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Creator
Stone, Harry, 1928-
Call number
*T-Mss 1994-004
Physical description
.84 linear feet (2 boxes, 1 volume)
Preferred Citation

Harry Stone papers, *T-Mss 1994-004. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library.

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

Harry Stone, also known as Israel Breakstone (born circa 1900), was an entertainer who worked on the vaudeville circuit in New York and Pennsylvania for about 15 years in the 1920s and 1930s. The Harry Stone papers, dating from 1915 to 1977, hold source material for his comedic skits, photographs, scrapbooks, and an address book.

Biographical/historical information

Harry Stone, also known as Israel Breakstone (born circa 1900), was an entertainer who worked on the vaudeville circuit in New York and Pennsylvania for about 15 years in the 1920s and 1930s. Primarily a vocalist, he also incorporated jokes and his own comedic skits into his act. Stone first worked was as a social director in resorts in the Catskills, and during his career he performed with Milton Berle, Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Phil Baker, George Burns, and Gracie Allen. He also sang in the chorus of the Metropolitan Opera. After leaving vaudeville, Stone became a theatrical agent.

Scope and arrangement

The Harry Stone papers, dating from 1915 to 1977, hold source material for his comedic skits, photographs, scrapbooks, and an address book.

Source material comprises the bulk of the collection. Dating from 1924 to 1933, it consists of comedic skits authored by Stone, song lyrics and published sheet music, and published jokes and skits. Most of Stone’s original typed skits, with stage and prop instructions, are in a bound volume titled “Bits and Skits.” The rest are foldered along with hand-written skits and jokes, and published booklets of jokes, stories, and other stage material.

The photographs contain three undated professional publicity prints of a duo of performers, one of which is probably Stone.

One of the scrapbooks is an autograph book dating from Stone’s high school years. The other contains clippings and programs covering Stone’s years in school and his time working in the Catskills, and on the vaudeville circuit in New York City and Pennsylvania.

The address book dates from Stone’s career as an agent and contains the names of many entertainers and industry contacts. The names are arranged by profession or act, such as agents, dancers, hypnotists, magicians, etc.

The collection also holds a paper about vaudeville written by Sylvan Sobel in 1976 during his senior year of college, for which the student interviewed Stone. Sobel sent a copy to Stone the following year with an explanatory letter.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically by format or title.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Donated by Laurence Breakstone, 1994

Processing information

Compiled by Matthew Snyder, 2014

Key terms

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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.