- unitid
-
{"value"=>"*T-Mss 1990-015", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"18911", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"b20258525", "type"=>"local_b"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1925-1987", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1925/1987"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1925
- date_inclusive_end
-
1987
- keydate
-
1925
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Claire Luce papers"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"17.01 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"46 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- repository
-
{"id"=>"THE", "value"=>"Billy Rose Theatre Division"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"Claire Luce (1903 -1989) was an American stage and screen actress and dancer. The Claire Luce papers hold correspondence, theater and film files, scripts, photographs, writings, art, scrapbooks and memorabilia documenting the actress's career in dance, theater, film, and radio."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>Claire Luce papers, *T-Mss 1990-015. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Luce, Claire", "type"=>"persname", "role"=>"creator"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Claire Luce (1903 -1989) was born in Syracuse, New York. In her teens she studied dance at the Denishawn School in New York City with Michel Fokine and Florence Colebrook Powers. In 1921, Luce made her professional debut dancing in Sol Hurok's Russian Opera Company. She starred in many Broadway plays and revues from 1923 until 1952, including <span class=\"title\">Irving Berlin's Music Box Revue</span> (1924) and the <span class=\"title\">Ziegfeld Follies</span> (1926). Her big break came when she co-starred with Fred Astaire in the original Broadway production of <span class=\"title\">Gay Divorce</span> (1932). During the London run of <span class=\"title\">Gay Divorce</span>, Luce suffered a serious injury to her hip that ended her stage dancing career. She had a brief career in Hollywood, starring in <span class=\"title\">Up the River</span> (1930). She also appeared in several British films.</p> <p>She returned to the stage to star in <span class=\"title\">A Portrait in Black</span> (1938) and in the Broadway and London productions of <span class=\"title\">Of Mice and Men</span> (1937-1939). Luce often worked in London and remained there throughout the war years. She performed a number of Shakespearean roles during that time and in 1945 led the company at the Stratford-on-Avon Memorial Theatre's summer Shakespeare Festival as Cleopatra in <span class=\"title\">Antony and Cleopatra</span>. During World War II she also toured with the Entertainments National Service Association, an organization established in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson to provide entertainment for British armed forces personnel.</p> <p>Luce continued to work in regional and summer stock theater throughout the 1950s and 1960s. She starred in <span class=\"title\">The Time of the Cuckoo</span> at several reigonal theaters from 1954-1956, and also appeared in <span class=\"title\">The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore</span> (1966) and In the <span class=\"title\">Time of My Life</span> (1962).</p> <p>In the 1960s, Luce put together a one-woman show (developed under various titles) in which she performed scenes of many of the great Shakespearean female characters. She was also an avid painter and had several solo shows. In 1965 she published a book, <span class=\"title\">Letters from Patrick - Letters of Life and Love from an R.A.F. Pilot-Bombardier to the American Actress, Claire Luce</span>. Luce retired in New York City, and was working on her autobiography at the time of her death in 1989.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Claire Luce papers hold correspondence, theater and film files, scripts, photographs, writings, art, scrapbooks and memorabilia documenting Luce's career in dance, theater, film, and radio. Correspondence is both personal and professional and includes letters from theater critic Phillip Page, Richard Churchill, friend \"Gillo\" Gillan, and love letters from Anthony Drexel Cassatt and Clifford Warren Smith.</p> <p>Photographs consist of production shots, film stills, and fashion portraits of Luce as well as personal snapshots. Of note are Luce's fashion portraits, created by prominent photographers of the first half of the 20th century, including G. Maillard Kesslère, Lee Miller, Edward Thayer Monroe, and Hal Phyfe. Memorabilia holds travel items such as menus, guidebooks, luggage tags, and passenger lists, as well as pins and badges from the 1952 Eisenhower presidential campaign and personal items such as driver's licenses, awards, and membership cards.</p> <p>Scripts consist of film sides, radio scripts, spoken word scripts, and theater production scripts. All are annotated and some include blocking diagrams. Scrapbooks are arranged by production or year, and hold reviews, magazine articles, and gossip columns that mention Luce or her co-stars. Theater files hold programs, contracts, congratulatory telegrams, and correspondence relating to individual productions. A few productions have costume pieces and props, including <span class=\"title\">Antony and Cleopatra</span>, <span class=\"title\">Much Ado About Nothing</span>, and two Ziegfeld revues. Film files are correspondence with Fox Movie Studios and publicist Jeannette Saure and an advertising spread for <span class=\"title\">Let's Make a Night of It</span>. Television files hold contracts and correspondence regarding <span class=\"title\">Broadway Television Theater</span> and <span class=\"title\">Pastiche</span>.</p> <p>Files documenting Luce's war work consist of correspondence from the Entertainments National Service Association arranging radio broadcasts and appearances. There are also letters documenting her involvement with the American Eagle Club and newsletters from the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies. War work files also hold posters, flyers, and letters with various government authorities authorizing travel to France for troop entertainment.</p> <p>Sheet music consists of music used by Luce in performance, as well as copies of <span class=\"title\">My Foolish Heart</span>, an original number composed by Luce in 1941. Teaching files document her time as a guest lecturer at New York University in 1966, as well as a course on Shakespeare at St. Paul's, and hold correspondence, class plans, and notes on student progress.</p> <p>Writings are notes and drafts for <span class=\"title\">Letters from Patrick</span> and her unpublished autobiography, as well as her diaries. The diaries primarily date from the 1970s. Art consists of small canvases and charcoal and pastel sketches signed by Luce. These depict women and appear to be costume or character sketches. Audio recordings are rehearsals and performances of various iterations of her one-woman show (1958-1966) and dramatic readings.</p> <p>Inquiries regarding audio/visual materials in the collection may be directed to the Billy Rose Theatre Division (theatrediv@nypl.org). Audio/visual materials will be subject to preservation evaluation and migration prior to access.</p>"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>Alphabetical by file type.</p>"}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Donated by Jeanne Luce Selvin, 1990,1991.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"type"=>"processing", "value"=>"<p>Compiled by <span class=\"name\">Lea Jordan</span>, <span class=\"date\">2014</span></p>"}
- accessrestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>Inquiries regarding audio/visual materials in the collection may be directed to the Billy Rose Theatre Division (theatrediv@nypl.org). Audio/visual materials will be subject to preservation evaluation and migration prior to access.</p>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>The author/creator retains copyright of materials. For information on obtaining permission to publish, contact the Theatre Division at theatrediv@nypl.org.</p>"}
- dsc_type
-
combined
- extent_statement
-
17.01 linear feet (46 boxes)
- date_start
-
1925
- date_end
-
1987