Otto F. Hess Photographs

1936-1949 D

The Otto Hess Photographs include photographic prints, negatives, and a notebook containing Hess's handwritten inventory of photographs taken. The images depict various facets of New York City cultural life in the 1930s and 1940s including musical and theatrical performances, weddings, and sporting events. The bulk of the collection documents jazz performers in New York City from roughly 1937-1947. Musicians include Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Sidney Bechet, Lionel Hampton, Duke Ellington, W.C. Handy, Count Basie, Charlie Christian, Eddie Condon, and Dizzy Gillespie. Also included are photographs of classical and popular musicians, actors, dancers, and athletes at venues including the Hippodrome, Central Plaza, the Savoy Ballroom, the Apollo, and Town Hall. A small section of images depict Coney Island, the 1939 World's Fair, and the Army barracks.

The Otto F. Hess Photographs are arranged in seven series:

• Series I: Jazz Artists
  1937-1949
• Series II: Opera, concert artists, conductors, etc
  1936-1948
• Series III: Pop musicians and actors
• Series IV: Dancers
• Series V: Various subjects

  Series V consists of photographs on a variety of subjects and includes two subseries: Inventoried by Hess and Not inventoried by Hess. Subseries 1 includes images listed by Hess in his notebook. Folder titles were taken from the notebook. Subseries 2 includes images not listed by Hess in his notebook. Folder titles were provided by the archivist. Folders are arranged alphabetically by title.

• Series VI: Presentation photographs
  1939-1947, undated

  Series contains mounted and large-format photographs likely used by Hess for display purposes. Photographs are arranged alphabetically by subject. Folder titles provided by archivist.

• Series VII: Otto Hess notebook
  141 pages

  Notebook containing Otto Hess' inventory of photographs in previous series.