Leslie Barrett correspondence and ephemera

1942-1996

Leslie Barrett (1919- ), stage, television, and film actor, was born in New York City on Oct. 30, 1919. He has appeared in many television series, including an episode of the original HONEYMOONERS with Jackie Gleason and Art Carney. During 1954-5 Mr. Barrett became involved in a controversy concerning his political affiliations, and made the news when he spoke out against the practice of blacklisting controversial performers. The Leslie Barrett correspondence and ephemera spans 1942-1996 and consists of four folders of material. The core of the collection is the correspondence with Vincent W. Hartnett, representative of an organization called Aware, Inc., who in December of 1954 sent Leslie Barrett a photo purportedly showing Mr. Barrett marching in a 1952 May Day parade, and a letter asking him to confirm or deny his Communist sympathies. In addition to this correspondence, which consists of four letters from Mr. Harnett and one reply from Mr. Barrett, there is the transcript of Mr. Barrett's address about the incident to his union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), a newspaper piece by columnist John Crosby in support of Mr. Barrett, and correspondence between Mr. Barrett and the Federal Bureau of Investigation concerning the matter. Also includes Mr. Barrett's 1942 Army induction notice, a 1996 program for a Rhode Island production of ROMEO & JULIET in which he appeared, and two photos of Mr. Barrett.