{"value"=>"<p>Frederick Brisson, theatrical and film producer, was born Carl Ejner Frederik Pedersen on March 17, 1913 in Copenhagen. His father, Carl Brisson, was a well-known boxer, who went on to a career as a stage and film actor, and concert hall performer. Frederick Brisson spent his early years in Denmark and later joined his parents in England where he attended school. He began his theatrical career in Britain in the 1930's as a theatrical manager. He also worked with Gaumont-British as associate producer on several films. After starting his own talent agency in London he went to Hollywood to take a job as junior partner of Frank W. Vincent in his theatrical management business. Brisson served in the United States Army Air Force from 1941-1945. He was married to the actress Rosalind Russell on October 25, 1941. The Brissons had one son, Lance, born in 1943. Miss Russell died in November 1976. Brisson married Arlette Janssens on May 4, 1978, but was separated from her at the time of his death on October 8, 1984.</p> <p>Among Brisson's successful theatrical productions were <span class=\"title\">The Pajama Game</span> and <span class=\"title\">Damn Yankees</span>, (produced with Harold Prince and Robert Griffith), <span class=\"title\">Generation</span>, <span class=\"title\">Under the Yum Yum Tree</span>, <span class=\"title\">Twigs</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Coco</span>. Brisson is credited with introducing several British playwrights including Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, and Peter Shaffer to American audiences. Brisson also brought several of his Broadway successes including <span class=\"title\">The Pajama Game</span>, <span class=\"title\">Damn Yankees</span>, <span class=\"title\">Five Finger Exercise</span>, <span class=\"title\">Generation</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Under the Yum Yum Tree</span> to the screen, either as sole producer or in partnership. Other film credits include <span class=\"title\">Never Wave at a WAC</span>, <span class=\"title\">The Velvet Touch</span>, <span class=\"title\">The Girl Rush</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Mrs. Pollifax - Spy</span>.</p> <p> <ul> <li> <span class=\"title\">Alfie</span> <date>1964</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">The Caretaker</span> <date>1961</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Coco</span> <date>1969</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Damn Yankees</span> <date>1955</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Dance a Little Closer</span> <date>1983</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">First Love</span> <date>1961</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Five Finger Exercise</span> <date>1959</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Five Finger Exercise</span> (Motion picture) <date>1962</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">The Flip Side</span> <date>1968</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">The Gazebo</span> <date>1958</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Generation</span> <date>1965</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Generation</span> (Motion picture) <date>1969</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">The Girl Rush</span> (Motion picture) <date>1955</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Jumpers</span> <date>1974</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Mixed Couples</span> <date>1980</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Moonlight Sonata</span> <date>1938</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Mrs. Pollifax - Spy</span> (Motion picture) <date>1971</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">New Girl in Town</span> <date>1957</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Never Wave at a WAC</span> (Motion picture) <date>1952</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">The Pajama Game</span> <date>1954</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">The Pajama Game</span> (Motion picture) <date>1957</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">The Pleasure of His Company</span> <date>1958</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Snacks</span> <date>1982-1983</date> (did not open)</li> <li> <span class=\"title\">So Long, 174th Street</span> <date>1976</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">The Time of the Barracudas</span> <date>1964</date> (closed before New York opening)</li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Twigs</span> <date>1971</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Under the Yum Yum Tree</span> <date>1960</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Under the Yum Yum Tree</span> (Motion picture) <date>1963</date></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">The Velvet Touch</span> (Motion picture) <date>1948</date></li></ul></p>"}
{"value"=>"<p>The Frederick Brisson Papers include correspondence, memos, production files, financial records, project files, office files, personal papers, scripts, clippings, photographs, and ephemera relating to the life and career of Frederick Brisson.</p> <p>The papers document the later part of Frederick Brisson's career as a theatrical and film producer. The bulk of the papers relate to Brisson's work after 1965, although small files exist for some of his earlier productions. His papers include information on his research and subsequent choice of properties, and the work involved in finding investors. The production files account for more than half of the collection. They reflect Brisson's involvement in the financial and creative aspects of production and include correspondence with actors, playwrights, and investors. In addition to the correspondence, Brisson's notes provide details of informal discussions and meetings, and include ideas that Brisson and his staff generated during the course of preparing a production for the stage. Project files also form a significant part of the collection. They contain scripts correspondence, reports from various readers and Brisson's notes.</p> <p>Personal papers include information relating to Brisson's immigration and naturalization in the 1930's and his military service during World War II. Rosalind Russell's papers include some correspondence, miscellaneous items and a typescript of her autobiography <span class=\"title\">Life is a Banquet</span>, which was published posthumously.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Frederick Brisson papers are arranged in eight series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21601#c311910'>Series I: Productions</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1954-1983</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>30 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Production files include both stage and film productions and contain scripts, correspondence, contracts, programs, casting information, investors' files, clippings, publicity and advertising files, financial records, and notes. Some light plots, stage set and costume design files may be found in Series VIII, Oversize Material. Mr. Brisson's early productions are not well documented, but include small files on <span class=\"title\">The Pajama Game</span> (1954), <span class=\"title\">Damn Yankees</span> (1955), <span class=\"title\">The Gazebo</span> (1958), <span class=\"title\">The Pleasure of His Company</span> (1958), and <span class=\"title\">Five Finger Exercise</span> (1959). These papers generally relate to financing of the productions and include letters to and lists of investors. <span class=\"title\">The Gazebo</span> and <span class=\"title\">The Pleasure of His Company</span> were co-produced by the Playwright's Company. Among the better documented productions are <span class=\"title\">Coco</span>, <span class=\"title\">Dance a Little Closer</span>, <span class=\"title\">The Flip Side</span>, <span class=\"title\">Mixed Couples</span>, and <span class=\"title\">So Long, 174th Street</span>. Of these, only <span class=\"title\">Coco</span> was successful.</p> <p>Brisson's pursuit of Coco Chanel's story began in the 1950s, but it would be almost fifteen years before the production reached Broadway in 1969. The files (1955-1979) document the years of negotiations with Chanel and her representatives, the delays as Alan Jay Lerner completed other projects, and the changes in composers and writers and proposed cast through the years. The files include correspondence with Alan Jay Lerner and Katharine Hepburn, and copies of letters from Cecil Beaton. The series also includes files that will not be available to the public until 2051. These are predominantly financial records that list social security numbers. In addition several letters are closed because of their subject matter.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21601#c312292'>Series II: Projects</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>13 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Project files contain scripts, correspondence, story reports, programs, notes, clippings, and miscellaneous papers relating to theatrical properties under consideration by Brisson. Project files document the scope of Brisson's work as he and his staff evaluated scripts and story ideas. The files are organized in the following sub-series: Projects A-Z; Story Reports, Miscellaneous, and Correspondence/Submitted Scripts.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21601#c312468'>Series III: Office Files</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1954-1984</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>2 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Office files include correspondence, lists, printed matter and general information, arranged by subject, and not related to any one production. Some subject areas include press, publicity, investors, staff, League of New York Theatres and Producers, clippings, and literary agents.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21601#c312491'>Series IV: Correspondence</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Correspondence files include letters to and from Brisson, reflecting his every day affairs, and covering a broad range of topics. Correspondence is divided in two subseries: General Correspondence and Correspondence - Individuals.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21601#c312507'>Series V: Personal Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>ca. 1934-1980</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>16 folders</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Personal papers include files relating to Brisson's citizenship and naturalization, his military service, his parents (Carl and Cleo Brisson), personal documents, and a few miscellaneous items.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21601#c312523'>Series VI: Rosalind Russell</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1948-1983</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>21 folders</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Rosalind Russell's papers include correspondence, telegrams received at various openings, biographical information miscellany, clippings and a typescript copy of her autobiography: <span class=\"title\">Life is a Banquet</span>. Ephemera, which has been transferred to the T-cabinet in the Theatre collection, includes two awards, a printer's block for fliers for <span class=\"title\">Auntie Mame</span>, an unfinished gown. The correspondence includes letters from family members, and also a letter from Laurence Olivier and one from Van Johnson. Please note that letters addressed to both Miss Russell and Frederick Brisson are filed with Brisson's correspondence.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21601#c312541'>Series VII: Photographs</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>ca. 1948-1983</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>3 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Photographs include production photos, project photographs, photographs of Rosalind Russell, a few family photographs and miscellaneous photos. The earliest photographs are production stills for the film <span class=\"title\">The Velvet Touch</span>, starring Rosalind Russell. There is an extensive group of production photographs for <span class=\"title\">Twigs</span>, some shot by Martha Swope. Also included is a series of publicity photos shot at Chanel's atelier in Paris in preparation for <span class=\"title\">Coco</span>. These pictures include Frederick Brisson, Coco Chanel, Alan Jay Lerner, André Previn, and some members of Chanel's staff. A few early photographs of Chanel are also included. <span class=\"title\">Dance A Little Closer</span>, <span class=\"title\">The Girl Rush</span>, <span class=\"title\">Jumpers</span>, <span class=\"title\">Mixed Couples</span>, <span class=\"title\">Mrs. Pollifax - Spy</span>, <span class=\"title\">The Pleasure of His Company</span>, <span class=\"title\">So Long, 174th Street</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Under the Yum Yum Tree</span> are among the other productions represented in this series.</p> <p>Project photos include production shots from the English musical <span class=\"title\">Passion Flower Hotel</span>, and the Danish show, <span class=\"title\">Vidunderlige Kælling</span>. For his work on a musical based on the life of Aimee Semple McPherson, Brisson collected over 150 negatives relating to her life and work. The source of these negatives is unknown. The photographs of Miss Russell include prints and negatives of publicity shots.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21601#c312569'>Series VIII: Oversized Materials</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>1 box</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Oversized materials include set sketches and elevations, costume sketches, light plots, posters, theater seating charts and other miscellaneous production materials. The files include one original costume sketch by Stanley Simmons for <span class=\"title\">So Long, 174th Street</span>, and original drawings by Tom Morrow for the opening credits of <span class=\"title\">Mrs. Pollifax-Spy</span>.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}