- unitid
-
{"value"=>"19708", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"*MGZMD 64", "type"=>"local_call"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"circa 1943-1988", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1943/1988", "certainty"=>"approximate"}
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Hugh Laing papers"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"4 document boxes, 1 portfolio 69 folders, 415 items", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"1.7 Linear Feet", "unit"=>"linear_feet"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">Jerome Robbins Dance Division</span>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The Hugh Laing Papers, c.1943-1988, contain almost nothing written by Laing himself, except for two brief undated notes to his mother (in her folder #10) and a letter to Isabel Brown (in her folder #12). The strength of the collection lies in the documentation of the Skinner family and Laing's birth and baptism, 18 letters from his father and mother (1956-1970), and in the outpouring of letters and notes to Laing from friends on the occasion of Antony Tudor's death in April 1987. (These letters include ones from Anne S. Palmer and Mollie Cook, relatives of Tudor). There are also examples of Laing's preliminary sketches for set and costume designs for Tudor ballets, including <span class=\"title\">Gala Performance, Judgment of Paris</span>and <span class=\"title\">Pillar of Fire.</span>"}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Laing, Hugh", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Hugh Laing (Hugh Morris Alleyne Skinner) was born on June 6, 1911, in Barbados, British West Indies. He was of English and Irish background, the son of Donald M. and Beatrice A. Skinner.</p> <p>Laing went to London in 1931 to study art, and there began taking ballet classes. He became associated with Marie Rambert's Ballet Club (later Ballet Rambert) in 1933, where he met Antony Tudor. He accompanied Tudor to New York City in 1939 and danced with Ballet Theatre in its first season, January 1940. He continued to dance with Ballet Theatre for most of his performing career, with the exception of 1950-1952, when he was a member of New York City Ballet.</p> <p>Laing danced on Broadway in the 1945 Lerner and Loewe musical comedy, <span class=\"title\">The Day Before Spring,</span>which was choreographed by Antony Tudor. He performed the role of Harry Beaton in the 1954 MGM film of the Lerner and Loewe musical <span class=\"title\">Brigadoon.</span></p> <p>Laing married dancer Diana Adams in 1947; they were divorced in 1953.</p> <p>Laing was a dramatic dancer, known for his good looks and the intensity of his stage presence. He created leading roles in many of Tudor's ballets, including <span class=\"title\">Dark Elegies, Jardin aux Lilas, Pillar of Fire, Romeo and Juliet</span>and <span class=\"title\">Undertow.</span>He later helped restage Tudor ballets for American Ballet Theatre, and designed the scenery and costumes for some productions of Tudor's works. Laing was Antony Tudor's friend and artistic collaborator until Tudor's death in 1987.</p> <p>Hugh Laing died of cancer in New York City on May 10, 1988.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The <span class=\"persname\">Hugh Laing</span> Papers, c.1943-1988, contain almost nothing written by <span class=\"persname\">Laing</span> himself, except for two brief undated notes to his mother (in her folder #10) and a letter to <span class=\"persname\">Isabel Brown</span> (in her folder #12). The strength of the collection lies in the documentation of the <span class=\"persname\">Skinner</span> family and <span class=\"persname\">Laing's</span> birth and baptism, 18 letters from his father and mother (1956-1970), and in the outpouring of letters and notes to <span class=\"persname\">Laing</span> from friends on the occasion of <span class=\"persname\">Antony Tudor's</span> death in April 1987. (These letters include ones from <span class=\"persname\">Anne S. Palmer</span> and <span class=\"persname\">Mollie Cook</span>, relatives of <span class=\"persname\">Tudor</span>). There are also examples of <span class=\"persname\">Laing's</span> preliminary sketches for set and costume designs for Tudor ballets, including <span class=\"title\">Gala Performance, Judgment of Paris</span>and <span class=\"title\">Pillar of Fire.</span></p> <p>In the individual correspondence folders, correspondence is mainly from the person listed, although letters to, from and about the correspondent listed may be included.</p> <p> The Index of Correspondents lists alphabetically by name only those correspondents in the chronological folders and gives the folder number where the letter is located. If a surname could not be ascertained, the name is given as signed, i.e. Merle & Sidney, Honor. This index does not include correspondents in the individual folders, or those in the Cards/Notes or Christmas Cards categories.</p> <p> Photographs in the collection, under the heading Miscellaneous, include snapshots of <span class=\"persname\">Laing</span> and <span class=\"persname\">Tudor</span> at an airport and 1986 snapshots of <span class=\"persname\">Laing</span> and <span class=\"persname\">Tudor</span> footprints in concrete. There are also autographed photographs of \"Mitch\" and <span class=\"persname\">Irene Dunne</span>.</p> <p> Information to clarify entries on the Folder List is given in brackets after the entry.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Hugh Laing papers are arranged in five series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19708#c361797'>I. Personal Documents</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>15 items</div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19708#c361812'>II. Correspondence</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19708#c361856'>III. Manuscripts, Transcripts</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>9 items</div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19708#c361861'>IV. Miscellaneous</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>33 items</div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19708#c361870'>V. Artwork</a></div>\n</li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>The collection is divided into the following series:</p> <ol class=\"list\"> <li> I. Personal Documents</li> <li> II. Correspondence <ul class=\"list\"> <li> A. Letters - Personal</li> <li> B. Letters - Business</li> <li> C. Cards/Notes</li> <li> D. Christmas Cards</li> <li> E. Fan Letters/Tributes</li></ul></li> <li> III. Manuscripts/ Transcripts</li> <li> IV. Miscellaneous</li> <li> V. Artwork</li></ol>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Gift of Isabel Brown. Received: 1987, 1988, 1989.</p>"}
- separatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<p>The following items were received with the original gift but have been separated from the manuscript collection. The current location of these items (as of September 1990) is indicated.</p> <p>Set and Costume Designs:</p> <ul class=\"list\"> <li>4 designs by Laing for the Royal Danish Ballet production of <span class=\"title\">Judgment of Paris</span> - Location: *MGZGA Lai H Jud 1-4</li> <li>6 designs by Laing for <span class=\"title\">The Divine Horsemen</span> - Location: *MGZGA Lai H Div 1-6</li> <li>10 designs for <span class=\"title\">Gala Performance</span> - Location: *MGZGA Lai H 1-10</li> <li>1 design for <span class=\"title\">Pillar of Fire</span> - Location: *MGZGA Lai H Pil 1</li> <li>3 designs for <span class=\"title\">Shadow on the Wind</span> - Location: *MGZGA Sha 1-3</li></ul> <p>Photographs and Snapshots:</p> <ul class=\"list\"> <li>c.465 photos and contact sheets - Location: (unprocessed)</li> <li>c.15 boxes of 35mm slides - Location: (unprocessed)</li> <li>c.340 envelopes, strips and rolls of negatives - Location: (unprocessed)</li> <li>1 album, early childhood photographs- Location: unprocessed</li> <li>1 baby's book done by Laing's Mother - Location: unprocessed</li> <li>Set renderings by Laing - Location: unprocessed</li></ul>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Henley Haslam.</p>"}
- revisiondesc
-
{"value"=>"Finding aid revised to remove restriction on Isabel Brown/Laing correspondence.", "date"=>"November 2017"}
- date_start
-
1943
- keydate
-
1943
- date_end
-
1988
- date_inclusive_start
-
1943
- date_inclusive_end
-
1988
- extent_statement
-
1.7 linear feet (4 document boxes, 1 portfolio 69 folders, 415 items)
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"Hugh Laing papers, *MGZMD 64. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts"}