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Creator
Hammerman, Dan
Call number
*T-Mss 1984-011
Physical description
2.52 linear feet (6 boxes)
Preferred Citation

Dan Hammerman papers, *T-Mss 1984-011. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library.

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

Dan Hammerman was an American travel writer and playwright. The collection (1936-1980) contains scripts, articles, essays, short stories, correspondence, and other materials.

Biographical/historical information

Dan Hammerman (circa 1906-1980) was an American travel writer and playwright. The majority of his plays were never published, though his historical drama, Henri Christophe, was produced by the American Negro Theatre in New York City in 1945. He wrote travel articles for The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Toronto Star, Newsday, and The Christian Science Monitor, among other publications. Hammerman also wrote short stories, songs, and plays for children. His song, I Sing America, was published in 1952.

Dan Hammerman sometimes went by the name Dan Hall or Dan Hall Hammerman. He died in 1980 in Nassau, the Bahamas.

Scope and arrangement

The Dan Hammerman papers date from 1936 to 1980 and contain scripts, articles, essays, short stories, correspondence, and other materials relating to Hammerman's career as a writer.

The majority of the collection consists of Hammerman's writings. Scripts date from 1936 to 1946 and consist of typescript and handwritten drafts of plays and musicals, such as World on a Carousel, A Night in the Village, Goldtooth Sadie, and Henri Christophe. Scripts for Henri Christophe are accompanied by production agreements and correspondence concerning edits of the script. Essays, short stories, and songs are also present. Song titles include Land of Four Freedoms, I Sing America, and Abe Lincoln Said. Children's plays and stories include Stage and Radio Plays for Growing Children and Brotherhood Plays for Children. An unpublished typescript book entitled As I Went Traveling contains accounts from Hammerman's travels.

Travel articles date from 1937 to 1978 and contain Hammerman's accounts of visits to the Caribbean, Europe, and North, Central, and South America. The articles are typescript drafts and published copies. Other materials in the collection include correspondence, theater programs, travel brochures, and an outline for a playwriting course for teachers. Correspondence primarily relates to Hammerman's work as a travel writer.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by format. Writings are alphabetical by format or title.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Donated by Lillian Halpern, 1986.

Processing information

Compiled by Robyn Hjermstad, 2014

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.