- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"simple", "value"=>".41 linear feet (1 box)"}
- unitid
-
{"value"=>"*T-Mss 1999-007", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"21455", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Vincent J. Donehue correspondence and ephemera"}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Billy Rose Theatre Division."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>Vincent J. Donehue Correspondence and Ephemera, *T-Mss 1999-007, Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Donehue, Vincent J., 1915-1966", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p> Director <span class=\"persname\">Vincent J. Donehue</span> was born on September 22, 1915 in Whitehall, New York to Julian B. Donehue and Helen E. Vincent. His father was director of redevelopment in Albany, New York. Vincent Donehue was educated at Christian Brothers Academy and the State University of New York and studied for the stage with Tamara Daykarhanova and with Fanny Bradshaw at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-on-Avon, England. He made his radio debut in 1937 and in the years prior to World War II was heard on over 1500 radio shows. He also acted on Broadway during this time. He appeared as Cinna, the poet in Orson Welles' production of <span class=\"title\">Julius Caesar</span>; in Katharine Cornell's <span class=\"title\">Herod and Marianne</span>; Guthrie McClintic's <span class=\"title\">Christmas Eve</span>; the Theatre Guild's <span class=\"title\">Jeremiah</span>, by Stefan Zweig; John Golden's <span class=\"title\">The Old Foolishness</span> by Paul Vincent Carroll; and <span class=\"title\">My Fair Ladies</span> with Betty Furness and Celeste Holm.</p> <p>Donehue enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1941 and served through 1945 attaining the rank of Major. While overseas he co-authored, produced and directed a play San Francisco that toured France and Germany. After the war he and playwright Horton Foote established Productions, Inc., an acting school and professional theater repertory company in Washington D.C., sharing the responsibilities of producer, director and manager together. This repertory company staged productions ranging from J. M. Synge's <span class=\"title\">Deidre of the Spirits</span> to William Saroyan's <span class=\"title\">My Heart's in the Highlands</span>.</p> <p>In 1950 Donehue signed as a director for NBC-TV's <span class=\"title\">Chevrolet Theatre</span> with Fred Coe, who had been his summer stock roommate back in 1935. Subsequently Donehue was producer-director for the <span class=\"title\">Gabby Hayes Americana</span> dramas, an alternate director for <span class=\"title\">Robert Montgomery Presents</span> (1952), director of <span class=\"title\">Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse</span> (1952-1956), and <span class=\"title\">Producer's Showcase</span> (1957-1958). He staged many teleplays during TV's \"golden age\" including Thornton Wilder's <span class=\"title\">The Skin of Our Teeth</span>, Robert E. Sherwood's <span class=\"title\">Reunion in Vienna</span>, Clare Booth Luce's <span class=\"title\">The Women</span>, Paddy Chayefsky's <span class=\"title\">The Big Deal</span>, William Faulkner's <span class=\"title\">The Sound and the Fury</span>, Rudolf Besier's <span class=\"title\">The Barretts of Wimpole Street</span> with Katharine Cornell, and the Mary Martin production of J. M. Barrie's <span class=\"title\">Peter Pan</span> (1960), one of the first television productions filmed on magnetic tape.</p> <p>Donehue's career as a director on Broadway began with his staging of Horton Foote's <span class=\"title\">The Trip to Bountiful</span> with Lillian Gish in 1953. This was followed by Foote's <span class=\"title\">Traveling Lady</span> (1954), Tennessee William's <span class=\"title\">Twenty-Seven Wagons Full of Cotton</span> (1955), Dore Schary's <span class=\"title\">Sunrise at Campobello</span> (1958), Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein's <span class=\"title\">The Sound of Music</span> (1959), Morris L. West's <span class=\"title\">Daughter of Silence</span> (1961), S. N. Behrman's <span class=\"title\">Lord Pengo</span> (1962), Arthur Schwartz's <span class=\"title\">Jennie</span> (1963), and Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert's <span class=\"title\">Catch Me If You Can</span> (1965). He also directed two films: <span class=\"title\">Lonelyhearts</span> (1959) and <span class=\"title\">Sunrise at Campobello</span> (1960) both produced by Dore Schary.</p> <p>Vincent Donehue received a Tony Award and a Film Daily Award for his direction of <span class=\"title\">Sunrise at Campobello</span> and a Director's Guild Award for his television direction of <span class=\"title\">Peter Pan</span>. He died of Hodgkin's disease on January 17, 1966 in New York City. He was fifty years old.</p>"}
- custodhist
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Vincent J. Donehue Correspondence and Ephemera was purchased from Charles Apfelbaum, dealer in rare manuscripts and archives in March 1999.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Vincent J. Donehue correspondence and ephemera includes letters, written primarily by Vincent Donehue to Helen Fay and Eleanor Foote, bookstore owners and friends from Albany, New York, whom he met while attending school at SUNY Albany. The collection appears to have belonged to Helen Fay, since it contains materials primarily addressed to her. Some of the letters include book orders placed by Donehue for Christmas and birthday gifts to friends and professional contacts. Other materials in the collection include cards, newsclippings of plays, movies and television programs involving Donehue and some personal photographs.</p>", "supress_display"=>true}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Vincent J. Donehue correspondence and ephemera is arranged in two series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21455#c301595'>Series I: Correspondence to Helen Fay and Eleanor Foote</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1930-1973</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>6 folders</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series consists primarily of letters from Vincent J. Donehue to his friends, Helen Fay and Eleanor Foote. Letters relate to their friendship and news about his professional work. Included as well are book orders for holidays and special occasions with instructions for sending to various friends. One folder of correspondence contains letters about Vincent Donehue from other friends and acquaintances.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21455#c301602'>Series II: Ephemera</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>16 folders</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains Christmas cards sent to Vincent Donehue, clippings and reviews about his professional work, some personal photographs and Vincent Donehue's eulogy written by <span class=\"persname\">Dory Schary</span>. Most of the materials appear to belong to Helen Fay with the exception of the Vincent Donehue Christmas cards.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<ul> <li>Series I: Correspondence to Helen Fay and Eleanor Foote</li> <li>Series II: Ephemera</li></ul>", "supress_display"=>true}
- separatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<ul> <li>1 - <span class=\"title\">Julius Caesar</span> - B file</li> <li>1 - Autographed photo of Vincent Donehue</li></ul>"}
- accessrestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>Photocopying prohibited.</p>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Billy Rose Theatre Division.</p>"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1930-1973", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1930/1973"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1930
- date_inclusive_end
-
1973
- acqinfo
-
{"accession_number"=>"THE Mss 1999-007"}
{"date"=>"03/--/1999", "source"=>"Charles Apfelbaum", "address"=>"See donor file", "method"=>"Purchase", "extent"=>".41 o", "value"=>"Purchase, Charles Apfelbaum, 03/--/1999"}
- note
-
{"value"=>"<p>Photographs were separated to the Library's Photographs and Programs Files</p>", "encodinganalog"=>"500"}
- keydate
-
1930
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Mary Ellen Rogan.</p>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>" The Vincent J. Donehue correspondence and ephemera includes letters, written primarily by Vincent Donehue to Helen Fay and Eleanor Foote, bookstore owners and friends from Albany, New York, whom he met while attending school at SUNY Albany. The collection appears to have belonged to Helen Fay, since it contains materials primarily addressed to her. Some of the letters include book orders placed by Donehue for Christmas and birthday gifts to friends and professional contacts. Other materials in the collection include cards, newsclippings of plays, movies and television programs involving Donehue and some personal photographs.", "generated"=>true}
- date_start
-
1930
- date_end
-
1973