| Dates: | 1975-1996, undated |
| Size: | 4 linear feet |
| Repository: | Chicago Public Library, Woodson Regional Library, Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature, 9525 S. Halsted Street, Chicago, Illinois 60628 |
|
Collection Number: |
1979/01 |
| Provenance: | Donated by the Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookie Corporation in September 1978 and Wally Amos in May 2000 |
| Access: | No restrictions |
| Citation: |
When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Wally Amos Papers, [Box #, Folder #], Chicago Public Library, Woodson Regional Library, Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature |
| Processed by: | Elizabeth Loch, Archival Specialist, April 2021 |
Biographical Note
Wallace Amos Jr., known as Wally Amos, was born July 1, 1936. Amos served in the United States Air Force before joining the William Morris Agency in New York City. Amos became the agency’s first African American talent agent. In 1975, Wally Amos founded and incorporated the Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookie Corporation. His new company expanded. Eventually, “Famous Amos” chocolate chip cookie bags were distributed nationwide. Amos went on to have guest star spots on a number of television sitcoms and author several books.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of materials related to Wally Amos and the Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookie Corporation. Materials include biographical and historical documents, manuscript drafts, photographs, memorabilia, and an audio recording. This collection includes handwritten manuscripts authored by Wally Amos. Also included are typed drafts of his autobiographical book, The Cookie Never Crumbles: The Wally “Famous!” Amos Story.
Arrangement
This collection is organized into three series by type of material; Series 1: Manuscripts, 1975-1996, undated; Series 2: Audiovisual Materials, 1978, undated; and Series 3: Awards and Memorabilia, 1975-1988, undated. Within each series, items are listed alphabetically by title.
Related Materials
Related materials at other institutions include:
- Famous Amos Collection at the National Museum of American History Archives Center, Smithsonian Institution
Container List
Series 1: Manuscripts, 1975-1996, undated
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | Articles and clippings about Wally Amos, 1978-1996, undated |
| Box 1 | Folder 2 | Articles of Incorporation of the Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookie Corporation, 1975 January |
| Box 1 | Folder 3 | Biographical statements on Wally Amos, undated |
| Box 1 | Folder 4 | Bound copy of The Reader newsletters [Literary Volunteers of America, Inc., Wally Amos National Spokesman], 1979-1984 |
| Box 1 | Folder 5 | Correspondence between Famous Amos [company] and Sharon Scott [Chicago Public Library], 1978-1979 |
| Box 1 | Folder 6 | Famous Amos official newsletters and event materials, 1980, undated |
| Box 1 | Folder 7 | Handwritten manuscripts by Wally Amos [autobiographical], 1980-1981 |
| Box 1 | Folder 8 | Handwritten manuscripts by Wally Amos [autobiographical], undated |
| Box 1 | Folder 9 | Handwritten manuscripts by Wally Amos titled “You Can Go Home Again” and “Me and the Temps,” undated |
| Box 1 | Folder 10 | The Cookie Never Crumbles: The Wally “Famous!” Amos Story [by Wally Amos and Leroy Robinson] book outline and foreword [with handwritten edits], undated |
| Box 1 | Folder 11 | The Cookie Never Crumbles: The Wally “Famous!” Amos Story [by Wally Amos and Leroy Robinson] book chapters 1-6, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 1 | The Cookie Never Crumbles: The Wally “Famous!” Amos Story [by Wally Amos and Leroy Robinson] book chapters 7-12, undated |
Series 2: Audiovisual Materials, 1978, undated
| Box 3 | 001 | 45 record titled “Wally’s Theme” by Brown Day Productions, 1978 |
| Box 3 | 002 | Photograph of a blue jean jacket with “the Chocolate Chip Cookie Man” embroidered on it, undated |
| Box 3 | 003 | Press photograph of a Famous Amos cookie, William Morris Agency, undated |
| Box 3 | 004 | Press photograph of Wally Amos, Roscia, Mulhern and Associates, Inc., undated |
Series 3: Awards and Memorabilia, 1975-1988, undated
| Box 4 | Folder 1 | Babson College Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs certificate for Wally Amos, 1982 April 14 |
| Box 5 | Folder 1 | Baseball hat with Famous Amos logo, undated |
| Box 4 | Folder 2 | Famous Amos button, undated |
| Box 4 | Folder 3 | Famous Amos kazoo, undated |
| Box 4 | Folder 4 | Famous Amos matchbook, undated |
| Box 4 | Folder 5 | Famous Amos model kazoo [in original packaging], undated |
| Box 4 | Folder 6 | Famous Amos posters [picturing Wally Amos and a cookie], 1975 |
| Box 4 | Folder 7 | Indiana Entrepreneur of the Year, Wally Amos, plaque, 1988 |
| Box 4 | Folder 8 | International Reading Association and New Jersey Reading Association honor Wally Amos, certificate, 1984 April 5 |
| Box 5 | Folder 2 | New Jersey Reading Association Literacy Award [bowl], 1984 April |
| Box 5 | Folder 3 | Pair of black shoes with watermelon designs [Amos wrote Watermelon Magic], undated |
