Scope and arrangement
The collection, dated from the 1950s to the 1960s (bulk dates 1960s), documents Bob Ullman's career as a publicist in the theatrical entertainment industry. The collection contains biographical sketches, clippings, contact sheets, die cuts, film strips, handbills, negatives, photographs, playbills, press releases, and wood ad mats.
Biographical sketches provide information about the performers delivered to the media through press releases. This biographical data may have been culled from the biographical data sheets that each performer was required to provide.
The clippings are aggregated from newspapers and include critical reviews about the productions, publicity about the actors, nominations for awards, interviews, and production news.
Press releases sent to the media gave general information about the productions, the production schedules, production costs, and cast information.
The photographs released to the media were official photographs approved by the production companies. The files hold only black and white pictures of the actors, the productions, and other events. These photographs (mostly 8" x 10") are images of the dramatic or musical play in production, images of the actors or other artists, and occasionally images from their personal lives outside of the theatre. The collection holds multiple images of Chita Rivera's marriage to Tony Mordente. Rivera, a breakout star from West Side Story, received much coverage in the media as documented in the collection.
Other performers featured in the photographs include cast members from The Boys from Syracuse, Clarence William III co-starring in the two-act play Doubletalk; Anne Jackson and Eli Wallach starring in the play Just an Evening; and Bobby Short at several performance venues.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by artist or production.