Harry Mandel papers

id
2587
origination
Mandel, Harry, 1902-1988
date statement
1919-1988
key date
1919
identifier (local_mss)
21840
org unit
Billy Rose Theatre Division
call number
*T-Mss 1993-025
b-number
b17045652
total components
27
total series
2
max depth
2
boost queries
(none)
component layout
Default Layout
Extended MARC Fields
false
Extended Navigation
false
created
2013-04-01 15:04:31 UTC
updated
2022-07-18 15:58:09 UTC
status note
(missing)
Display Aeon link
true

Description data TOP

unitid
{"value"=>"*T-Mss 1993-025", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"21840", "type"=>"local_mss"}
unitdate
{"value"=>"1919-1988", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1919/1988"}
unittitle
{"value"=>"Harry Mandel papers"}
physdesc
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"1 lin. ft.", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"2 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}]}
repository
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.</span><div class=\"address\"> <span class=\"addressline\">New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center</span> <span class=\"addressline\">40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498</span></div>"}
abstract
{"value"=>"Primarily printed material and business papers documenting the career of vaudeville and movie promoter, Harry Mandel, from the 1920s to the1960s at RKO and its predecessors."}
prefercite
{"value"=>"<p>Harry Mandel Papers, *T-Mss 1993-025. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</p>"}
origination
{"value"=>"Mandel, Harry, 1902-1988", "type"=>"persname"}
bioghist
{"value"=>"<p>Harry Mandel began his career in the entertainment business in 1917 as an office boy for B. S. Moss Theatrical Enterprises which ran 8 vaudeville theatres, mostly in Manhattan. In 1920 Moss entered into an arrangement with the B. F. Keith Corporation to form a subsidiary company, the Greater New York Vaudeville Theatres Corporation. Mandel was with this company as a publicist until 1928 when Moss sold out to Keith and through various mergers, the company became the Radio-Keith-Orpheum Corporation or RKO. Mandel remained with RKO for the remainder of his career. In 1938 he was appointed National Director of Advertising, Publicity and Exploitation for the entire RKO circuit of theatres. In 1952 he was promoted to assistant to the vice president for theatre operations, in 1957 he became the vice president for theatre operations and in 1961 he was elected president of RKO, a position he held until he retired in 1966.</p> <p>During World War II, Mandel was a member of the War Activities Committee of the Motion Picture Industry, serving as public relations chairman for the NY metropolitan area. In this capacity, he oversaw the creation and installation of a replica of the Statue of Liberty in Times Square as part of the successful sixth war loan drive. During the war, he was also asked to promote the film, <span class=\"title\">North Star</span>, a sympathetic picture of the Soviet Union. Later, Mandel was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee to explain why he had lauded communists, though RKO was able to provide sufficient documentation to spare him from having to testify.</p> <p>The creator of the slogan, \"Fantasia will Amazia\" for the Walt Disney film, Harry Mandel was born on December 31, 1902 in New York City to parents who had immigrated from Eastern Europe. He died on June 17, 1988.</p>"}
scopecontent
{"value"=>"<p>The collection documents the career of vaudeville and movie promoter, Harry Mandel, from the 1920s-1960s. Of particular interest are the printed publicity booklets for the vaudeville houses in the 1920s, the printed propaganda work of the War Activities Committee of the Motion Picture Industry during World War II, RKO printed publicity from the 1950s and Mandel's typescript \"Summary of My Business Career.\" His work at RKO is documented in press releases about him, typescript reports, manuals and addresses he wrote, and ephemera from his trips in the 1960s to Berlin for the premiere of <span class=\"title\">The Judgment at Nuremberg</span>and to the Far East to investigate business opportunities. The collection also contains clippings, and a few letters, contracts, minutes, and an award.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Harry Mandel papers are arranged in two series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21840#c514373'>Series I. Biographical material on Harry Mandel</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1966-1988</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>2 folders</div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21840#c514376'>Series II: Chronological arrangement of material documenting his career</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1919-1979</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p> Primarily printed publicity from the vaudeville houses in the 1920s, the war efforts of the motion picture industry during World War II, and RKO in the 1950s, but also a few manuscripts by Mandel and a small amount of letters, minutes, reports, contracts, clippings and ephemera.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
arrangement
{"value"=>"<p>Collection is arranged chronologically with the exception of two folders of biographical material on Mandel at the beginning. Series I: Biographical material on Harry Mandel Series II: Chronological arrangement of material documenting his career</p>", "supress_display"=>true}
{"value"=>"<p> Series I: Biographical material on Harry Mandel Series II: Chronological arrangement of material documenting his career</p>"}
acqinfo
{"value"=>"<p>Gift of Harry Mandel's son, Myron Mandel, and his granddaughter, Nina Mandel, in May 1993.</p>"}
processinfo
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Elisabeth Elkind; Machine-readable finding aid created by Elisabeth Elkind.</p>"}
userestrict
{"value"=>"<p>For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Billy Rose Theatre Division.</p>"}
date_start
1919
keydate
1919
date_end
1988
date_inclusive_start
1919
date_inclusive_end
1988

Update Collection TOP

Update from EAD XML File

Resources TOP

PDF finding aid

No PDF finding aid attached.

File attachments

No files attached.

Repository Assets

No UUIDs attached.

Living at NYPL Archives

Sign in to add or edit a living at feature for this collection.

Export Collection to ArchivesSpace