Arnold Auerbach papers

id
8543
origination
Auerbach, Arnold Malcolm, 1912-
date statement
1936-1957
key date
1936
identifier (local_mss)
18984
org unit
Billy Rose Theatre Division
call number
*T-Mss 2011-152
b-number
b19827639
total components
82
total series
0
max depth
1
boost queries
(none)
component layout
Default Layout
Extended MARC Fields
false
Extended Navigation
false
created
2013-07-09 18:20:04 UTC
updated
2026-08-15 02:10:32 UTC
status note
(missing)
Display Aeon link
true

Description data TOP

unitid
{"value"=>"18984", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"*T-Mss 2011-152", "type"=>"local_call"}
unitdate
{"value"=>"1936-1957", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1936/1957"}
unittitle
{"value"=>"Arnold Auerbach papers"}
physdesc
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"7 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"2.73 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear_feet"}], "supress_display"=>true}
repository
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">Billy Rose Theatre Division</span>"}
abstract
{"value"=>"Arnold Auerbach (1912-1998) was an American comedy writer for radio, television, and theatre. The Arnold Auerbach papers cover Auerbach's career in the theatre with scripts and other production materials."}
langmaterial
{"value"=>"English"}
origination
{"value"=>"Auerbach, Arnold Malcolm, 1912-", "type"=>"persname"}
bioghist
{"value"=>"<p>Arnold M. Auerbach was born in New York City on May 23, 1912. He attended Columbia University, where he began his writing career, editing and contributing humor pieces to the college magazine, Jester. Auerbach's involvement with this publication introduced him to another contributor, a young Herman Wouk (the Pulitzer Prize winning author) who would be one of Auerbach's earliest collaborators.</p> <p>While trying to get his career as a playwright off the ground, Auerbach found work supporting radio writer David Freedman, by mining old humor magazines for jokes that could be used in his shows. This foot-in-the-door gave Auerbach and Wouk a chance to audition original material for popular radio star Fred Alle. They got the job and held it for five years, until the breakout of World War II sent both writers into the armed forces.</p> <p>While in the Army's Special Services Division, Auerbach wrote revues to entertain the troops, often in collaboration with Harold Rome. After the war ended, Auerbach and Rome created a Broadway musical revue, based on their wartime pieces, called Call Me Mister. The show, which opened in 1946, was a great success, and ran for 734 performances.</p> <p>In 1948, Auerbach contributed sketches to another hit revue, Inside U.S.A., which featured songs by Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz. Auerbach teamed up with Rome for another revue, Bless You All (1950), but it wasn't as successful as their previous collaboration, only running for three months.</p> <p>The failure of Bless You All was indicative of the decrease in popularity of revues, largely due to the increase in popularity of television variety shows, which also featured comedy sketches. Auerbach was a natural at television comedy writing and had a long career in television, writing material for stars like Milton Berle, Al Jolson, Frank Sinatra, and Phil Silvers and winning an Emmy Award.</p> <p>In 1940, Auerbach married Justine Rubin, with whom he had two children. He died in New York City on October 19, 1998.</p>"}
scopecontent
{"value"=>"<p>This collection consists almost entirely of script materials for pieces Arnold Auerbach wrote for film, television, theater, and radio. Script materials include full scripts, fragments, outlines, and notes for sketches, skits, and plays. Certain shows, such as Bless Us All and Call Me Mister, also include programs. There are also several short stories by Auerbach. This collection does not contain personal material.</p>"}
arrangement
{"value"=>"<p>Alphabetical by title or description.</p>"}
acqinfo
{"value"=>"<p>Bequest of Arnold Auerbach, 2011.</p>"}
processinfo
{"value"=>"<p>Compiled by Diana Bertolini.</p>"}
userestrict
{"value"=>"<p>For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Billy Rose Theatre Division.</p>"}
date_start
1936
keydate
1936
date_end
1957
date_inclusive_start
1936
date_inclusive_end
1957
extent_statement
2.73 linear feet (7 boxes)
prefercite
{"value"=>"Arnold Auerbach papers, *T-Mss 2011-152. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts"}

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

Child components TOP

  1. "Actor-Waiter,"
  2. "Alice in Radioland,"
  3. Army Sketches
  4. "Barbara Comes of Age,"
  5. The Big Box
  6. Bless You All
  7. Breakfast Scene
  8. "The Butter & Egg Woman,"
  9. Call Me Mister
  10. The Charlie Chaplin Fadeout
  11. Coca Script
  12. "The Crock of Gold,"
  13. Crooked Halo
  14. Edward G. Robinson Sketch
  15. Ethel and Albert
  16. "Ex-Child Star...Again,"
  17. Favorite Son
  18. Fenwick Babbitt...Santa Claus Sketch
  19. Five Cents More
  20. Funny Face
  21. "First Draft,"
  22. The Girl with the Beautiful Mind
  23. "Giveaways,"
  24. Hail to the Chief
  25. Henry Morgan...Matador Sketch
  26. His Honor, Homer Bell
  27. Hoot Hawkins
  28. "Hot Majesty"
  29. "Husband's Little Helper,"
  30. Inside U.S.A
  31. It All Came True
  32. Jukebox Boy
  33. Lunch-Hour Follies/Lunch-Time Follies
  34. The Man Who Stopped Worrying
  35. McCarthy Sketch for Democratic Jamboree
  36. Miss Harris Gets Help
  37. "Nothing But the Tooth,"
  38. The Odyssey of Homer Whitehead
  39. "The Old Greek,"
  40. The Old Order
  41. On Your Way Rejoicing
  42. The "Our Song" Kid
  43. Out of This World
  44. "Paired Off,"
  45. Pan/Once Upon a Spring
  46. "Parade...Love Story,"
  47. "Part Time Poet,"
  48. The Paul Winchell Show
  49. "A Place to Sleep,"
  50. "The Play Doctor,"
  51. "The Pour Soul at the Movies" and "The Pour Soul in a Supermarket,"
  52. President's Commercial
  53. "Prestige,"
  54. "The Rebellion of Mr. Breitmueller"
  55. Reggie Van Gleason Sketch
  56. "Return Match,"
  57. Return Passage
  58. Room Service
  59. Russian Sketch
  60. The Saturday Bus
  61. "Silent Laugh,"
  62. "Sir Toby,"
  63. The Soft Touch
  64. Southern Sketch
  65. "Square Table of the Air,"
  66. Strange Harbor
  67. The Super-Sensory Miss
  68. "Tea and Sympathy,"
  69. Television Intro Sketch
  70. "Those Two,"
  71. "Tight Squeeze,"
  72. Till the Cows Come Home
  73. Top Platter
  74. "2.19 Collect,"
  75. "Two on the Aisle,"
  76. "Unlucky Night,"
  77. "Wait for the Laugh,"
  78. The White Mouse
  79. "Will Rogers Home,"
  80. "Vamp,"
  81. You Know Me Al
  82. Unidentified and Various Scripts, Sketches, Notes, and Fragments