- unitid
-
{"value"=>"29988", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"*T-Mss 2019-016", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"b22714373", "type"=>"local_b"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1908-2005", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1908/2005"}
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Hugh Fordin collection"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"27 boxes, 2 oversize folders", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"9.27 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear_feet"}]}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">Billy Rose Theatre Division</span>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The Hugh Fordin collection, dated 1908 to 2005, documents the career of writer and record producer Hugh Fordin (1935-2019). The collection primarily chronicles his research for <span class=\"title\">Getting to Know Him: A Biography of Oscar Hammerstein II</span>(1977) and <span class=\"title\">The World of Entertainment! Hollywood's Greatest Musicals (1975)</span>."}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Fordin, Hugh, 1935-2019", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Hugh Fordin (1935-2019) was a writer, record producer, and founder of DRG Records in 1976, which produced Broadway cast and concert albums. Fordin was recognized with eight Grammy nominations and a win for <span class=\"title\">The Producers</span> in 2001.</p> <p>Fordin is best known for his authorized biography of Oscar Hammerstein entitled: <span class=\"title\">Getting to Know Him: A Biography of Oscar Hammerstein II</span> (1977). He also published <span class=\"title\">The World of Entertainment! Hollywood's Greatest Musicals</span> (1975). Fordin co-authored the book entitled <span class=\"title\">Jerome Kern the Man and His Music</span> with Jerome Kern and Dan Fox (1975).</p> <p>Hugh Fordin died on February 26, 2019 in Titusville, New Jersey.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Hugh Fordin collection, dated from 1908 to the 2000s, documents the career of writer and record producer Hugh Fordin. The collection holds correspondence; daybooks; a ledger; photographs; printed matter; scripts; sheet music; the transcripts of oral interviews; writings; and audio and moving image materials.</p> <p>This collection mostly focuses on Fordin's research for the publications, <span class=\"title\">Getting to Know Him: A Biography of Oscar Hammerstein II;</span> and <span class=\"title\">The World of Entertainment! Hollywood's Greatest Musicals</span>.</p> <p>The book <span class=\"title\">Getting to Know Him: A Biography of Oscar Hammerstein II</span>, was documented with interviews of Dorothy Hammerstein, their son William, and notable individuals in the entertainment industry. Some of these interviews are available in the Transcripts files and the Audio and Moving Image materials. Other supporting materials for the biography are letters from Dorothy Hammerstein to Hugh Fordin; photographs of the Hammerstein family; and a \"setting copy\" draft with extensive editing of <span class=\"title\">Getting to Know Him: A Biography of Oscar Hammerstein II</span>. A second draft of the book lacks the front matter and the first forty-nine pages.</p> <p>There are files about the lawsuit \"Mary Wescher et al. vs Random House and Arthur Fordin.\" The files are not complete; however, it does indicate that this case was active between the years of 1978 and 1979. These documents include Fordin's response to the lawsuit and correspondence with his legal counsel.</p> <p>Files concerning Fordin's other publication, entitled: <span class=\"title\">The World of Entertainment! Hollywood's Greatest Musicals</span> include the final galley proof under the draft title <span class=\"title\">Hollywood's Royal Family, The Freed Unit</span>. Other files hold research materials utilized by Fordin in preparation for this publication. This includes the production scripts for the MGM musicals <span class=\"title\">The Band Wagon</span>; <span class=\"title\">Funny Face</span>; <span class=\"title\">Gigi</span>; and <span class=\"title\">Singin' in the Rain</span>. It should be noted that the production scripts include scripts not related to this publication. For example, <span class=\"title\"> House of Flowers</span>, written by Truman Capote and Harold Arlen and several scripts based on Fordin's work as a producer.</p> <p>Printed Matter is primarily publicity material generated by MGM to promote their movies. The MGM material was printed on oversize card stock that featured their leading actors. The files also include more current productions that Fordin was involved with as a producer or possibly to promote his record company.</p> <p>The Sheet Music files mostly document the MGM musicals. While most of the sheet music was published, several contain handwritten scripts. The sheet music includes music from <span class=\"title\">The Barkleys of Broadway</span>; <span class=\"title\">Broadway Melody of 1937</span>; <span class=\"title\">Easter Parade</span>; and <span class=\"title\">Singin' in the Rain</span>.</p> <p>The Photograph files closely mirror the Sheet Music files with many commercially produced publicity photographs, including candid and backlot pictures. The files also hold \"behind-the-scenes\" shots of Audrey Hepburn preparing for her role in the production <span class=\"title\">Funny Face</span> taken by MGM photographer Bill Avery.</p> <p>Fordin utilized some personal and business files of Arthur Freed for his research. These files include Freed's daybooks; letters to Freed; and communications regarding the productions of <span class=\"title\">The Bandwagon</span> and <span class=\"title\">Carnival</span>.</p> <p>The Audio and Moving Image section holds audio recordings of Dorothy and William Hammerstein for the biography of Oscar Hammerstein. Several of the audio and moving image materials include other entertainment projects that Freed was involved with.</p>"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>The collection is arranged into the following groups: Correspondence; Writings; Interviews; Production Scripts; Printed Matter; Photographs; Freed Business files</p>"}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Donated by Peter Fass in 2019.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by <span class=\"name\">Valerie Wingfield</span> in <span class=\"date\">2022</span>.</p>"}
- accessrestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>Inquiries regarding audio and moving image materials in the collection may be directed to the Billy Rose Theatre Division (theatre@nypl.org). Audio and moving image materials may be subject to preservation evaluation and migration prior to access.</p>"}
- date_start
-
1908
- keydate
-
1908
- date_end
-
2005
- date_inclusive_start
-
1908
- date_inclusive_end
-
2005
- extent_statement
-
9.27 linear feet (27 boxes, 2 oversize folders)
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"Hugh Fordin collection, *T-Mss 2019-016. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts"}