“As artists we want to believe in ideals, we want to believe in truth, and beauty, and social justice that grows with any young man or woman who lives in their art. We’re romantic because we believe in possibility, we believe in future, we believe that things can change.”
— James Ragan
With Yevgeny Yevtushenko after reciting poetry all night at the grave of Nobel Laureate Boris Pasternak, Peredelkino, Russia — 1985
Poet Robert Bly commemorates the performance with Ragan at the 1985 Moscow Int. Festival of Poetry with a gift of a balalaika to the Ragan family — 1985
James Ragan with playwright Edward Albee, USC William Inge Residency Lecture — 1985
Producer of the USC One Act Play Festival, Ragan addresses the jury including Actress Piper Laurie, “On Golden Pond” director Mark Rydell and “Godfather” producer Albert S. Ruddy — May 1986
USC Southern California Anthology reading featuring poet Carolyn Kizer, Ragan, and novelist T.C. Boyle — December 6, 1986
Reminiscing with Quincy Troupe, future CA Poet Laureate 2002, about their days teaching at Ohio University for the Dept. of African American Studies and English Dept. — 1987
Congratulating family friend, actor/singer, Ed Ames on his Broadway role in “Man of La Mancha” singing “The Impossible Dream”— NYC, 1987
With actor Kirk Douglas after a poetry recital by Ragan and Yevtushenko for the 72nd Market Street Lecture Series — Venice, CA, 1987
Interviewed Chinese premiere playwright Cao Yu as a correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, Beijing, China — 1988
Lecturing on American poetry for the US Fullbright Commission at Beijing University and Foreign Studies University, China — 1988
With Galway Kinnell after his Southern California Anthology Reading at USC — 1988
James Ragan, Jane Hirshfield, and Al Young: Poetry judges of the Dewar’s Young Artists Recognition Awards — 1989
Hosting South African playwright, Athol Fugard, who delivered the William Inge Residency Lecture for the Professional Writing Program at USC — 1989
Playwright Jerome Lawrence (“Inherit the Wind”) of the Professional Writing Program faculty receives tribute plaque from Program Director, James Ragan — 1990
The American Delegation: Studs Terkel, James Ragan, David Halberstam, Harrison Salisbury, Arthur Slessinger and Alfred Kazin at the Moscow American/Soviet Writer’s Conference — Moscow, 1990
With author Studs Terkel, Laura and F.D. Reeve, and translator in Moscow — 1990
Studs Terkel’s interview on WFMT Radio, Chicago:
“In Jim Ragan’s poetry, there is a lyrical fusing of innocence and wisdom. It is this juxtaposition that makes his work so exhilarating.”
Soviet-American Writer’s Conference, “Defusing the Cold War,” Moscow Writer’s Union, Moscow — 1990
20th Anniversary Faculty Celebration of the USC Professional Writing Program — 1991
With two of his USC Professional Writing Program faculty, CBS Journalist Shana Alexander and Feminist Author Betty Friedan — 1994
Sharing words of wisdom and humor with Betty Friedan — 1994
James Ragan with Czech President Vaclav Havel at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival — 1994
President Vaclav Havel, James Ragan, actor Max von Sydow, Front, Tera and Mara Ragan
Residing at former Czech President Vaclav Havel’s family residence each summer since 1995 - current. Background photo portrait of Havel at work.
Ragan at work, writing daily at Havel’s desk.
Writing with a view of the world from Havel’s balcony.
Balcony view of Prague’s Vltava River and Hradcany Castle.
With Dasha and Ivan Havel at Lucerna’s Konicek Restaurant Bar in Prague, Czech Republic, the meeting place for activists of the 1989 Czech Velvet Revolution, Prague — 1994
With Czech author, Ivan Havel, Director of the Charles Univ. Center for Theoretical Studies (CTS) at his summer home in Kosik, Czech Republic, where Ragan also composed poetry in the Tower.
Leonardo DiCaprio celebrating Academy Award nomination for “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival with James Ragan, Pavlina Solo, and DiCaprio’s grandfather, Wilhelm Indenbirken — July 1994
With Playwright, Tom Stoppard, honored by President Vaclav Havel at the Prague International PEN Congress — 1994
With science-fiction author, Ray Bradbury after delivering a Professional Writing Program Residency Lecture at USC.
Portrait of James Ragan by distinguished Polish artist, Danuta Rothschild exhibited during a reading by Ragan at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art — Sept. 18, 1998
James Ragan at dinner with Robert Redford to discuss mentoring for the Sundance Institute, Sundance, Utah — 1998
Mentoring for Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute Screenwriter’s Lab in Budapest/Seregelzes, Hungary — August 15-20, 1999
“Music of Language” Program panelists: Top with Mark Strand — Middle, W.S. Merwin — Bottom, Lucille Clifton — 1999
James Ragan participating as a panelist for the “Music of Language” Program, Los Angeles Times Festival of Books — 1999
Ragan moderating a CSPAN broadcast honoring Gay Talese at the LA Times Book Festival — 1999
Prior to performing with novelist Hubert Selby Jr. at Beyond Baroque, Venice, CA — April 10, 1999
With Lawrence Ferlinghetti at his Reading for the Molly Barnes Art Gallery, Santa Monica — 1999
Hosting Sharon Olds who delivered the Ann Stanford Residency Reading for the Professional Writing Program at USC — 1999
President of Jury at the Trenchianske Teplice Int. Art Film Festival, Trencin, Slovakia — 6/21/ 2000
Presenting French Actress Catherine Deneuve a Lifetime Achievement of Excellence in Film, with Festival President Peter Hledik — 2000
First daughter, Jenna Bush, student of James Ragan and the Prague Summer Writer’s Program at Charles University with classmates, on the Havel balcony. Left - Right: Wesley Haney, Mia Baxter, Ragan, Bush, and Kourtney Kachler — Prague, 2002
Judges for the 2002 USC One Act Play Festival, Pulitzer playwright Paul Zindel, film director Arthur Hiller (“Love Story”), and Oscar winner Mel Shavelson and Festival Producer James Ragan — 2002
Celebrating Barry Siegel’s Pulitzer Prize (LA Times) at Ragan home. Standing left - right, actor Michael York, James Ragan, Gay Talese, Debora Ragan, Pat York. Seated left - right, Barry Siegel, wife Marti Siegel and Irvin Kershner — 2002
Film Director Irvin Kershner (Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back) and Jackie Saint Anne at the USC Professional Writing Program Faculty Holiday Party at the Ragan home.
Actress Lauren Bacall dining with James and Debora at the Ragan home.
Attending a book signing of “Goldie: A Lotus Grows in the Sand” by actress Goldie Hawn who worked with Ragan on her poetry — 2005
A hug for Professional Writing Program Faculty member and author/humorist Shelly Berman
With Comedian Larry David, guest in Berman’s class at USC’s Professional Writing Program.
James Ragan with Seamus Heaney at Dublin’s Bewley’s Café reminiscing about their 1985 performance at the 1st Moscow International Poetry Festival— 11/19/2005
Letter sent to Ragan for his 25th Anniversary USC Tribute from Nobel Prize winner Seamus Heany:
“It was good to see you here in Dublin. Congratulations on your day of honor. We’ll drink a pint of Guinness to you.”
