JAMESTOWN, N.Y. — Tamara Rawitt, co-creator and producer of the comedy series 'In Living Color', has donated the archives from the series to the National Comedy Center in Jamestown.
"In Living Color' was a sketch-comedy series that featured Keenan Ivory Wayans, Tommy Davidson, David Alan Grier, Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, and Wayans' siblings Damon, Kim, Shawn, and Marlon.
The series, which ran from 1990-1994, was a collaboration between Rawitt and Keenan Ivory Wayans. The sketch-comedy series won an Emmy in its first season.
“I’m thrilled to donate this one-of-a-kind In Living Color collection to the National Comedy Center, where it will live to tell the story of the show’s creation,” stated Tamara Rawitt. “I’m elated to know that future generations will be able to see these materials and learn how we brought this series to life despite creative and censorship issues. Together with the incredibly talented cast and writers, we imagined a new voice in sketch comedy, found a broad audience who connected with our work, and charted a course for change in the TV industry’s approach to real representation, not to mention winning an Emmy in our first season!”
“In Living Color was a landmark television series that revolutionized comedy, broke creative boundaries, and has influenced comedic artists for over thirty years now,” stated National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson. “By showcasing these important creative materials, production notes, and artifacts, we continue to fulfill the Comedy Center’s mission of celebrating comedy as an art form and preserving its heritage for generations to come. It’s a true honor for the National Comedy Center to become the home of this extraordinary collection.”
The archives include scripts, creative materials, images of the cast, as well as letters from the network about the production process and censorship battles.
“I am most grateful to the National Comedy Center for preserving this material in its archives so that it can be appreciated by those who love great, groundbreaking comedy and inspire the next generation of creators with distinct voices that want to be heard,” added Rawitt.
“I’m excited that visitors to the National Comedy Center will now be able to experience what made this show so groundbreaking and lasting,” stated comedian and actor Tommy Davidson, one of the original, seminal cast members of In Living Color. “There will never be another show like this one and I’m so honored to have been one of the key creatives in its success.”
The National Comedy Center opened in 2018 and is home to more than 50 interactive exhibits. For more information, check out their website: https://comedycenter.org/
