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Creator
Rhodes, Erik, 1906-1990
Call number
*T-Mss 2014-147
Physical description
1.2 linear feet (3 boxes, 1 oversized folder)
Preferred Citation

Erik Rhodes papers, *T-Mss 2014-147. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library.

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

Erik Rhodes (1906-1990) was an American theatrical actor and singer. The Erik Rhodes papers date from 1923 to 1979 and contain programs, correspondence, clippings, school records, certificates, notes, and souvenirs.

Biographical/historical information

Erik Rhodes (1906-1990) was an American theatrical actor and singer. Born Ernest Rhodes Sharpe, he attended Central High School in Oklahoma City, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Oklahoma. A Most Immoral Lad (1928) was his first performance on Broadway. He legally changed his name to Erik Rhodes during the 1932 production of Gay Divorce. From 1947 to 1964, Rhodes performed in many theatrical productions, such as Can-Can (1953), Jamaica (1957), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962).

Scope and arrangement

The Erik Rhodes papers date from 1923 to 1979 (bulk dates 1950-1960s) and contain programs, correspondence, clippings, school records, certificates, notes, and souvenirs. The bulk of the collection consists of programs from theatrical productions throughout Rhodes' career, including Gay Divorce (1932), Can-Can (1953), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1960), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962). There is also a program from his high school senior production of If I Were King (1923). Other performance-related materials include congratulatory correspondence, clippings of reviews, an interview transcription, and a written chronology of plays through the 1960s. Additionally, there are student records such as a 1923 Central High School yearbook, and his transcript from the University of Oklahoma.

Materials in this collection were assigned catalog numbers before final processing, and those numbers are retained under notes in the container list.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by file type.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Unknown

Processing information

Compiled by Joyce Joseph, 2015

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.