An Inventory of His Business Records at the Harry Ransom Center
Creator:
Kendall, Messmore,
1872-1959
Title:
Messmore Kendall Business
Records
Dates:
circa 1850-1943 (bulk 1921-1924)
Extent:
15 document boxes, 2 oversize boxes (osb) (8.07 linear feet)
Abstract:
The Messmore Kendall Business Records
are primarily financial records for Moredall Realty Corporation. The remainder
of
the collection comprises records of American Releasing Corporation, Capitol Theatre,
Columbus Garage Inc., Goldwyn Cosmopolitan Distributing Corporation, Goldwyn Studio,
Kendall-Chambers Productions, and Messmore Kendall Studio. A small amount of
miscellaneous materials are present.
Call Number:
Performing Arts Collection
PA-00052
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
Acquisition:
Gift, 1958
Processed by:
Joan Sibley, 2001; Helen Adair, 2006; Daniela Lozano, 2017
Messmore Kendall was an attorney, entrepreneur, real estate developer, and theater
manager. He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1872 and studied law at George
Washington University, known as Columbian University, in Washington, D.C. In 1897,
he moved to New York where he established the law firm of Kendall and Herzog with
Paul M. Herzog in 1900. He also built one of New York’s first cinema palaces,
the
Capitol Theater on Broadway, in 1919, through his realty company, Moredall Realty
Company.
Kendall was also involved in other business ventures including serving as Vice
President of the publishing company George H. Doran Company, where he met writer
W.
Somerset Maugham. He went on to produce several Broadway productions written by
Maugham between 1927 to 1931. He also produced films including The Song of the Soul (1920), Pardon My French (1921), and Cardigan
(1922).
Sources:
"Messmore Kendall Collection, 1695-1939, Multiple Catalog
Numbers." Finding aid at the National Park Service Manhattan Sites
Archive, New York, NY.
http://mhsarchive.org/FullImages/FEHAMessmore-Kendall-Finding-Aid.pdf (accessed
19
September 2017)
Scope and Contents
Messmore Kendall managed his Capitol Theater movie palace business operations through
his Moredall Realty Corporation. The Messmore Kendall Business Records are primarily
financial records for Moredall Realty Corporation (circa 1920-1925). The remainder
of the collection comprises records of American Releasing Corporation (1922-1923),
Capitol Theatre (1919-1936), Columbus Garage Inc. (1931-1943), Goldwyn Cosmopolitan
Distributing Corporation (1920-1924), Goldwyn Studio (circa 1923?), Kendall-Chambers
Productions (circa 1920), and Messmore Kendall Studio (1921). A small amount of
miscellaneous materials are present, including Kendall’s ID badge for the 1939
New
York World’s Fair. The collection is arranged in three series: I. Moredall Realty
Corporation, circa 1920-1925; II. Other Firms, circa 1919-1943; and III. Other
Papers, circa 1850-1941.
Related Material
Messmore Kendall was a significant collector of American theatre history, and his
collections helped to form the basis of the Ransom Center's performing arts
holdings. Additional Messmore Kendall materials at the Ransom Center are located
in
the Messmore Kendall Papers and the Messmore Kendall Collection.
Letters from W. Somerset Maugham to Kendall are located in the W. Somerset Maugham
Collection at the Ransom Center.
The National Park Service, Manhattan Sites Archive in New York holds additional
Messmore Kendall material.
