Stage Women's War Relief (Organization)
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 2023-006
4.88 linear feet (5 volumes)
The Stage Women's War Relief was founded in 1917 on the eve of the United States' entry into World War One. Rachel Crothers (1878-1958), a playwright and producer, founded the organization along with six other women active in the theatre. Crothers...
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The Stage Women's War Relief was founded in 1917 on the eve of the United States' entry into World War One. Rachel Crothers (1878-1958), a playwright and producer, founded the organization along with six other women active in the theatre. Crothers was the national chairman of the organization. The Stage Women's War Relief fund scrapbooks, dated 1917 to 1921, were created by this charitable organization to have a record of their relief work to aid the American military during the war. The scrapbooks hold newspaper clippings, playbills and other printed matter.
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Lovett, Paul, 1909-1959
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1998-046
Paul Lovett was a publisher of souvenir programs. During World War II worked in the Special Services Branch entertaining the troops. His papers consist of materials dealing with his work during World War II.
Landis, Carole, 1919-1948
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1998-039
.5 linear feet (1 box)
Carole Landis, born Frances Ridste on January 1, 1919 in Fairchild, Wisconsin, was a film star of the 1940s who entertained American troops with the USO during World War II. She began her film career as an extra in 1937 and became a leading lady...
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Carole Landis, born Frances Ridste on January 1, 1919 in Fairchild, Wisconsin, was a film star of the 1940s who entertained American troops with the USO during World War II. She began her film career as an extra in 1937 and became a leading lady in 1940 when she appeared in ONE MILLION B.C. She worked on many films through the 1940s including TURNABOUT (1940), TOPPER RETURNS (1941), HAVING A WONDERFUL CRIME (1944), IT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN TO A DOG (1946), and A SCANDAL IN PARIS (1946). Landis died on July 5, 1948 from an overdose of sleeping pills while in the midst of getting divorced from her fourth husband. Collection consists of letters by Carole Landis or her personal secretary, Nan Stuart, to Jimmy Pattarini, a young soldier and fan. They document Landis' busy schedule travelling from coast to coast as well as overseas to shoot films or tour. Includes a few snapshots of Landis and Stuart and Pattarini's Request for Special Liberty to meet Landis at the 20th Century Fox Studios.
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Larabee, Louise, 1916-2002
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 2012-021
1.17 linear feet (4 boxes)
Louise Larabee was a theater, television, and film actor. The Louise Larabee papers (1910s-1976, bulk 1930s-1976) contain scrapbooks and scripts documenting her acting career.
McGill, Earle
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 2014-120
1.3 linear feet (3 boxes)
Earle McGill (1897-1949) was an American radio producer and director best known for his work for Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). The Earle McGill papers date from 1938 to 1945 and document his career as a radio director, author, and war...
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Earle McGill (1897-1949) was an American radio producer and director best known for his work for Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). The Earle McGill papers date from 1938 to 1945 and document his career as a radio director, author, and war correspondent in Japan during the Second World War. The collection primarily holds scripts and correspondence.
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Luce, Claire
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1990-015
17.01 linear feet (46 boxes)
Claire Luce (1903 -1989) was an American stage and screen actress and dancer. The Claire Luce papers hold correspondence, theater and film files, scripts, photographs, writings, art, scrapbooks and memorabilia documenting the actress's career in...
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Claire Luce (1903 -1989) was an American stage and screen actress and dancer. The Claire Luce papers hold correspondence, theater and film files, scripts, photographs, writings, art, scrapbooks and memorabilia documenting the actress's career in dance, theater, film, and radio.
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Reinold, Bernard
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 2001-070
(1 portfolio)
Bernard Adolph Reinold (1860-1940) was an actor and a soldier, a member of several theatrical social organizations, and an administrator of the Actors' Fund of America. The career of Bernard A. Reinhold, whose stage name was Adolph Bernard,...
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Bernard Adolph Reinold (1860-1940) was an actor and a soldier, a member of several theatrical social organizations, and an administrator of the Actors' Fund of America. The career of Bernard A. Reinhold, whose stage name was Adolph Bernard, alternated between the stage and the military. On stage, Reinold played opposite such luminaries as Lawrence Barrett, Rose Coghlan, James O'Neill, Lionel Atwill, and Helen Hayes. Reinold also acted in a few silent movies, including THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN (1922) starring Will Rogers. Reinold was an adventurer from an early age, having run off to sea as a teenager. In the 1880s he fought as a mercenary in the Belgian Congo, then, back in the United States, against Indians. During the Spanish-American War in 1898 Reinold signed up as a Rough Rider under the command of Theodore Roosevelt. When America entered the World War in 1917, Reinold, now in his late 50s, sought and was granted special permission to serve as a Captain of the Quartermaster Corps in France. Bernard Reinold died on March 19, 1940, at the age of 80. At the time of his death he was chairman of the board of the Actors' Fund of America. Consists of letters and cards written to Bernard A. Reinold by colleagues and family members, with several notes from the writer/director Rupert Hughes. Most of the family correspondence was written to Captain (later Major) Reinold during the First World War, including a Valentine greeting written by one of Reinold's children, which, according to an inscription, was "picked up off the coast of Ireland, August 1918, in mail bag from torpedoed ship." The other correspondence includes two notes from California Rep. Julius Kahn, a former actor, and two notes from actor/manager Joseph Jefferson.
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Bertram, Bert, 1893-1991
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1994-022
Actor, writer, director, vaudevillian, and broadcaster, Bert Bertram began acting as a teenager in his native Australia. He emigrated to the United States in 1923 with his first wife, the actress and dancer, Rubee Raymond, and enjoyed a long...
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Actor, writer, director, vaudevillian, and broadcaster, Bert Bertram began acting as a teenager in his native Australia. He emigrated to the United States in 1923 with his first wife, the actress and dancer, Rubee Raymond, and enjoyed a long career on stage, film, radio and television. The scrapbooks contain photographs and clippings documenting the acting careers of Bertram and Raymond.
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Abel, Walter, 1898-1987
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1993-050
The papers of Walter Abel consist primarily of correspondence, contracts, speeches, and clippings documenting his work as an actor. The professional correspondence is not extensive: the bulk is single letters received from a wide variety of...
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The papers of Walter Abel consist primarily of correspondence, contracts, speeches, and clippings documenting his work as an actor. The professional correspondence is not extensive: the bulk is single letters received from a wide variety of individuals, much of it letters of thanks. A few outgoing letters discuss proposed productions. Correspondents include John Golden, Robert Edmond Jones and Eugene Ormandy. The contracts file is incomplete. Speeches, for the most part lectures on Shakespeare, theater history, and the psychology of acting, reflect his tireless work promoting the theater to college students and others. Clippings consist of production reviews and interviews with Abel. Production materials are mostly miscellaneous single items such as call sheets and schedules from films in which Abel appeared. Organizational work consists of minutes and correspondence pertaining to his work with ANTA, the Hollywood Victory Committee and other war service organizations. The collection also contains personal material on his family, awards, and a few scrapbooks of photographs.
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Golden, John, 1874-1955
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1958-007
97.39 linear feet (114 boxes, 11 volumes)
John Golden (1874-1955) was a songwriter and theatrical impresario who wrote, directed, managed, or produced over 100 shows in a career spanning more than 40 years, including Lightnin', Claudia, and Susan and God. The collection predominantly...
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John Golden (1874-1955) was a songwriter and theatrical impresario who wrote, directed, managed, or produced over 100 shows in a career spanning more than 40 years, including Lightnin', Claudia, and Susan and God. The collection predominantly documents Golden's career as a theatrical manager and producer, with particular focus on the late 1920s until his death.
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Balaban, A. J. (Abraham Joseph), 1889-1962
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1999-024
9.04 linear feet (28 boxes)
The A. J. Balaban and Carrie Balaban papers document the Balaban family primarily through correspondence and family albums. The correspondence includes letters from the Balabans' daughter Cherry while she entertained with the USO during World War...
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The A. J. Balaban and Carrie Balaban papers document the Balaban family primarily through correspondence and family albums. The correspondence includes letters from the Balabans' daughter Cherry while she entertained with the USO during World War II, letters from friends living in Europe during World War II, and materials about the book entitled Continuous Performance, the autobiography of A. J. Balaban. The collection also holds information about the Balabans' involvement with the Church of Christ, Scientist. Photograph albums and scrapbooks about the family, a photograph album about Nora Bayes, and some records about A. J. Balaban's business activities are the remainder of the collection.
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Neighborhood Playhouse (Organization : New York, N.Y.)
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 2019-014
7.67 linear feet (22 boxes)
This collection consists of correspondence, administrative documents, and production materials related to the early years of The Neighborhood Playhouse and its founders, sisters Alice Lewisohn Crowley and Irene Lewisohn.
Booth-Grossman family
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1967-001
The primary subject of this collection of family papers is the life of Edwin Booth, one of the most famous American actors of the 19th century. However, it has not been titled the Edwin Booth Papers because the bulk of the collection would more...
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The primary subject of this collection of family papers is the life of Edwin Booth, one of the most famous American actors of the 19th century. However, it has not been titled the Edwin Booth Papers because the bulk of the collection would more accurately be described as the papers of his daughter and biographer, Edwina Booth Grossman. There is also a small amount of material on other family members including Booth's father, the actor Junius Brutus Booth, his brother, the notorious John Wilkes Booth, and other relatives with less impact on history.
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Chong, Ping
Billy Rose Theatre Division | LPA Mss 2009-001
24.85 linear feet (64 boxes); 958 mb (822 computer files)
Ping Chong (1946- ) is an interdisciplinary theatre director, writer, choreographer, videographer and installation artist. The Ping Chong Archive, dating from 1971 to 2008, documents his creative and production process. It holds scripts;...
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Ping Chong (1946- ) is an interdisciplinary theatre director, writer, choreographer, videographer and installation artist. The Ping Chong Archive, dating from 1971 to 2008, documents his creative and production process. It holds scripts; correspondence; notes; production files; photographs, negatives, and slides; clippings; programs; set and technical designs; posters; and production software.
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Brown, Chamberlain
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1961-002
351 linear feet (850 boxes)
The Chamberlain and Lyman Brown Papers are 351 linear feet and contain business and personal correspondence, scrapbooks, autographs, legal and financial papers, scripts, photographs, clipping files, and production materials documenting their work...
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The Chamberlain and Lyman Brown Papers are 351 linear feet and contain business and personal correspondence, scrapbooks, autographs, legal and financial papers, scripts, photographs, clipping files, and production materials documenting their work as theatrical agents, managers, and producers. The papers provide a history of the entertainment industry from the end of the 19th century through the middle of the 20th century. A number of family and personal papers are also included.
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Howard, Bronson, 1842-1908
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1989-008
3 linear feet (8 boxes)
The Bronson Howard Papers consist primarily of correspondence, but also include financial and legal documents. Bronson Howard corresponded with a wide circle of family, friends and professional associates. The family correspondence documents Mr....
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The Bronson Howard Papers consist primarily of correspondence, but also include financial and legal documents. Bronson Howard corresponded with a wide circle of family, friends and professional associates. The family correspondence documents Mr. Howard's personal life, family business and social interactions. Correspondence with associates, including actors, managers and writers, gives information about Mr. Howard's activities and theater of the period. A number of letters discuss the Civil War.
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New York Shakespeare Festival Productions
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1993-028
170.97 linear feet (416 boxes, 4 other items)
Since its inception in 1954, the New York Shakespeare Festival/the Public Theater has been a highly acclaimed theater company, dedicated to achieving artistic excellence while developing an American theater that is accessible and relevant to all...
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Since its inception in 1954, the New York Shakespeare Festival/the Public Theater has been a highly acclaimed theater company, dedicated to achieving artistic excellence while developing an American theater that is accessible and relevant to all people through productions of challenging new plays, musicals and innovative stagings of the classics. The additions to the New York Shakespeare Festival Records document the Festival's activities from 1968-2010. The collection contains scripts, scores, correspondence, publicity materials and other production files from Public Theater Productions.
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Harburg, E. Y. (Edgar Yipsel), 1896-1981
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1990-002
E.Y. "Yip" Harburg, Academy Award winning lyricist created the lyrics for the Academy Award winning film The Wizard of Oz, as well as the Broadway shows Finian's Rainbow, more
E.Y. "Yip" Harburg, Academy Award winning lyricist created the lyrics for the Academy Award winning film
The Wizard of Oz, as well as the Broadway shows
Finian's Rainbow,
Bloomer Girl, and
Flahooley . Among his principal collaborators were Harold Arlen, Vernon Duke, Burton Lane, Arthur Schwartz and Jerome Kern. He died in Los Angeles in 1981. The collection is primarily business papers, scripts, research notes, notes for lyrics and production ideas from 1929 to 1981. Papers deal mainly with the professional life of Harburg. His political ideology and opinions can be seen in his lyrics, research notes and clippings files. Though there is little mention of his being blacklisted in 1945, his attitudes on government and politics indicates how he may have fallen victim to the McCarthyites and the House Un-American Activities Committee.
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Evans, Maurice, 1901-1989
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1979-001
31.5 linear feet.; 97 boxes
The Maurice Evans papers contain correspondence, production materials, photographs, programs and scripts that document his role as an actor, director and production.
Gish, Lillian, 1893-1993
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1996-011
The Lillian Gish papers (75 lf.) span the years 1909-1992 and consist of correspondence including letters from friends, family, fans and business associates, personal papers, business, legal and financial documents, scripts, writings, photographs...
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The Lillian Gish papers (75 lf.) span the years 1909-1992 and consist of correspondence including letters from friends, family, fans and business associates, personal papers, business, legal and financial documents, scripts, writings, photographs including early D.W. Griffith silent film photographs both candid shots taken during shooting and film stills, portraits by famous photographers, personal and family photographs, publicity and production photographs and snapshots, scrapbooks on the careers of both Dorothy and Lillian Gish, programs for early silent films and theatrical productions, clippings and ephemera that document the life and career of Lillian and Dorothy Gish from the early 1900's until Lillian's death in 1993.
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Darmor, Christine
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1996-031
1 portfolio
Playwright Christine Darmor (pen name for Faunchette Weir), was born in France but came to the United States as the wife of World War I pilot, John B. Weir, and lived and wrote in New York City. Collection consists of four letters to Darmor and...
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Playwright Christine Darmor (pen name for Faunchette Weir), was born in France but came to the United States as the wife of World War I pilot, John B. Weir, and lived and wrote in New York City. Collection consists of four letters to Darmor and one clipping, all concerning her play, PEACE EVERYONE. The letters document the work of her agents at the Leland Hayward, Inc. agency.
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McHugh, Frank, 1899-1981
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 2001-036
1.38 linear feet (4 boxes)
Frank McHugh (1898-1981) was an American stage and film actor, most noted for playing supporting roles at Warner Brothers in the 1930s and 1940s, often supporting stars James Cagney and Pat O'Brian. The Frank McHugh papers document McHugh's film...
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Frank McHugh (1898-1981) was an American stage and film actor, most noted for playing supporting roles at Warner Brothers in the 1930s and 1940s, often supporting stars James Cagney and Pat O'Brian. The Frank McHugh papers document McHugh's film and stage career, World War II activities and his family.
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Oppenheimer, George
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1978-001
4.4 linear feet (11 boxes)
George Oppenheimer (1900-1977) was an American drama critic, screenwriter for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, playwright, author, editor, and one of the co-founders of Viking Press. The George Oppenheimer writings include plays, screenplays, novels,...
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George Oppenheimer (1900-1977) was an American drama critic, screenwriter for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, playwright, author, editor, and one of the co-founders of Viking Press. The George Oppenheimer writings include plays, screenplays, novels, sketches, short stories, criticism, and autobiographical writings. The file on
The Best in the World: A Selection of News and Feature Stories, Editorials, Humor, Poems and Reviews from 1921 to 1928 consists of correspondence and notes.
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Breuer, Bessie, b. 1893
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 2003-042
(1 portfolio)
Bessie Breuer (1893-1975) was a journalist, novelist, short story writer and playwright whose only produced play, SUNDOWN BEACH (1948), was one of the first efforts of the Actors Studio. After an early career in journalism as reporter and editor,...
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Bessie Breuer (1893-1975) was a journalist, novelist, short story writer and playwright whose only produced play, SUNDOWN BEACH (1948), was one of the first efforts of the Actors Studio. After an early career in journalism as reporter and editor, Breuer began publishing short stories and, in 1935, her first novel, MEMORY OF LOVE. During World War II she wrote radio scripts for the Office of War Information. After the war a health crisis compelled Breuer to go south to recover, and in Florida she met the recuperating Air Force fliers who became the central figures of her play SUNDOWN BEACH. In later years Breuer continued to write novels. She died in New York City in September 1975 at the age of 81. The Bessie Breuer papers consist of documents concerning the Broadway run of Breuer's play SUNDOWN BEACH, which opened at the Belasco Theatre on Sep. 7, 1948, and closed on the 11th after seven performances. Directed by Elia Kazan, SUNDOWN BEACH marked the first Broadway venture of the newly-formed Actors' Studio. The cast featured several young actors who went on to notable careers, including Julie Harris, Cloris Leachman, Martin Balsam, Nehemiah Persoff, and Phyllis Thaxter. The play concerned the rehabilitation of World War II fliers suffering from combat trauma. Despite some public support, the play received mostly negative reviews and closed in less than a week. Much of the Bessie Breuer collection consists of letters offering emotional support in the wake of the production's failure. Among the correspondents are writers John Dos Passos and Stark Young, as well as Julie Harris. There are also several typed pages of notes from Breuer to director Elia Kazan, apparently written during the play's rehearsal process; Kazan's replies to Breuer are pencilled in the margins.
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Kelty, Edward J., 1888-1967
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Vim 2018-001
61 items, 61 photographs : gelatin silver, b&w ; 30.5 x 51 cm. and smaller
After World War I, Edward J. Kelty made his main living taking traditional banquet and party photographs for his Century Flashlight Photographers Company, based in New York City. During the summer months, Kelty used a custom-made large-format...
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After World War I, Edward J. Kelty made his main living taking traditional banquet and party photographs for his Century Flashlight Photographers Company, based in New York City. During the summer months, Kelty used a custom-made large-format camera and portable darkroom and followed circus troupes around the East Coast and Midwest, taking some of the most vivid photographs known to circus historians. However, lingering injuries from his Navy service in World War I, other personal struggles, and the hardships of the Depression led to Kelty closing his business and selling his camera and negatives by the early 1940s. Kelty died in Chicago, Illinois, in 1967. Large-format black and white photographs primarily by the Edward Kelty's Century Flashlight Photographers company document 22 circus troupes and one rodeo performing in the Midwest, East Coast, and Montreal, Canada. Images depict group portraits and exterior and interior tent views. Manuscript annotations, likely by collector and donor Harold Dunn, are present on the verso of a few images. Some photographs may be later reprints by Dunn from Kelty's original negatives. All photographs are credited to Kelty, except for a photograph of the Sparks Circus and a photograph of the Worldwide Rodeo Championship, both by Knickerbocker Photographers.
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Higgins family
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1997-032
The Higgins Family papers consist of correspondence, contracts, photographs and hanging plots and document this family's career in the theater. The bulk of the collection is correspondence to Thomas R. Higgins from his friend actress Evelyn...
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The Higgins Family papers consist of correspondence, contracts, photographs and hanging plots and document this family's career in the theater. The bulk of the collection is correspondence to Thomas R. Higgins from his friend actress Evelyn Russell who entertained in and wrote soldier shows for Special Services in Europe from 1945-1948. Letters (mostly from Germany) give insight into itineraries and experiences of soldier show performers. In a letter dated August 8, 1947, Russell recreates for Higgins the skits and lyrics for a show called "Who's On First". Also included are autographed photographs of Russell from the 1940s and headshots from the 1960s. Her letters dated 1960-1971 reflect her stage and television career and her life with her husband director/choreographer Joe Layton.
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Theatre Without Borders
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 2006-007
1.3 linear feet (3 boxes)
Theatre Without Borders (TWB) was founded as an informal group of individual artists around the world interested in supporting international theatre exchange. This collection includes scripts from 18 countries, as well as documentation of theatre...
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Theatre Without Borders (TWB) was founded as an informal group of individual artists around the world interested in supporting international theatre exchange. This collection includes scripts from 18 countries, as well as documentation of theatre work from and about Cambodia, assembled by Catherine Filloux, one of TWB's founding members.
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Belden, James Orson, 1914-1998
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1998-043
The collection documents both the long-time correspondence between James Belden and Lillian Gish and his admiration for her which is illustrated in his documentation of her career. The correspondence spans the years 1936 to 1991 and contains many...
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The collection documents both the long-time correspondence between James Belden and Lillian Gish and his admiration for her which is illustrated in his documentation of her career. The correspondence spans the years 1936 to 1991 and contains many of Gish's opinions and insights into the world of the theater and her tastes in literature. The clippings and articles document primarily her earlier career, becoming sketchy during Ms. Gish's middle age.
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United States. Army
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-Mss 1975-004
In 1962, she helped found and then for two decades directed the Army Music and Theater Program, which
The Washington Post in 1976 called "the largest producing organization of music and theater in the world." At that...
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In 1962, she helped found and then for two decades directed the Army Music and Theater Program, which
The Washington Post in 1976 called "the largest producing organization of music and theater in the world." At that time, it staged more than 25,000 performances annually with a global audience of more than 2.5 million people. The collection consists primarily of photographs, clippings, and programs, as well as scrapbooks, posters, and a small amount of correspondence, documenting the plays, contests, and travelling shows of the United States Army's Entertainment Services Unit.
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Balderston, John L. (John Lloyd), 1889-1954
Billy Rose Theatre Division | *T-MSS 1954-002
Collection contains correspondence, scripts, scenarios and notes documenting Balderston's work on plays and screenplays. Includes letters from co-authors George Moore and Jack Squire, correspondence concerning BERKELEY SQAURE and DRACULA, various...
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Collection contains correspondence, scripts, scenarios and notes documenting Balderston's work on plays and screenplays. Includes letters from co-authors George Moore and Jack Squire, correspondence concerning BERKELEY SQAURE and DRACULA, various scenarios for THE BROOK KERITH, a draft of CLOWN OF STRATFORD, memos and notes regarding FRANKENSTEIN, GONE WITH THE WIND, RED PLANET, and othe projects, perhaps never produced, on Andrew Johnson and August Strindberg. Also an incomplete autobiographical sketch.
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