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Creator
Oppenheimer, George
Call number
*T-Mss 1978-001
Physical description
4.4 linear feet (11 boxes)
Preferred Citation

George Oppenheimer writings, *T-Mss 1978-001. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library.

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

George Oppenheimer (1900-1977) was an American drama critic, screenwriter for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, playwright, author, editor, and one of the co-founders of Viking Press. The George Oppenheimer writings include plays, screenplays, novels, sketches, short stories, criticism, and autobiographical writings. The file on The Best in the World: A Selection of News and Feature Stories, Editorials, Humor, Poems and Reviews from 1921 to 1928 consists of correspondence and notes.

Biographical/historical information

George Oppenheimer was born in New York City on February 7, 1900. He was co-founder of the Viking Press, a screenwriter for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, a playwright, author, editor, and critic. He wrote the play Here Today (1932) and collaborated on numerous films, including Libeled Lady (1936), A Day at the Races (1937), Three Loves Has Nancy (1938), Broadway Melody of 1940, I Love You Again (1940), Two-Faced Woman (1941), and The War Against Mrs. Hadley (1942), for which he received an Oscar nomination. He also wrote books on theater including The View from the Sixties and The Passionate Playgoer.

During World War II he served in India under Lord Mountbatten. There he wrote a column for the Army newspaper entitled "India Ink" and was a staff member of the First Motion Picture Unit of the South East Asia Command. In this capacity Oppenheimer wrote, produced and directed training films and documentaries.

Oppenheimer was the drama critic for Newsday for many years and wrote for that publication until his death. He was president of the New York Drama Critics Circle from 1970 to 1972. He died on August 14, 1977.

Scope and arrangement

The George Oppenheimer writings document his extensive and varied writing career. His fictional works are represented with full drafts, outlines, and excerpts from plays, screenplays, revue sketches, short stories, and novels. Oppenhemer's career as a non-fiction writer is well documented with essays, articles, and books pertaining to drama, theatre, and music. There are also drafts for both short and long form memoirs and other autobiographcal writings. Many of of these pieces are annotated with comments and revisions. The majority of these writings are undated.

One folder contains notes and professional correspondence dating from 1970 to 1974, which concerns the researching, compiling, editing, reception, and sales of the 1973 book, The Best in the World: A Selection of News and Feature Stories, Editorials, Humor, Poems and Reviews from 1921 to 1928, (edited by John K. Hutchens and Oppenheimer). Correspondence also pertains to the operations of The Best in the World's publishing house, Viking Press, which Oppenheimer co-founded in 1925 with Harold K. Guinzburg.

All writings are by Oppenheimer and collaborators, except where noted.

Arrangement

Writings are arranged alphabetically by title.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Unknown.

Processing information

Compiled by Diana Bertolini, 2015

Related Material

George Oppenheimer papers, 1943-1977. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library.

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.