ROBERT ORBEN PAPERS, 1947-2005

Robert Orben began his comedy career as a magician and played a prominent role in the magic community through the 1950s. In 1946, he produced his first magic book, The Encyclopedia of Patter. Later he wrote for Magic is Fun and Genii magazine and for the magic TV show Fun with Felix. Following this early success, Orben transitioned away from magic and applied his humor to other fields.

As his popularity increased, Orben’s comedy writing services attracted corporate and political clients. As a writer for the Republican Congressional Committee and other GOP clients, he was hired as a consultant for Vice President Gerald Ford and served as a speechwriter and advisor during Ford’s presidency, eventually becoming Special Assistant to the President. In 1976, he succeeded Paul Theis as the head White House speechwriter under Counsellor Robert Hartmann. Even after his presidency, President Ford continued to employ Orben’s humor, seeking his counsel for commencement speeches, Republican National Conventions, and similar public addresses through the 1990s.

In the corporate world, Orben wrote for individual executives as well as large corporations. He worked extensively with IBM’s multiple divisions and managers through the 1980s. His experience with speechwriting and delivery also appealed to professional and non-profit organizations. He traveled throughout the United States giving talks on the uses of humor in business and communications. In particular, his talk, "The Business of Humor, the Humor of Business," was well known and frequently requested.

In addition to writing for others, Orben contributed his own jokes and one-liners to numerous newspaper and magazine columns. He has written over 40 books on humor, some of which are included in this collection’s "Publications" series. He also edited his own comedy newsletter, "Orben’s Current Comedy," published through his Delaware company, The Comedy Inc.

Scope and Content of the Robert Orben Papers: This collection primarily covers Orben's later work in the fields of entertainment, business, and politics, although there are some early publications and clippings documenting his contributions to the magic community during the 1940s and 50s. Materials related to his speechwriting are generally confined to the 1960s through the early 1990s.

Scope and Content
The materials Orben compiled from the Ford administration may in some cases parallel the materials in the Theis and Orben Files or in the White House Central Files Subject File: SP (Speeches), but this collection is not likely to be helpful as a comprehensive resource for speeches and statements delivered by President Ford. Instead, the "White House Speeches" and "White House Subject File" contain materials concerning the use of humor in political situations and as a tool to manage the President's image. Humor as a communication device in the political and corporate realm is also the topic of most materials in the "Interviews and Public Appearances" series.

Related Materials (September 2014)
Related materials include the Paul Theis and Robert Orben Files, the Paul Theis Papers, the Robert T. Hartman Files, Robert Hartman Papers, and the Ron Nessen Files. Drafts and background material for President Ford's speeches can be found in the White House Central Files Subject File: SP (Speeches).