- unitid
-
{"value"=>"181330", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"Sc MG 743", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"b16134316", "type"=>"local_b"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1887-2001", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1887/2001"}
{"value"=>"1897-1947", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1897/1947"}
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"John W. Cooper collection"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"6 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"3.33 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear_feet"}]}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division</span>"}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Cooper, John W. (John Walcott), 1873-1966", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p> <span class=\"persname\">John Walcott Cooper</span> (<span class=\"date\">1873-1966</span>) was a Brooklyn born ventriloquist. From <span class=\"date\">1886</span> until about <span class=\"date\">1890</span> he was a singer with a vocal group called <span class=\"corpname\">The Southern Jubilee Singers</span>. He debuted as a ventriloquist in the <span class=\"date\">1895-1896</span> theatrical season, and gave his first professional show in <span class=\"date\">1897</span>. He began touring the minstrel circuit with <span class=\"corpname\">Richards and Pringles Georgia Minstrels</span> as early as 1901. In addition to ventriloquism, with his first wife, <span class=\"persname\">Etta Freeman</span>, a pianist, he told stories in dialect, did fancy paper tearing, freehand drawing, and \"mind reading.\"</p> <p> From the very outset, Cooper wrote his own material and continued to do so throughout his sixty years as a performer and also designed his scenery. In his earliest skit, <span class=\"title\">Fun in a Barber Shop,</span> Cooper appeared as a barber in a shop occupied by five \"customers,\" speaking in six different voices. Until the late <span class=\"date\">1920</span>'s, Cooper took his act into the nation's leading vaudeville houses, lodge halls, and private clubs, and was billed as a \"clean and wholesome\" performer.</p> <p> By the 1930's Cooper introduced the dummy figure Sam Jackson who was carved by the well-known figure maker <span class=\"persname\">Theodore Mack</span>, the maker of <span class=\"persname\">Edgar Bergen</span>'s Charlie McCarthy. Cooper (under the name <span class=\"persname\">Hezikiah Jones</span>) and Sam toured the country with <span class=\"title\">The Major Bowes Original Amateur Hour.</span> Following the death of his first wife, he married <span class=\"persname\">Juliana St. Bernard</span> with whom he had a daughter <span class=\"persname\">Joan (Maynard)</span> who later became the director of the <span class=\"corpname\">Weeksville Society</span> in Brooklyn.</p> <p> During World War II Cooper and Sam toured the United States with the <span class=\"corpname\">USO</span> camp shows and also performed in veterans hospitals. He played many private parties and nightclubs including New York's famed Kit Kat and El Morocco Clubs. Well-known and highly regarded by his fellow ventriloquists, he taught his art to <span class=\"persname\">Shari Lewis</span>, creator of <span class=\"title\">Lamb Chops.</span> Cooper entertained children both in New York City's hospitals and in the homes of wealthy patrons.</p> <p> Upon the death of his second wife in <span class=\"date\">1960</span>, Cooper retired from show business at age 86. His daughter, <span class=\"persname\">Joan Maynard</span>, maintained his papers and figures.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p> The John W. Cooper Collection documents Cooper's long career as a ventriloquist. Included are letters received from ventriloquists, magicians and other entertainers discussing their experiences, and from various organizations where Cooper performed, arranging for gigs and thanking him for his performances, including for the USO Camp shows during World War II (<span class=\"date\">1906-1966</span>). Letters from <span class=\"name\">William S. Berger</span>, president of the <span class=\"corpname\">Vent Haven Museum</span> in Kentucky, discuss the museum; and there is correspondence with entertainment organizations to which he belonged. There are also a few scripts of dialogue for Cooper and his figure, Sam, and writings by Cooper regarding teaching the art of ventriloquism to students. Promotional literature and programs for Cooper's performances as well as other ventriloquists and performers are in the collection. Scrapbooks about his career include programs, letters, promotional material, and news clippings (1897-1947).</p> <p> Cooper's daughter,<span class=\"name\"> Joan Maynard</span>, promoted his legacy by arranging for exhibits about her father at the <span class=\"corpname\">Brooklyn Historical Society</span> and by lecturing about him. Files discuss the arrangements, genealogical information, and Maynard's input regarding biographical information to be published. A copy of <span class=\"persname\">Stanley Burns</span>' book <span class=\"title\">Other Voices</span> featuring Cooper and other ventriloquists is included. Maynard also maintained an active correspondence with other ventriloquists, including <span class=\"persname\">Shari Lewis</span> and <span class=\"persname\">Chilly Willie Reid</span> (<span class=\"date\">1982-2001</span>). Maynard also continued subscribing to journals about ventriloquism, and issues of <span class=\"title\">Dialogue</span>, <span class=\"title\">The Oracle</span>, and <span class=\"title\">The New Oracle</span> are represented in the collection.</p> <p> Cooper's broad range of influence for his act is represented through the subjects of books and other printed material he maintained in the fields of magic tricks, music and songs,shadowgraphy, vaudeville and ventriloquism (<span class=\"date\">1887-ca. 1944</span>),including <span class=\"title\">Jubilee</span> and <span class=\"title\">Plantation Songs</span>.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The John W. Cooper collection is arranged in seven series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/181330#c1643501'>Personal Papers</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/181330#c1643518'>Promotional Literature and Performers</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/181330#c1643529'>Books Referring to John Cooper</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/181330#c1643535'>Joan Maynard</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/181330#c1643538'>Ventriloquists</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/181330#c1643551'>Scrapbooks</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/181330#c1643554'>Printed Material</a></div>\n</li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>Arranged into 7 series: I. Personal papers; II. Promotion literature and programs of other performers; III. Books referring to John Cooper; IV. Joan Maynard; V. Ventriloquists; VI. Scrapbooks; and VII. Printed matter.</p>", "supress_display"=>true}
- separatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<p>Related materials are also held by the Schomburg's Art and Artifacts Division, Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division, and Photographs and Print Division.</p>"}
- date_start
-
1887
- keydate
-
1887
- date_end
-
2001
- date_inclusive_start
-
1887
- date_inclusive_end
-
2001
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"[Item], John W. Cooper collection, Sc MG 743, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>" The John W. Cooper Collection documents Cooper's long career as a ventriloquist. Included are letters received from ventriloquists, magicians and other entertainers discussing their experiences, and from various organizations where Cooper performed, arranging for gigs and thanking him for his performances, including for the USO Camp shows during World War II (<span class=\"date\">1906-1966</span>). Letters from <span class=\"name\">William S. Berger</span>, president of the <span class=\"corpname\">Vent Haven Museum</span> in Kentucky, discuss the museum; and there is correspondence with entertainment organizations to which he belonged. There are also a few scripts of dialogue for Cooper and his figure, Sam, and writings by Cooper regarding teaching the art of ventriloquism to students. Promotional literature and programs for Cooper's performances as well as other ventriloquists and performers are in the collection. Scrapbooks about his career include programs, letters, promotional material, and news clippings (1897-1947).", "generated"=>true}