Collections in Billy Rose Theatre Division

The A'Becket Family Diaries and Prompt Books include handwritten memoirs and daily notations regarding the life and career of Thomas A'Becket, Sr. from 1844 to 1890. The diaries show the extent of A'Becket's theatrical activities. The diaries of his son, Thomas A'Becket, Jr. are primarily music related. These diaries span the years 1862 to 1880. The scripts and prompt books are sometimes annotated and sometimes unmarked and belonged to Thomas A'Becket, Sr. They span his career and some give information on the theater and year of the production. The collection appears to be a useful research source for detailing the life of a stock actor, writer and musician of the 19th century. A'Becket includes information on his work schedule and his travel schedule in the circuit theaters. Information as well, regarding his family, friends and acquaintances can be found in the diaries. less

The Aarons Family papers (circa 1870-1979) mainly document the career of the producer Alfred E. Aarons, as well as his family life with the vocalist Leila Hughes and their children. A small amount of papers pertains to Alfred's children: Ruth Aarons and Alexander A. Aarons. less

The Lina Abarbanell Papers consist of production files, correspondence, manuscripts and outlines of plays and other writings of her husband, Edward Goldbeck and her daughter, Eva. The papers span the years 1886 to 1963. However, the materials are primarily from the 1920's to the 1960's.The collection includes a letter from José Quintero and a letter from Leontyne Price. less

The papers of Walter Abel consist primarily of correspondence, contracts, speeches, and clippings documenting his work as an actor. The professional correspondence is not extensive: the bulk is single letters received from a wide variety of individuals, much of it letters of thanks. A few outgoing letters discuss proposed productions. Correspondents include John Golden, Robert Edmond Jones and Eugene Ormandy. The contracts file is incomplete. Speeches, for the most part lectures on Shakespeare, theater history, and the psychology of acting, reflect his tireless work promoting the theater to college students and others. Clippings consist of production reviews and interviews with Abel. Production materials are mostly miscellaneous single items such as call sheets and schedules from films in which Abel appeared. Organizational work consists of minutes and correspondence pertaining to his work with ANTA, the Hollywood Victory Committee and other war service organizations. The collection also contains personal material on his family, awards, and a few scrapbooks of photographs. less

The Actors Fund of America (renamed the Entertainment Community Fund) was founded in 1882 by Albert Marshman Palmer (1838-1905), an American theatrical manager. The scrapbooks, dated 1897 to 1933, document the early years of the Fund to support actors in financial crisis and to raise funding for the Actors Fund Home originally located on Staten Island. The scrapbooks hold articles, notices of board meetings, membership applications, playbills, registers and an autograph album. less

The Maude Adams collection reflects many of the actress' varied interests: acting, directing, lighting, writing, sketching and teaching. The collection spans the years 1879-1956 and includes correspondence, writings by Maude Adams and others; papers relating to her teaching and directing at Stephens College; and programs, autographed material, portraits, clippings, and mementos from friends and colleagues. less

The American Play Company was a business organization that handled the licensing of plays. Prior to 1914 it was involved in production and purchase, but after that time it dealt exclusively in representing dramatists. The collection is almost entirely contracts between authors and producers for stage, film, and even radio and television dramatizations. It also includes a small amount of correspondence, financial accounts, and the company bylaws and articles of incorporation from 1908. less

The American Play Company was a New York theatrical agency which represented authors and rights-holders and assisted in the negotiation of theatrical and film licensing. The American Play Company records contain administrative files, contracts, literary department correspondence, and scripts relating to the theatrical rights management business. less

Margaret Anglin was a Canadian-born actress, director, and producer who was considered one of the finest actresses of her day. This collection extensively covers the professional career of Anglin, who performed primarily from 1889 to 1936. Materials include correspondence both from other theatrical professionals and fans, production files, images of Margaret Anglin, and scrapbooks documenting her career. less

The Arden-Peerless papers consist of a small amount of incoming letters concerning their work in the theater, clippings of reviews, cabinet photographs depicting scenes from an unidentified play starring Peerless and Arden, and a few miscellaneous items. less

Squire Bancroft (1841-1926), English actor-manager, played hundreds of roles in a theatrical career which spanned over fifty years, and brought him into contact with most of the leading English theatrical figures of his day. Born May 14, 1861, of well-to-do means, Squire Bancroft was educated privately in England and France. He made his stage debut in 1861 at the Theatre Royal, Birmingham, toured the provinces, then made his London debut in 1865 at the Prince of Wales Theatre as Jack Crawley in A WINNING HAZARD, under the management of H. J. Byron and prominent actress Marie Wilton (1839-1921). He married Miss Wilton in 1867, and joined her in theatrical management. Over the next eighteen years, in addition to his management duties, Squire Bancroft played many leading roles in contemporary plays as well as works by Shakespeare and Sheridan. He retired from management in 1885, but continued acting until 1918; he also wrote three books, one in collaboration with his wife. Sir Squire Bancroft died on April 19, 1926, at the age of 84. Squire Bancroft's letter book consists of autograph documents (notes and brief letters) and clipped autographs, written by prominent 19th century theatrical figures, including William C. Macready, Charlotte Cushman, Lester Wallack, Junius Brutus Booth, Tommaso Salvini, Laura Keane, Sir Henry Irving, Ellen Terry, and others. Some notes are addressed to Marie Bancroft. less

Diana Barrymore (1921-1960) was an an American actress. The Diana Barrymore papers hold correspondence, photographs, scrapbooks, programs, and other material documenting Barrymore's acting career and the publication of her memoir, Too Much, Too Soon. less

James Barton (1890-1962) was an American actor, singer, dancer and comedian in vaudeville, theatre, film and television. The James Barton papers document the career and personal life of James Barton through production files, scripts, sheet music, photographs, scrapbooks, contracts, publicity materials, correspondence, and personal ephemera. less

St. Clair Bayfield (John St. Clair Roberts), a character actor known for his many Shakespearean roles, was born August 2, 1875 in Cheltenham, England. After Mr. Bayfield died on May 19, 1967, his widow, Kathleen Bayfield, helped to establish an annual award in his name. The award, administered by Actors Equity Association, is given to an actor or actress in a non-featured role in a Shakespearean production. The St. Clair Bayfield collection contains clippings, correspondence, photographs, a poster, programs, scripts and other material that document Mr. Bayfield's acting career and the St. Clair Bayfield awards. less

John Beaufort was a theater critic for the Christian Science Monitor; he also served as a war correspondent, London bureau chief, and feature editor. His wife, Francesca Bruning, was a stage actor who was most active in the theater during the 1930s and 1940s. The John Beaufort and Francesca Bruning papers (1860s-1992) hold writings, correspondence, clippings, photographs, appointment books, and other documents related to Beaufort and Bruning's careers and personal lives. Early records consist of Bruning's parents' correspondence and other Bruning family records. less

Edwin Booth was an American actor-manager in New York and with touring companies. He maintained a long-term personal and professional relationship with Lawrence Barrett, also an actor-manager. The material consists of five letters from Edwin Booth to Lawrence Barrett which discuss social engagements, family and friends, and professional matters. less

Kevin Bradigan was a photographer, actor, theater technician, and a member of John Vacarro's Play-House of the Ridiculous. The Kevin Bradigan papers primarily document Bradigan's personal life and involvement in the Play-House of the Ridiculous and other experimental theater from the late 1960s to the 1980s. The collection also holds some papers of performers Jackie Curtis and Douglas Fisher. less

Anne Bronaugh (1887-1963), born in Kentucky, was an American actress, working in Canada and New York State during the early 20th century. The collection includes correspondence, clippings, photographs and scrapbooks of reviews, articles and photographs of Bronaugh less

The Chamberlain and Lyman Brown Papers are 351 linear feet and contain business and personal correspondence, scrapbooks, autographs, legal and financial papers, scripts, photographs, clipping files, and production materials documenting their work as theatrical agents, managers, and producers. The papers provide a history of the entertainment industry from the end of the 19th century through the middle of the 20th century. A number of family and personal papers are also included. less

The Burgtheater, one of the pre-eminent theaters of the German-speaking world, was founded in 1741 as the court theater of the Hapsburgs and declared a national theater in 1776. In 1888 its move from an intimate theater in the Hofburg to a palatial building seemed to threaten its ensemble style of acting, but under the direction of Max Burckhard, it successfully made the transition to new quarters. Scrapbook of mounted clippings lists casts for performances, September 1, 1888 to April 8, 1896, just after the theater's move. less