[Identification of item], Betty Bowman Ephemera, *T Mss 1996-034, Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
The Betty Bowman ephemera collection documents her life and career during the 1920's and contains photographs, clippings and a manuscript autobiography. The collection is mainly photographs of Betty Bowman, her sister Grace, her husband, bandleader Joe Smith and friends she worked with while performing in the early 1920s. Her autobiography tells of growing up out West and finally ending up in New York on the stage.
Betty Bowman grew up in Colorado, the youngest of four children. She began playing the piano when she was a little girl. The conductor, Paul Whiteman heard her play in Denver and recommended her for a vaudeville tour of the West Coast. Ms. Bowman eventually joined her sister Grace, who had established a singing career in New York. An introduction by her sister to J. H. Shubert led to a chorus job in the Second Edition of Artists and Models.Betty later toured with the First Edition of Artists and Modelsand appeared in Naughty Riquette.In 1926, while doing her piano specialty act at the Beaux Arts Cafe in Atlantic City, she was discovered by Al Jolson. She signed a two year contract to appear in his musical Big Boybut after touring with the show for a few months, she chose to leave the stage to marry bandleader Joe Smith.
The Betty Bowman Ephemera consists mainly of photographs of Betty Bowman, her sister Grace, and her husband, bandleader Joe Smith, and friends she worked with when she was performing in the early 1920's [among them Barbara Stanwyck, who was then Ruby Stevens]. Her charming autobiography tells of growing up out West, following Grace to New York, working for J.J. Shubert and being discovered by Al Jolson. Most of the material is from the 1920's.
The Betty Bowman Ephemera was donated to the Billy Rose Theatre Collection by her daughter, Grace Bowman Zehel in 1996. All the photographs are copies, the originals were retained by Mrs. Zehel. There materials were removed from binders and placed in mylar sleeves for preservation.
Processed by Susan McArthur.
For permission to publish contact the Curator, Billy Rose Theatre Collection.
Photocopying prohibited.