The Production Photographs Collection
consists predominantly of photographs documenting theatre productions, mainly in New
York
City, circa 1860-1998.
Call Number:
Performing Arts Collection PA-00078
Language:
English
Access:
Open for research. Researchers must create an online Research Account and agree to
the
Materials Use Policy before using archival materials.
Use Policies:
Ransom Center collections may contain material with sensitive or confidential information
that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers
are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable
living
individuals represented in the collections without the consent of those individuals
may have
legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy
may
arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be
deemed
highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the Ransom Center and The University
of
Texas at Austin assume no responsibility.
Restrictions on Use:
Authorization for publication is given on behalf of the University of Texas as the
owner of
the collection and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright
holder
which must be obtained by the researcher. For more information please see the Ransom
Center's Open Access and Use Policies.
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation:
Production Photographs Collection (Performing Arts Collection PA-00078). Harry Ransom
Center, The University of Texas at Austin.
Acquisition:
Compiled by Performing Arts staff from several collections, including the Albert Davis,
Robert Downing, Messmore Kendall, W. H. Crain, and John Gassner collections.
Processed by:
Dixie Owen, 2002; Helen Adair and Katie Causier, 2006; Helen Adair, 2007; Helen Baer,
2012;
Libby Carr, 2020
The Production Photographs Collection consists predominantly of black and white publicity
photographs documenting theatre productions, mainly in New York City, circa 1860-1998
(bulk
1900-1965). Approximately 1,600 productions are represented. Occasionally, a clipping,
postcard, playbill, print, review, or other production-related item is present with
the
photographs. The collection is arranged alphabetically by production with composites,
unidentified, and miscellaneous material gathered at the end of the collection.
Included are photographs from the W. H. Crain Collection, circa 1930-1950; photographs,
mounted clippings, and illustrations from the Albert Davis Collection, circa 1860-1930;
photographs from the Robert Downing Collection, circa 1950-1970; and illustrations
and
photographs added by Performing Arts staff, circa 1890-1998.
Performing Arts staff compiled the photographs and prints that make up this collection
from
the Albert Davis, Robert Downing, Messmore Kendall/Harry Houdini, W. H. Crain, and
John
Gassner collections.
Related Material
The Ransom Center holds the production photograph archives of photographers Fred Fehl
and
Bob Golby. Sixty-five production photographs from Moscow, Leningrad, and other cities
from
1920 to 1967 are in the Russian Theatre Production Photographs Collection. The Performing
Arts Glass Plate Negatives Collection includes several hundred negatives of production
photographs from around 1890 to 1920. Additional production photographs are listed
by
performer and playwright in the Theatre Biography Collection and in the individual
archives
of designers, directors, performers, and playwrights across the Ransom Center.
