Taylor Sheridan, the indomitable force behind television hits such as “Yellowstone,” “1883,” “1923” and “Landman,” as well as highly

praised screenplays for major movies, has donated his creative archives to the Wittliff Collections at Texas State University.

“There’s hardly another American writer whose work would be more at home here,” said Carrie Fountain, literary curator for the Wittliff

 

 

Collections. “Within these walls echo the voices of Cormac McCarthy, Larry McMurtry and Charles Portis. To acquire the papers of such a preeminent writer making work at the very top of his game will provide endless inspiration and insight to generations of creatives and researchers. We’re honored to welcome Taylor Sheridan home.”

 

 

The archives are expected to arrive in stages, with drafts of early scripts available to journalists, scholars and fans in San Marcos first. Those papers relate to his films “Sicario,” “Hell or High Water” and “Wind River,” along with pilot episodes for his series “Yellowstone,” “1883” and “1923.”

Sheridan’s script for “Sicario” was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award, while “Hell or High Water” was nominated for the Academy Award for best original screenplay, among other prominent awards. His breakout hit “Yellowstone” debuted in 2018. It was followed by the prequels “1883” and “1923.”

 

 

 

Taylor Sheridan, the indomitable force behind television hits such as “Yellowstone,” “1883,” “1923” and “Landman,” as well as highly praised screenplays for major movies, has donated his creative archives to the Wittliff Collections at Texas State University.

“There’s hardly another American writer whose work would be more at home here,” said Carrie Fountain, literary curator for the Wittliff Collections. “Within these walls echo the voices of Cormac McCarthy, Larry McMurtry and Charles Portis. To acquire the papers of such a preeminent writer making work at the very top of his game will provide endless inspiration and insight to generations of creatives and researchers. We’re honored to welcome Taylor Sheridan home.”

The Texas State archives, with major holdings in literature, photography and music, were founded by Austin writer Bill Wittliff and his wife, Sally Wittliff, in 1986. Emphasizing materials from Texas, Mexico and the U.S. Southwest, the Wittliff houses more than 500 collections, which are used by researchers from all over the world. It presents major shows year-round in its 10 galleries.

Sheridan — an actor, writer, producer and director — was raised primarily in Fort Worth, where he is opening the largest movie and television studio in the state. Recently, he added his persuasive voice to the campaign to increase Texas incentives for film production, which the Legislature pegged at $300 million for the next two years.

A horseman early in life, Sheridan, 55, attended Texas State as a theater arts major during the 1990s. He later lived in Austin before heading to Chicago, New York and Los Angeles in pursuit of an acting career.

Sheridan was inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2021. He currently lives on a ranch near Weatherford, west of Fort Worth, with his wife, Nicole Muirbrook.

Texas State University leaders hailed the arrival of the Sheridan material, which they announced Thursday morning.

“Many of Taylor Sheridan’s stories embody the spirit of Texas,” Kelly Damphousse, president of Texas State, said. “I loved showing him around the Wittliff Collections this spring, and I was truly honored when he discussed the possibility of entrusting his own archive to the Wittliff Collections.

“As someone who has admired his storytelling since ‘Sicario,’ I know how meaningful it will be for our students and scholars to learn from his journey,” Damphousse continued. “I appreciate that Taylor is allowing his alma mater to preserve his legacy on our campus for future generations.”

David Coleman, director of the Wittliff Collections, added: “Taylor Sheridan’s storytelling has transformed not only television and film but also the cultural imagination of Texas and the American West. His archive will be an essential resource for understanding how contemporary stories are crafted, and we are immensely proud that he has entrusted the Wittliff to preserve and share his legacy.”