Caption: Opal Whiteley, Credit: Cottage Grove Historical Society
Image by: Cottage Grove Historical Society 
Opal Whiteley 

Talking With The Wind: The Mystery of Opal Whiteley

From: Dmae Roberts
Length: 00:28:21

"Talking With The Wind: The Mystery of Opal Whiteley," a half-hour documentary about Opal Whiteley who caused an international scandal in 1920 when she published a childhood diary that was later decried a hoax. Read the full description.

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Talking With The Wind: The Mystery of Opal Whiteley, a half-hour documentary on Opal Whiteley, of a young woman from Cottage Grove, Oregon. In 1920 she published a childhood diary about her time in the woods and her love of nature. It became wildly popular and then was later condemned as a hoax. This diary created an international controversy that led to her eventual decline in mental health. 

Dmae Roberts co-produced this with Playwright Dorothy Velasco in 1988 with music by John Doan. It also contains a clip from the only known recording of Opal Whiteley before she died in 1992.


This piece originally produced in 1988 contains the only known recording of Opal Whiteley.  

 

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Piece Description

Talking With The Wind: The Mystery of Opal Whiteley, a half-hour documentary on Opal Whiteley, of a young woman from Cottage Grove, Oregon. In 1920 she published a childhood diary about her time in the woods and her love of nature. It became wildly popular and then was later condemned as a hoax. This diary created an international controversy that led to her eventual decline in mental health. 

Dmae Roberts co-produced this with Playwright Dorothy Velasco in 1988 with music by John Doan. It also contains a clip from the only known recording of Opal Whiteley before she died in 1992.


This piece originally produced in 1988 contains the only known recording of Opal Whiteley.  

 

Broadcast History

Originally produced in 1988.

Intro and Outro

INTRO:

Opal Whiteley was a naturist, writer and mostly dreamer who lived in a fantasy world of kindness and magical creatures in the forest. In 1920 she published her diary she claimed she wrote when she was a child. The writing was so sophisticated, she was decried a hoax and her life became even more tragic.

This piece originally produced in 1988 contains the only known recording of Opal Whiteley.

OUTRO:

Musical Works

Title Artist Album Label Year Length
Original works John Doan 00:00