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Creator
Millholland, Charles Bruce
Call number
*T-Mss 1967-004
Physical description
9.9 linear feet (18 boxes, 3 volumes, 1 oversized folder)
Preferred Citation

Charles Bruce Millholland papers, *T-Mss 1967-004. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library.

Repository
Billy Rose Theatre Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

Charles Bruce Millholland (1903-1991) was an American playwright, author, dancer, actor, model, and artist best known for his play The Napoleon of Broadway, which was the basis for Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur's hit comedy Twentieth Century. The Charles Bruce Millholland papers contain writings, personal papers, scrapbooks, and artwork.

Biographical/historical information

Charles Bruce Millholland was born on February 3, 1903 in Chicago, Illinois. Between 1921 and 1925 he studied Fine Arts at the University of Kansas, Indiana University, the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, and The Chicago Art Institute School. Between 1922 and 1928 he studied ballet and performed in the Chicago Opera Ballet. Millholland also began writing during the 1920s, publishing poems and articles in such publications as Dance Magazine, Theatre Magazine, and Paris Comet; and writing scripts for radio programs in Hollywood, California, and Indianapolis, Indiana.

Millholland's plays Two Rings (1927), Faun (1933), and The Green Stick (1940) were produced in Indianapolis. He wrote and directed productions for Camp Balfour and Camp Robin Hood where Millholland worked during the summers after moving to New York. During the late 1920s, Millholland worked as a press agent for New York theatre luminaries such as Morris Gest, Eve Le Gallienne, and David Belasco. Millholland's experience working for the imperious impresario Belasco inspired his most notable work, Napoleon of Broadway. This unproduced play came to the attention of the popular writing team of Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, who'd made a big hit with The Front Page (1928). Adapted by Hecht and MacArthur, the play became Twentieth Century (1932), which was a success on stage, screen, and as the musical On the Twentieth Century in 1978.

Millholland wrote the screenplay adaptation of his brother Ray Millholland's novel, The Splinter Fleet. The film was made as Submarine Patrol (1938), but Millholland's contribution was not credited. In 1944, Millholland's play Dear Guinea Pig was presented in the Stars Over Hollywood radio series. Millholland was also an artist, actor, and model, and he taught continuing education classes in writing and literature.

Charles Bruce Millholland died in New York City on May 18, 1991.

Scope and arrangement

This collection documents the career and life of American writer, actor, dancer, model, and artist Charles Bruce Millholland with writings, personal files, scrapbooks, and artwork. Sometimes he acted and modeled under the name Bruce Millholland.

Millholland's writings consist of annotated drafts, fragments of drafts, outlines, and notes for works written by Millholland from the 1920s to the 1940s. These works, arranged alphabetically by title, include plays, poems, short stories, novels, and nonfiction articles on dance, theatre, and Buddhism. With the exception of some of the articles, all of these works are unpublished. Writings occasionally include correspondence pertaining to the piece in question, but the majority of correspondence is included in Personal Files.

Personal Files document Millholland's personal life, his writing career, and to a lesser extent, his career as an actor, dancer, model, and artist. The files, arranged chronologically, contain correspondence, diaries, photographs, resumes, job applications, programs from performances Millholland participated in or attended, astrological charts and reports, tax forms, clippings, contracts and agreements, notes, and outlines for potential projects. Personal files may include some casual sketches and doodles, but all larger-scale drawings and paintings will be found in Artwork. Millholland's diaries and correspondence provide insight into his personal relationships, his attitudes to his life and work, and his process of revising and submitting literary works for production or publication. Millholland's correspondence during the early 1940s includes interesting letters between the draft board and him discussing his draft status and possible military service. Photographs document Millholland's friends and family and his international travels. There are many photographs of his stage performances and of advertisements in which he appeared as a model.

This collection contains three scrapbooks of photographs, clippings, letters, and drawings of and by Millholland. They mainly document his career as a dancer and actor and his personal life.

Artwork consists of pencil, crayon, chalk, and charcoal drawings; watercolor paintings; and set designs created by Millholland.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in the following categories: Writings, Personal Files, Scrapbooks, and Artwork.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Donated by Charles Bruce Millholland in 1967 and 1977.

Processing information

Compiled by Diana Bertolini, 2015

Related Material

Charles Bruce Millholland papers. Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library. Drawings, 1946-1961. Millholland, Charles Bruce. Performing Arts Research Collections – Theatre, The New York Public Library. Poems, 1932-1926. Millholland, Charles Bruce (Author). Indiana State Library – Indianapolis.

Using the collection

Location

Billy Rose Theatre Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor

Conditions Governing Use

The author/creator retains copyright of materials. For information on obtaining permission to publish, contact the Theatre Division at theatre@nypl.org.