{"value"=>"<p>Emile Ardolino (born 1943 in Maspeth, New York in the borough of Queens) was a director, producer, editor, and multimedia designer, best known for directing the feature films, <span class=\"title\">Dirty Dancing</span> (1987) and <span class=\"title\">Sister Act</span> (1992).</p> <p>In 1965, Ardolino graduated from Queens College, City University of New York with a bachelor's degree in drama theory. During and after his years at Queens College, Ardolino acted in a number of theatrical productions. From the mid-1960s through 1974, Ardolino worked with Gardner Compton as a director, producer, and editor of film and multimedia stage projects. The duo co-founded Compton-Ardolino Films in 1967. During this time, Ardolino produced the short film <span class=\"title\">Seafall</span> (1969), an outdoor dance choreographed by Michael Uthoff, while also co-creating projected media for Joffrey Ballet's <span class=\"title\">Astarte</span> (1967), the New York City Opera's production of <span class=\"title\">The Makropoulos Affair</span> (1970), the off-Broadway production of <span class=\"title\">Oh! Calcutta!</span> (1969), and the original Broadway production of <span class=\"title\">Jesus Christ Superstar</span> (1971). In 1969, Ardolino and Compton won an Obie Award for their work on <span class=\"title\">Oh! Calcutta!</span></p> <p>Ardolino met his life partner, Luis M. Rodriguez-Villa, in the mid-1970s.</p> <p>In 1975, Ardolino became a producer and director of the PBS television series <span class=\"title\">Great Performances: Dance in America</span> (1976-1980s) and <span class=\"title\">Live from Lincoln Center</span> (1976-1980s). The series made dancers and dance companies, such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nureyev, Joffrey Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, New York City Ballet, Martha Graham Dance Company, and Paul Taylor Dance Company, more accessible to the American public and helped to increase the art form's popularity. While he worked at PBS, Ardolino became known for his ability to capture dance on film. He received critical praise for his work on both series, acquiring fifteen Emmy Award nominations and winning a 1979 Emmy Award for producing <span class=\"title\">Dance in America's</span> episode \"Choreography by Balanchine - Part IV.\" Ardolino also won a 1982 Directors Guild of America Award for George Balanchine's \"The Spellbound Child.\"</p> <p>From 1979 to 1986, Ardolino directed several television movies, episodes, and specials. Some of the productions included television movies of the Joseph Papp productions <span class=\"title\">The Dance and The Railroad</span>, <span class=\"title\">A Midsummer Night's Dream</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Alice at the Palace</span>. Ardolino directed the \"Rumpelstiltskin\" episode of <span class=\"title\">Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre</span>; television movie adaptations of the plays <span class=\"title\">The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket</span> (1986) and <span class=\"title\">When Hell Freezes Over, I'll Skate</span> (1979); and a television special <span class=\"title\">Good Morning, Mr. Orwell</span> (1984).</p> <p>The 1983 documentary about Jacques d'Amboise, <span class=\"title\">He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin,'</span> changed the course of Ardolino's career. Ardolino, who directed and produced the film, received great critical acclaim, winning a 1984 Christopher Award for Best Documentary, two 1984 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children's Program and Outstanding Individual Achievement, and a 1984 Academy Award for Best Documentary. Ardolino established his production company, Ardolino Productions, in the 1980s.</p> <p>After the critical success of <span class=\"title\">He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin,'</span> Ardolino directed his first feature film, <span class=\"title\">Dirty Dancing</span> (1987). The low-budget film was the surprise commercial hit of the year. Ardolino directed four feature-length films after <span class=\"title\">Dirty Dancing</span>. The drama, <span class=\"title\">Chances Are</span> (originally titled <span class=\"title\">Life After Life</span>), starring Cybill Shepherd and a young Robert Downey, Jr.; the comedy, <span class=\"title\">Three Men and a Little Lady</span> (1990), starring Tom Selleck and Ted Danson; <span class=\"title\">Sister Act</span> (1992), starring Whoopi Goldberg; and <span class=\"title\">The Nutcracker</span> (1993), starring the New York City Ballet and Macaulay Culkin.</p> <p>Ardolino's final production was a television movie adaptation of the musical <span class=\"title\">Gypsy</span> (1993). The movie starred Bette Midler and garnered Ardolino two more Emmy Award nominations for directing and producing.</p> <p>Emile Ardolino died from AIDS in Bel Air, California, in 1993.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p>The Emile Ardolino papers, dating from the 1950s to the 1990s, recount his professional career from actor to commercial motion picture director and producer. The bulk of the collection highlights his work as a director and producer of film and television productions mostly through sound recordings consisting of soundtrack song demos and rough mixes; and video recordings of auditions, scouting locations, edited and unedited production footage, and trailers. Film and television productions are further detailed through correspondence; screenplays; posters; promotional materials; production binders; personal notes; photographs; research materials; production artifacts; and award plaques, certificates, and programs. The papers also represent Ardolino's early work as an actor, editor of short films, and designer of projected media by theater and awards programs, photographs, contracts, and press clippings. There are some artifacts, correspondence, and photographs from Ardolino Productions, as well as personal materials and scripts, screenplays, and notes from unproduced projects.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Emile Ardolino papers are arranged in four series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/24674#c1699104'>Series I: Feature and Documentary Films</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1950s, 1980s-1993</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series, dating from the 1950s to 1993, is composed of materials related to the later part of Ardolino's career as a feature film director and producer. Most of the materials document Ardolino's efforts during the pre-production, production, and post-production filming process. Daily reels, early cuts of trailers, personal notes, artifacts, script supervisor notes, screenplay drafts, posters, promotional materials, awards invitations and programs, and set design layouts from <span class=\"title\">Dirty Dancing</span> (1987), <span class=\"title\">Chances Are</span> (1989), <span class=\"title\">Three Men and a Little Lady</span> (1990), <span class=\"title\">Sister Act</span> (1992), are well represented in the series.</p> <p>The material in this series is arranged chronologically by production release date, then alphabetically by type.</p> <p>Ardolino's career changing documentary, <span class=\"title\">He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin'</span> (1983), appears in the series through a script; an interview; Ardolino's personal notes; press clippings; photographs; a video recording; certificates, programs, invitations from award shows; and a contract.</p> <p>The other feature film productions, <span class=\"title\">Dirty Dancing</span>, <span class=\"title\">Chances Are</span>, <span class=\"title\">Three Men and a Little Lady</span>, <span class=\"title\">Sister Act</span>, and <span class=\"title\">The Nutcracker</span> (1993), reveal Ardolino's approach to research and directing through video recordings; sound recordings; research materials; audience screening reports; pre-production, production, and post-production binders mostly from Ardolino, script supervisors, and film editors; published essays and stories; memorandums and correspondence from studio executives, cast and crew members, fans, family, and friends; press clippings; screenplay drafts; set design floor plans, sketches, and layouts; location notes, footage, and photographs; personal notes about actors and writers; domestic and international posters; and some artifacts. Ardolino retained atmosphere, stand-in, and vehicle breakdowns from <span class=\"title\">Sister Act</span>; scene notes and production reports from <span class=\"title\">Chances Are</span>, and breakdown sheets from <span class=\"title\">Dirty Dancing</span>.</p> <p>The pre-production, production, and post-production binders hold schedules and itineraries; production budgets; storyboards; personal, concept presentation, reel, music, scene, and character notes; revised scene and screenplay drafts; interviews; press reviews; research materials; continuity logs; call sheets; cast and crew lists; daily production reports; and photographs. The photographs depict Ardolino directing or talking with the cast and crew during production. Ardolino preserved candid photographs of cast and crew members, and Mickey Mouse, celebrating his birthday on the set of <span class=\"title\">Three Men and a Little Lady</span>. Of note are Ardolino's notes from meetings with the cast and creative team of <span class=\"title\">Dirty Dancing</span>; memorandums from Disney executives about the various ghostwriters of the <span class=\"title\">Sister Act</span> screenplay; and character sketches created by the actresses who portrayed the singing nuns in <span class=\"title\">Sister Act</span>.</p> <p>The video recordings consist of unedited daily reels, auditions, rough edits of promotional trailers and featurettes, and rough cuts with added visual effects and sound from <span class=\"title\">Dirty Dancing</span>, <span class=\"title\">Chances Are</span>, <span class=\"title\">Three Men and a Little Lady</span>, <span class=\"title\">Sister Act</span>, and <span class=\"title\">The Nutcracker</span>. <span class=\"title\">The Nutcracker's</span> video recordings also include rough cuts of the opening titles for Ardolino's production; and various footage from New York City Ballet stage performances. Ardolino maintained rough mixes, vocals, and music sessions with composers for the soundtracks of <span class=\"title\">Sister Act</span> and <span class=\"title\">Dirty Dancing</span>, <span class=\"title\">Three Men and a Little Lady</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Chances Are</span>. He also retained commercial music recordings and sheet music for soundtrack and decade research.</p> <p>Artifacts in the series feature a promotional miniature of the Moonlight Lounge, a button, and a mug from <span class=\"title\">Sister Act</span>; a leather document pouch and a ring from <span class=\"title\">Chances Are</span>; a magnifying glass and buttons from <span class=\"title\">Dirty Dancing</span>, and toy theater prosceniums from <span class=\"title\">The Nutcracker</span>.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/24674#c1699392'>Series II: Television Series and Movies</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1957-1990s</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series, dating from 1957 to the 1990s, chronicles Ardolino's work as a director, producer, and editor of television series and movies. <span class=\"title\">Gypsy</span> (1993), Ardolino's final production, makes up a large part of the series, followed by materials created from his work on <span class=\"title\">Great Performances: Dance in America</span> (1976-1980s). The series holds photographs; scripts; notes; press clippings; sound and video recordings; contracts; award show nomination certificates, programs, and tickets; award plaques; and memorandums and correspondence from productions and episodes of <span class=\"title\">Live from Lincoln Center</span> (1976-1980s), <span class=\"title\">Live from the White House</span> (1979), <span class=\"title\">Summerfest</span> (1979), Leonard Bernstein's <span class=\"title\">Mass</span> at Kennedy Center (1981), <span class=\"title\">Alice at the Palace</span> (1981), <span class=\"title\">The Dance and the Railroad</span> (1982), <span class=\"title\">A Midsummer Night's Dream</span> (1982), <span class=\"title\">Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre's</span> \"Rumplestiltskin\" (1982), <span class=\"title\">Good Morning, Mr. Orwell</span> (1984), <span class=\"title\">The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket</span> (1985), and <span class=\"title\">We Real Cool</span> (1987). The series also includes an 1984 article written by Ardolino about George Balanchine for the Museum of Broadcasting.</p> <p><span class=\"title\">Gypsy</span> is the most represented work in this series. There are screenplay drafts, personal notes, production and post-production notes and correspondence, call sheets, music summaries, contract negotiations, production and post-production schedules, storyboards, set designs, title and credit sequence designs, research materials, cast and crew lists, press clippings, and sound and video recordings from the production. The video recordings associated with <span class=\"title\">Gypsy</span> consist of audition footage; daily reels; rough cuts for screenings and continuity; Gypsy Rose Lee interviews; and research footage. The sound recordings constitute commercial soundtracks from various stage productions. Ardolino also kept a hat, a film slate, and a mug from his time working on <span class=\"title\">Gypsy</span>. Of note is correspondence from Luis Miguel Rodriguez-Villa's letter-writing campaign to attend the 1994 Emmy Awards in Ardolino's stead after Ardolino passed away from AIDS.</p> <p>While <span class=\"title\">Gypsy</span> is the most thoroughly detailed production in the series, Ardolino's work as a director, producer, and editor of television series about the performing arts is also well documented. There are photographs, video recordings, awards ephemera, press clippings, and notes from various episodes of <span class=\"title\">Great Performances: Dance in America</span>, <span class=\"title\">Live from Lincoln Center</span>, and the 1979 episode, \"Baryshnikov at the White House\" from <span class=\"title\">Live at the White House</span>. Ardolino retained his contracts and video recordings of <span class=\"title\">Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre's</span> \"Rumpelstiltskin\" episode and Joseph Papp's productions of <span class=\"title\">Alice at the Palace</span>, <span class=\"title\">The Dance and the Railroad</span>, and <span class=\"title\">A Midsummer Night's Dream</span>. A script and a video recording conveys Ardolino's work as the television director of the 1981 production of Leonard Bernstein's <span class=\"title\">Mass</span> at the Kennedy Center. The series also discloses Ardolino's camerawork on the live interactive satellite broadcast, <span class=\"title\">Good Morning, Mr. Orwell</span> through a video recording and press clippings.</p> <p>The material in this series is arranged chronologically by production date, then alphabetically by type or episode.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/24674#c1699519'>Series III: Acting, Projected Media Stage, and Short Film Projects</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1963-1974</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series, dating from 1963 to 1974, features materials from Ardolino's brief acting career and early work on projected multimedia stage and short film projects. The series includes prints of films and slides, photographs, and contracts from Ardolino and Gardner Compton's multimedia stage and short film projects, and programs from Ardolino's turn as an actor. Present are the film and slides used in <span class=\"title\">The Makropoulos Affair</span> (1970); a video recording of <span class=\"title\">Seafall</span> (1969); Ardolino and Compton's original scenario and contract for <span class=\"title\">Jesus Christ Superstar</span> (1971); photographs, an Obie Award Citation, and programs from <span class=\"title\">Oh! Calcutta!</span> (1969); and candid prints and contact sheets from <span class=\"title\">Astarte</span> (1967).</p> <p>The material in this series is arranged chronologically by project date, then alphabetically by type.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/24674#c1699549'>Series IV: Ardolino Productions Materials, Unproduced Projects, and Personal Files</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1960-1993</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series, dating from 1960 to 1993, covers Ardolino's personal files, materials generated by Ardolino Productions, and solicited and unsolicited projects that were never produced or directed by Ardolino. The materials associated with Ardolino Productions are nameplates, photographs of the office and staff, correspondence to Ardolino from various members of the company, lists of writers and their works, and script submissions. The majority of the series consists of unsolicited annotated screenplays that were forwarded to Ardolino via Ardolino Productions from various agents and writers. Included in the unproduced projects are several Jacques d'Amboise projects; notes, script drafts and treatments, and correspondence regarding possible sequels to <span class=\"title\">Dirty Dancing</span> and <span class=\"title\">Sister Act</span>, and a tango project that features a script treatment by Patrick Swayze.</p> <p>Ardolino's personal files cover various copies of his résumé, headshots and candid photographs, correspondence from friends and family, identification cards, a trip to China through a Directors Guild of America project, personal research materials from filmmaking seminars, and a birthday film from Gardner Compton titled, <span class=\"title\">Happy Birthday Emile</span> (1960s). The files also include an 1984 article written by Ardolino about George Balanchine for the Museum of Broadcasting.</p> <p>The material in this series is arranged alphabetically by type or project.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}