- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"1.75", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"2 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- unitid
-
{"value"=>"*T-Mss 1993-011", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"21800", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1961-1984", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1961/1984"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1961
- date_inclusive_end
-
1984
- keydate
-
1961
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Clara Rotter papers"}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</span> <span class=\"subarea\">Billy Rose Theatre Division.</span> <div class=\"address\"><span class=\"addressline\">New York, New York</span></div>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"This collection consists of correspondence from Brooks Atkinson and Oriana Atkinson to Clara Rotter, and two scrapbooks of Atkinson’s <span class=\"title\">Critic at Large</span> columns."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p> Clara Rotter Papers, *T-Mss 1993-011. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Rotter, Clara", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Clara Rotter, born ca. 1910, arrived with her family from Europe at age eleven, and started working in the drama department of <span class=\"title\">The New York Times</span> in 1945. She developed a close professional relationship with Brooks Atkinson, drama critic of the <span class=\"title\">Times</span>, providing indispensable research and administrative assistance. Among her duties was the compilation of an annual list of Broadway and off Broadway productions, published under her byline for nine years. She became such an influential liaison between the drama staff and the theater world, that “Who is Clara Rotter?” was allegedly asked of those aspiring to join the theater press agents union.</p> <p> Brooks Atkinson, who died in 1984, bequeathed $2,500 to Miss Rotter, who donated the money to the Brooks Atkinson Memorial Playwright Exchange of New Dramatists.</p> <p> Miss Rotter lived in Woodside, Queens, and retired from the Times in 1980, when she was 70. After a long illness, she died at home on September 13,1992.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p> The letters from Brooks Atkinson (1967-1974 and undated) begin after his official retirement in 1965, and there is a devoted appreciation of Rotter’s research skills and excellent relations with publishers to acquire materials Atkinson needed. It is apparent from the correspondence of Atkinson and his wife, Oriana, to Rotter that she had prime responsibility for her aged parents, while not enjoying robust health herself. Atkinson and Rotter communicated often, and Atkinson’s letters frequently comment on her lively wit and discriminating judgment of current productions.</p> <p> There are two letters to Clara Rotter from Dr. Rodney E. Sheratsky, a professor of literature in New Jersey, requesting a meeting to discuss her work and personal friendship with Brooks Atkinson. These are accompanied by a letter of permission from Oriana Atkinson for Sheratsky to write the authorized biography of Brooks Atkinson. There is no evidence this book was written. Dr. Sheratsky died in 2005.</p> <p> Two scrapbooks contain Brooks Atkinson’s <span class=\"title\">Critic at Large</span> columns from 1960-1965. The breadth of topics includes local history, the environment, politics, and culture.</p> <p> There is one undated photograph of Brooks Atkinson.</p>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Billy Rose Theatre Division.</p>"}
- relatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<p>Clara Rotter’s correspondence from Sean O’Casey can be found in the Humanities and Social Sciences Library (Berg Coll MSS O’Casey). Her interview in the documentary about Al Hirschfeld, The Line King, is at Performing Arts TOFT (NCOX 1421).</p>"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"Alphabetical"}
- acqinfo
-
{"accession_number"=>"*T-Mss 1993-011"}
{"method"=>"Gift", "date"=>"1993", "value"=>"Gift, 1993"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Sara Black Hassan; Machine-readable finding aid created by Sara Black Hassan.</p>"}
- extent_statement
-
1.75 linear feet (2 boxes)
- date_start
-
1961
- date_end
-
1984