- unitid
-
{"value"=>"18997", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1927-1973", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1927/1973"}
{"value"=>"bulk 1927-1950", "type"=>"bulk", "normal"=>"1927/1950"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1927
- date_inclusive_end
-
1973
- keydate
-
1927
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Jessica Dragonette papers"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"5.61 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"17 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library. <span class=\"subarea\">Music Division</span></span> <div class=\"address\"><span class=\"addressline\">New York, New York</span></div>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"Jessica Dragonette (c. 1905-1980) was a soprano who achieved popularity through her twenty two year career performing on radio and for her efforts to support troops during World War II. The Jessica Dragonette papers document Dragonette's long and successful career singing on the radio and in concert performances. The papers contain correspondence, legal contracts, press releases, programs, radio scripts, and scrapbooks."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"Jessica Dragonette papers, Music Division, The New York Public Library"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Dragonette, Jessica, 1900-1980", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Jessica Dragonette (c. 1900-1980) was a soprano who achieved popularity through her twenty-two year career performing on radio, and for her efforts to support troops during World War II. Dragonette was born in Calcutta to Italian-American parents who both died shortly after returning to the United States. Dragonette was six years old at the time and was subsequently raised in various Roman Catholic Church institutions. She attended the Catholic High School in Philadelphia and then Georgian Court College in Lakewood, New Jersey, which was also a convent. Dragonette remained a devout Roman Catholic throughout her life and returned to Georgian Court College annually to perform.</p> <p>While Dragonette was still in college, she began training under the renowned voice teacher Estelle Liebling in New York City. In 1924, Dragonette made her debut in the offstage role of angel in Max Reinhardt's The Miracle. She performed in two more Reinhardt productions, The Student Prince and The Grand Street Follies. In 1926, Dragonette appeared on the Coca-Cola Hour, radio's first original singing and acting serial, as Vivian (the Coca-Cola girl). The next year Dragonette started appearing on another popular show, the Philco Radio Hour. She performed weekly on the Philco Radio Hour from 1927 until 1930 when she left the program to star on the Cities Service Concert Series. In 1937, Dragonette became the star of the The Palmolive Beauty Box, but the show folded later that year. Dragonette had a dedicated fan base throughout her radio career; she was voted \"Queen of the Radio\" in a nation-wide Radio Guide contest in 1935 and \"Radio Star of Stars\" in 1938. Dragonette took a temporary leave from performing on radio full-time and began touring around the United States and Canada. In 1939, Dragonette sang the part of Princess Glory in the animated motion picture Gulliver's Travels. During World War II, Dragonette performed for troops and sold war bonds.</p> <p>In 1947, Dragonette married businessman Nicholas Turner and retired from performing, though she occasionally sang at special events. In 1950, she recorded an album of religious songs called Ave Maria. Dragonette wrote an autobiography about her career and her Roman Catholic faith called Faith is a Song (1952), and a book on voice instruction called Your Voice and You (1966). Dragonette died March 18, 1980 in New York City, where she resided most of her life.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Jessica Dragonette papers document Dragonette's long and successful career in radio broadcasting and performing in concert. The papers contain correspondence, legal contracts, press releases, programs, radio scripts, and scrapbooks.</p> <p>The correspondence was previously processed and came arranged in two groupings, a chronological run and an alphabetical run, and consists of holiday and greeting cards, and letters from family, friends, and fans. While the correspondence is mostly incoming, there is a small quantity of outgoing letters. The correspondence is primarily of a business nature and includes letters to and from Dragonette's sister Nadea Dragonette Loftus in her capacity as Dragonette's manager.</p> <p>The scrapbooks are arranged in chronological order and represent the entirety of Dragonette's career. They contain correspondence, news clippings, photographs, and programs. In addition to her radio and concert appearances, the scrapbooks document her work during World War II entertaining the troops and selling war bonds; medals and honors she received; and her public appearances.</p> <p>Dragonette's popularity is represented throughout the collection by fan letters, issues of the Jessica Dragonette Fan Club newsletter, and scrapbooks compiled by fans. The scripts are arranged in chronological order and include an almost complete run of scripts from the Palmolive Beauty Box Theatre radio show, from 1934 to 1936.</p>"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>The collection is arranged alphabetically by record type.</p>"}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Unknown</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Compiled by Susan Malsbury.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p>Collection was partially processed in the past. The majority of scrapbooks were removed from their original bindings due to deterioration.</p>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>For permission to publish, contact the Chief, Music Division, The New York Public Library.</p>"}
- relatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"archref\">Jessica Dragonette papers, 1919-1982. University of Wyoming, The American Heritage Center.</span> <span class=\"archref\">Jessica Dragonette papers, 1936-1967. Rare Book and Manuscripts Library, Columbia University Library.</span>"}
- physloc
-
{"value"=>"JPB 13-02", "type"=>"local_call", "supress_display"=>true}
- extent_statement
-
5.61 linear feet (17 boxes)
- date_start
-
1927
- date_end
-
1973