hollywood creative world.
“Brian Levant is a bit of a Renaissance person in the Hollywood context. He is a writer, producer and director of television series, as well as films, as well as films made for television. He is also a toy collector, a very avid toy collector. We don’t have his toy collection,” Schadl said.
Levant is a UNM alum, starting his educational journey at the University before moving to California, then returning to finish his studies and moving to California to work in television once more. He graduated in 1974 with a degree in University Studies which he’d customized to include film, film history, writing and art.
In February 2024, Levant was presented with the alumni Lobo Award for giving “outstanding personal service to the University or whose career achievement reflects on the University,” according to UNM Newsroom.
Schadl said he donated his collection of creative works in part out of gratitude to the University.
“(Levant) will tell people that he’s very grateful to the University of New Mexico because it was a place where he was able to follow his inspiration and develop the skills that made him feel confident to follow a dream that was a little, little wild, for some people at that time,” Schadl said.
Archived creative works are historical, but more importantly, as a core function, they spark new creative ideas and inspire new people, Schadl said.
“The things that are super interesting to me are being able to see a script and see some of the editing marks on that script, and then see a later script, to see this creative process, as it works,” Schadl said. “A lot of us at educational institutions see the finished product and sometimes believe we should be able to create finished products as soon as we start. So it’s always heartening to see a successful person’s creative process over the course of time.”
The collection will be available physically in the Anderson Room in Zimmerman Library and in the Zimmerman digital repository. The Anderson Room is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, Schadl said.
Schadl encouraged students not to be intimidated by the CSWR and to come by and explore the Levant collection, as well as other archived materials available.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
“Our reading room is sometimes mysterious and difficult for people to approach but I don’t want people to be afraid to cross that threshold and walk right into that room and ask us for help. That’s why we’re here,” Schadl said.
Addison Fulton is the culture editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
