Scope and arrangement
The John W. Cooper Collection documents Cooper's long career as a ventriloquist. Included are letters received from ventriloquists, magicians and other entertainers discussing their experiences, and from various organizations where Cooper performed, arranging for gigs and thanking him for his performances, including for the USO Camp shows during World War II (1906-1966). Letters from William S. Berger, president of the Vent Haven Museum in Kentucky, discuss the museum; and there is correspondence with entertainment organizations to which he belonged. There are also a few scripts of dialogue for Cooper and his figure, Sam, and writings by Cooper regarding teaching the art of ventriloquism to students. Promotional literature and programs for Cooper's performances as well as other ventriloquists and performers are in the collection. Scrapbooks about his career include programs, letters, promotional material, and news clippings (1897-1947).
Cooper's daughter, Joan Maynard, promoted his legacy by arranging for exhibits about her father at the Brooklyn Historical Society and by lecturing about him. Files discuss the arrangements, genealogical information, and Maynard's input regarding biographical information to be published. A copy of Stanley Burns' book Other Voices featuring Cooper and other ventriloquists is included. Maynard also maintained an active correspondence with other ventriloquists, including Shari Lewis and Chilly Willie Reid (1982-2001). Maynard also continued subscribing to journals about ventriloquism, and issues of Dialogue, The Oracle, and The New Oracle are represented in the collection.
Cooper's broad range of influence for his act is represented through the subjects of books and other printed material he maintained in the fields of magic tricks, music and songs,shadowgraphy, vaudeville and ventriloquism (1887-ca. 1944),including Jubilee and Plantation Songs.
The John W. Cooper collection is arranged in seven series: