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Creator
Evans, Maurice, 1901-1989
Call number
*T-Mss 1979-001
Physical description
31.5 linear feet.; 97 boxes
Language
English
Preferred Citation

Maurice Evans Papers, *T-Mss 1979-001, Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

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

The Maurice Evans papers contain correspondence, production materials, photographs, programs and scripts that document his role as an actor, director and production.

Biographical/historical information

Maurice Evans, the actor-manager noted for his American classical productions, was born in Dorchester, England on June 3, 1901. He made his professional debut as Orestes in The Oresteia in Cambridge in 1926. After a succession of walk-on roles in the West End in the late 1920s, he joined the Old Vic Company in 1934, appearing in Antony and Cleopatra, Much Ado About Nothing and Shaw's Saint Joan. He received the notice of Katharine Cornell, who invited him to play the role of Romeo with her in Romeo and Juliet on Broadway in 1935. The following year he portrayed the Dauphin to her Joan in Saint Joan.

Mr. Evans began his series of Shakespearean triumphs with his appearance in the title role of King Richard II, which established him as a major performer in 1937. He returned in Margaret Webster's production of Hamlet, the first full-length version to be presented in the modern American theatre. Branching out into comedy from romantic leads, Maurice Evans played Falstaff in the revival of Henry IV, Part I and Malvolio in Twelfth Night. In 1941 he starred with Judith Anderson in Macbeth.

After obtaining American citizenship, Mr. Evans enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he was promoted to major and put in charge of entertainment in the Central Pacific arena. Most notable from this period was his G.I. Hamlet, a special cutting of the text for soldier audiences, which he performed in New York after the war and took on national tour.

Upon his return, Mr. Evans primarily distinguished himself in Shavian productions, staging and appearing in Man and Supermanin 1947 and The Devil's Disciple in 1951. Ever expanding his repertoire, he starred in the commercial thriller, Dial “M” for Murder, in 1952, and had a singing role in George Abbott's Tenderloin in 1960.

During the 1950's Evans' expanded his production empire by creating industrial shows under the auspices of his company, Maurice Evans Industrials, Inc. This was short-lived and lasted until 1959. He created the industrial show Motorola for General Motors Corporation and this traveled from New York to Boston and Canada.

In the 1960s Maurice Evans brought his craft to mass media, where he received exposure for both classical and commercial work. The Hallmark Hall of Fame aired a series of his Shakespearean productions. His name became a household word with his role as Elizabeth Montgomery's warlock father on Bewitched. He was also seen in many films including Planet of the Apes and Rosemary's Baby. He returned to his native England in the late 1960s, where he died in Brighton on March 12, 1989.

Scope and arrangement

The papers of Maurice Evans consist of production files, correspondence, financial records, scrapbooks and scripts, primarily documenting his American career as an actor and producer. The files are organized alphabetically in order to most effectively serve the researcher's need to represent his artistic progression. Fortunately, his office maintained comprehensive records, so that there is thorough indication of his productions' development, artistic issues and technical requirements.

The collection is divided into five series: Scripts, Production Files, Scrapbooks and Maurice Evans Productions, Inc. and Maurice Evans Industrials. The script series includes copies of most of his plays from stage, screen and television. There are various versions of new plays (Teahouse of the August Moon), adaptations of classics for television, in addition to television series scripts used in Mr. Evans' later career. The production files form the majority of the material. From stagings ranging from Hamlet to Man & Superman to Dial “M” for Murder, there are records covering the evolution of each concept, casting considerations, design notes and sketches, as well as national touring files in many cases. The financial records document budgets and expenditures. The scrapbook series includes clippings from many of the Maurice Evans productions from as early as 1936 with the production of St. Joan. There is also one scrapbook of programs from the 1948-1949 tour of Man & Superman. The series on Maurice Evans Productions contains the minutes and bylaws of the organization dated 1938 and a budget and continuity for a film entitled The World Is Young. The series containing the records of Maurice Evans Industrials, Inc. shows working files for the Motorama production created for General Motors Corporation in 1958.

The strength of this collection is in its breadth. The stamp of Mr. Evans' exuberant personality is evident, as his working methods, personal style and tireless energy clearly emerge. The fascination is in observing a 19th century-style actor-manager tailor his craft to the requisites of 20th century American audiences, both in terms of special adaptations of the classics (G.I. Hamlet), as well as the desire to boldly embrace the mass media as a forum for his expression.

The Maurice Evans papers are arranged in five series:

  • Series I - Scripts
    1937-1966
    21 boxes 7 linear feet

    Consists of a comprehensive collection chronicling Mr. Evans' career. Of note are the various versions of original plays (Dial “M” for Murder, Teahouse of the August Moon); Shakespeare plays (Hamlet, King Richard II, Macbeth) in their stage and Hallmark Hall of Fame television adaptations; a series of U.S. Army entertainment scripts from World War II; as well as scripts from Maurice Evans' television appearances in the 1960s (I Spy, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., etc.). In some cases miscellaneous rehearsal materials (cast lists, rehearsal schedules, light plots) have been included, where applicable.

  • Series II - Production Files
    1937-1956
    57 boxes 20 linear feet

    Consists of the files primarily from the Maurice Evans Office. The majority of the contents are correspondence: Mr. Evans', his associate producers, general manager, press representative and legal counsel. In terms of the plays, themselves, there are files concerning casting, contracts, insurance, box office statements and scenic and technical matters. In addition, press files provide programs, reviews and clippings. Touring production files generally encompass similar materials broken down by city.

  • Series III - Scrapbooks
    1936-1959
  • Series IV - Maurice Evans Productions, Inc.
    1938
    1 box.25 linear feet

    This series contains the minutes and by-laws of Maurice Evans Productions, Inc. incorporated in 1938. Also included are ideas for a film production entitled The World Is Young.

  • Series V - Maurice Evans Industrials, Inc.
    1958-1959

    Alphabetical

    Included in this series are organizational files for Maurice Evans Industrials, Inc., the industrial arm of his production empire. Files include all production materials for the industrial show Motorama, created for General Motors Corporation.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

The collection was donated by Maurice Evans in 1979.

Processing information

Processed by Mary Ellen Rogan; machine-readable finding aid created by Mary Ellen Rogan.

An initial inventory was taken, as catalog cards were prepared for the various productions, correspondence was broken down by individuals and the boxes were assigned locator sequence numbers. Final processing of the materials was completed in 1992. According to Theatre Collection policy, Mr. Evans' production photographs and programmes were separated from the collection and added to existing production files.

In 2003 the collection was given a new classmark. Old classmark numbers were 8-MWEZ 29100-29196.

Separated material

Additional scripts have been cataloged separately and can be located through the scripts card catalog

  • Award from Shakespeare Club of NY to Maurice Evans - 1951

Related Material

Maurice Evans Papers, sound recordings and sheet music

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

For permission to publish contact the Curator, Billy Rose Theatre Division.

Access restrictions

Photocopying prohibited.