- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"60 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"125 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- unitid
-
{"value"=>"*T-Mss 2001-001", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"21819", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1908-1986", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1908/1986"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1908
- date_inclusive_end
-
1986
- keydate
-
1908
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Arthur and Ruth Knorr papers and designs"}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</span> <span class=\"subarea\">Billy Rose Theatre Division.</span> <div class=\"address\"><span class=\"addressline\">New York, New York</span></div>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The majority of the Knorr papers is comprised of set designs and production materials. The collection illustrates Knorr’s multiple talents and his unifying role as a producer. The designs and plans include Knorr’s early work for the Capitol and Roxy theaters, a formative time in his career. Amongst the designs are those of the Milton Berle shows (1948-1952) and the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants in the early 1960s."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>Arthur and Ruth Knorr Papers and Designs, *T-Mss 2001-001, Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Knorr, Arthur, 1898-1966", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p> Arthur James Knorr was born in Indiana in 1900. The son of an electrical engineer, Knorr planned to make his future in the medical profession. Upon entering the Pittsburgh Academy, a college preparatory and business school, however, he was inspired to take a different direction. His mentor was James Boudreau, later the Superintendent of Art in the Pittsburgh Public Schools, who recognized Knorr’s talent and persuaded him to pursue an artistic career, a decision that was taken hard by his family. After graduating from Pittsburgh Academy in 1916, Knorr entered the Carnegie Institute of Technology’s School of Design. At Carnegie, he studied painting, design, and stage craft. He even took to the spotlight by participating in dramatics and becoming a soloist with the Tech Glee Club. With the nation’s entry into World War I, he left Carnegie in 1918 and joined the United States Tank Corps, where he served until his discharge in 1919. For a brief period before returning home to Pittsburgh, he went to Chicago, where he created some of his earliest artwork. Back in Pittsburgh, he began teaching art at the Pittsburgh Academy, his alma mater, while furthering his own studies under Eugene Francis Savage at the Carnegie Institute of Technology.</p> <p> In the summer of 1920, Knorr began to earn a living as a commercial artist. In 1922, he was designing posters at the Capitol Theatre. The lively venue offered an endless array of possibilities to his professional eye. A regular attendee of every stage show rehearsed in the theater, Knorr learned staging and lighting under the guidance of S.L. (Roxy) Rothafel. Sometime later, Knorr was appointed Art Director for the Capitol Theater, in which position he designed and lit all stage productions. In 1928 he became Art Director for the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Eastern Studios, and then in 1929 was appointed a producer at the Capitol Theatre, which meant devising and producing, as well as continuing to design stage shows at the Capitol Theatre and Loew’s Circuit. In addition to all these responsibilities, he was also worked on several Broadway productions.</p> <p> At about this time, Arthur Knorr married Ruth Gray, a native of Pittsburgh and a fellow graduate of the Pittburgh Academy. After graduating, she performed and toured with several productions, including <span class=\"title\">Peter Pan</span>, <span class=\"title\">Music Box Revue</span> and <span class=\"title\">George White’s Scandals</span>. Upon retiring from the stage, Ruth Knorr devoted herself to aiding her husband in his theatrical endeavors. She died in 1999.</p> <p> In 1936, Knorr became production executive at the Roxy Theatre, handling all presentations that were exhibited there. In addition to his work at the Roxy, Knorr served as a consultant in such varied fields as ballet, musical comedy, motion pictures, benefit shows, and other elaborate public presentations. During World War II, he dedicated much of his time to shows designed to entertain all branches of the service, a task he did not take lightly.</p> <p> From 1948 through 1952 he served as a television producer for Milton Berle’s <span class=\"title\">Texaco Star Theatre</span>. The program was a television milestone, and Knorr guided it through its most productive years. During this time he also produced, designed, and directed the entertainment features for the Rotary International Convention in 1949. A multi-talented individual with an inexhaustible energy, Knorr produced several other convention shows for Rotary International, as well as other corporate entities such as Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Company, National Auto Show, CBS, NBC, and ABC. He worked on White House Correspondents Dinner shows for President Eisenhower, in addition to President Eisenhower’s birthday party in 1953 and a “Salute to Eisenhower” at Madison Square Garden in 1956.</p> <p> In 1947, he had begun a professional relationship that would be the capstone to his career by producing and staging the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City. The end of the 1950s through the early 1960s established Arthur Knorr as a staple of the Miss Universe and Miss USA beauty pageants, as well. All details of the pageants were reviewed and approved by him. The pageants allowed him to use his insight and expertise in all elements of the shows’ productions. His failing health in the later years forced pageant officials to replace him, but they needed to use two or more people to handle the responsibilities Knorr had managed alone. Arthur Knorr died on May 25, 1966.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p> The majority of the Knorr papers is comprised of set designs and production materials. The collection illustrates Knorr’s multiple talents and his unifying role as a producer. The designs and plans include Knorr’s early work for the Capitol and Roxy theaters, a formative time in his career. Amongst the designs are those of the Milton Berle shows (1948-1952) and the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants in the early 1960s. The production materials on Friars Club Roasts, as well as the Eisenhower birthday and tribute programs, provide a deeper view into the intricacies involved in presenting large-scale productions. The personal material is limited to sketchbooks from World War I, with some private moments described, and an alumni book that gives some additional biographical and professional information. A sketch book in the oversized series hints at Ruth Knorr being his muse and the sounding board for his artistic expressions. There is little to no personal material in the collection.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Arthur and Ruth Knorr papers and designs are arranged in six series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21819#c492126'>Series I: Personal Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1918 - 1966; Undated</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>1 box</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The Personal Papers series contains documents illustrating Knorr’s production insight and inspirations. Books, show programs, and correspondence are included, along with art by Knorr and his headshots.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21819#c492159'>Series II: Professional Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1908 - 1965; Undated</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>4 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The Professional Papers series contains biographies, resumes, news clippings, presentations, sheet music, speeches, programs, proposals, reference materials and correspondence with performers, agents and friends from within the film, television, and theater fields.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21819#c492379'>Series III: Ruth Knorr Professional Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1920 - 1986; Undated</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>1 box</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The Ruth Knorr Professional Papers series contains correspondence, photographs, news clippings, artistic reference material, programs, and production contracts. The series also contains material from productions in which Ruth Knorr performed: <span class=\"title\">Music Box Revue</span> (1925-1926) <span class=\"title\">Peter Pan</span> (1925) and <span class=\"title\">Scandals</span> (1926-1927).</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21819#c492406'>Series IV: Production Materials</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1925 - 1966; Undated</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>32 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Production materials are organized by venues, corporations, and show titles. The types of materials included are research material, production notes, photographs of sets/performances/models/film stills, negatives, scripts, casting agent lists, programs, itineraries, catalogues, swatches, contracts, expenses, and proposals for un-produced works. The productions represented in this series vary widely, ranging from Milton Berle’s television program to the Miss Universe pageant. There are industrial shows, charity benefits and political events included, as well.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21819#c492806'>Series V: Designs and Plans</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1923 - 1966; Undated</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>71 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series is organized by venues, corporations, and show titles. The series consists of blueprints, elevations, designs, sketches and some notes. The dominant portion of the series represents Knorr’s work at the Roxy Theater. Although the shows for which they were used are not labeled, the bulk of design plans are dated. The series also includes designs and plans for the Capitol Theater, Madison Square Garden, and other venues in and out of the United States. Designs for television shows include <span class=\"title\">Texaco Star Theatre</span> (1948-1952) and <span class=\"title\">The Jimmy Dean Show</span> (1958). Industrial show designs for Rotary International Conventions, the National Auto Show, and the Miss Universe/Miss USA pageants are present as well, among other events covering the spectrum of Knorr’s work throughout the entertainment and corporate industries.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21819#c493154'>Series VI: Oversized Materials</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1925 - 1964; Undated</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>15 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The oversized materials are organized as a reflection of the other series. The bulk of the Ruth Knorr Professional Papers in the oversized series consists of signed photographs of fellow actresses she encountered in her career. Of particular note is an autographed photo of Marion Davies.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p> <ul> <li>Series I: Personal Papers, 1918-1966; Undated</li> <li>Series II: Professional Papers, 1908-1965; Undated</li> <li>Series III: Ruth Knorr Professional Papers, 1920-1986; Undated</li> <li>Series IV: Production Materials, 1925-1966; Undated</li> <li>Series V: Designs and Plans, 1923-1966; Undated</li> <li>Series VI: Oversized Materials, 1925-1964; Undated</li></ul></p>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Arthur and Ruth Knorr Papers were donated to the Billy Rose Theatre Division in 2001.</p>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Billy Rose Theatre Division.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Sisnur Araujo; Machine-readable finding aid created by Lee Spilberg.</p>"}
- extent_statement
-
60 linear feet (125 boxes)
- date_start
-
1908
- date_end
-
1986