Finding Aid for the Joe Granby papers, 1908-1960s, (bulk dates ca. 1908-1929 and 1940s)
Finding aid prepared by Processed by Kathy Carbone with assistance from Julie Graham; machine-readable finding aid created
by Caroline Cubé.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1575
(310) 825-4988
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
©2014 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Title: Joe Granby papers
Collection number: 1931
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
3 flat boxes
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1940-1949
Date (inclusive): 1908-1960s, (bulk 1908-1929), (bulk 1940s)
Abstract: Joseph Granby was an American actor whose career spanned the early-1900s to the 1960s. During that time he was involved in
vaudeville, theater, film, radio, and television. The collection consists of photographs, scrapbooks, theater programs, playbills,
and a small amount of script material related to Granby's career.
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections
for paging information.
Creator:
Granby, Joe, 1885-1965
Restrictions on Access
Open for research. STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library
Special Collections for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UC Regents. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the
creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright
owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of Sumner Granby, 1981.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Joe Granby Papers (Collection 1931). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, UCLA.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Biography
There is very little biographical information available about Joseph Granby. Most of the facts below were gathered from Granby's
papers. Joseph Granby (also known as Joe) was born in 1885 and appears to be from Boston, Massachusetts. He was an actor involved
in theater, motion pictures, radio, and television. His career was launched at the Castle Square Theatre in Boston in 1905.
He appeared on Broadway in productions such as
The Claw,
Lally (1927), and
Hawk Island (1929). Granby was also active in vaudeville on the Keith and Orpheum circuits. He regularly performed on radio and was known
for his role as Black Barney in the science-fiction series Buck Rogers. He also played the roles of Lothar on
Mandrake the Magician and Lestrade on
Sherlock Holmes. His motion picture credits include
Kismet (1944),
The Barkleys of Broadway (1949),
Joan of Arc (1950), and
Written on the Wind (1956) among others. He made the transition to television on programs such as Fireside Theatre and Lux Video Theatre. Granby
died in Hollywood, California, on September 29, 1965.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of photographs, scrapbooks, clippings, theater programs, playbills, and a very small amount of script
material related to the career of actor Joseph Granby. The bulk of the photographs include theater and motion picture stills,
headshots, and portrait-like shots of Granby. The three scrapbooks represent Granby's early career and consist of clippings,
theater programs, and playbills, a small number of photographs, and ephemera. The scripts represent a very small quantity
of motion picture and radio projects in which Granby may have been involved or had an interest in, such as script pages for
a radio performance of
It's a Wonderful Life (1947) and screenplays for
Invasion U.S.A. and
Written on the Wind (1957). Notably absent from the collection is a broader representation of scripts related to Granby's radio work on
Buck Rogers,
Sherlock Holmes, and
Mandrake the Magician as well as scripts related to Granby's performances on stage, in motion pictures, and on television.
Organization and Arrangement
Arranged in the following series:
- Series 1. Photographs
- Series 2. Scrapbooks
- Series 3. Printed Material
- Series 4. Scripts
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Granby, Joe, 1885-1965 - Archives.
Actors--United States--Archives.
Publicity photographs.
Theater programs.
Photographs.
1917, 1940-1950s.
Physical Description: Boxes 2-3
Scope and Content Note
The bulk of the Photographs series consists of publicity photographs including theater and motion picture stills representing
productions in which Granby was involved, and headshots and portrait-like shots of Granby. Some of the head shots and portraits
depict Granby in makeup and costume as the various character roles he played. The majority of the photographs are not indentified
with project titles. Identified film stills represent productions such as
The Barkleys of Broadway (1949),
His Kind of Woman(1951), and
Joan of Arc (1950). A portion of the film stills have unique identifying numbers on the images; these are noted on the inventory. Additionally,
there is a very small number of radio-project related images and photographs of others, some inscribed to Granby. Although
most of the photographs are not dated, many appear to embody Granbys early stage and motion picture career. The series is
arranged alphabetically by project title when known.
Box 2, Folder 5
Assorted stills of Granby in varous costumes.
no date.
General note
Appears to be motion picture or theatre productions.
Box 2, Folder 6
Assorted stills that appear related to World War II entertainment.
ca. 1940s.
Box 2, Folder 3
Assorted stills that appear to be from a radio project.
no date.
Box 2, Folder 1
Assorted stills that appear to be from motion picture productions.
no date.
Box 2, Folder 2
Assorted stills that appear to be from motion picture productions.
no date.
Box 2, Folder 4
Assorted stills that appear to be from theatre productions.
no date.
Box 2, Folder 8
Granby portraits and headshots.
no date.
Box 3, Folder 6
Granby portraits and headshots.
no date.
Box 2, Folder 7
Granby portraits and headshots that appear to be from early career.
no date.
Box 2, Folder 22
Group photograph.
no date.
General note
Number 57 appears on photographs.
Box 3, Folder 4
Group photographs.
no date.
General note
One photograph appears to be related to The Lambs and one photograph is from the Masquers O'Brien Night, 1948 October 27.
Box 3, Folder 5
Photographs of others.
no date.
General note
Appear to be of Irene Rich and Olga Petrova; both inscribed to Granby.
Box 2, Folder 9
Photographs of others.
no date.
General note
One photograph inscribed to Granby by Joe Harold.
Box 2, Folder 24
Unidentified motion picture stills.
no date.
General note
Number 81 appears on photographs.
Box 2, Folder 35
Unidentified motion picture stills.
no date.
General note
Lloyd 2 appears on photographs.
Box 2, Folder 28
Unidentified motion picture stills.
no date.
General note
Number 6692 appears on photographs.
Box 2, Folder 29
Unidentified motion picture stills.
no date.
General note
Number 6911 appears on photographs.
Box 2, Folder 30
Unidentified motion picture stills.
no date.
General note
Number 719 appears on photographs.
Box 2, Folder 31
Unidentified motion picture stills.
no date.
General note
Number 723 appears on photographs.
Box 2, Folder 32
Unidentified motion picture stills.
no date.
General note
Number 739 appears on photographs.
Box 2, Folder 34
Unidentified motion picture stills.
no date.
General note
Sequence of numbers beginning with B appears on the back of the photographs.
Box 2, Folder 36
Unidentified motion picture stills.
no date.
General note
Sequence of numbers beginning with Mast appears on the photographs.
Box 2, Folder 21
Unidentified motion picture stills.
no date.
General note
Number 12 appears on photographs.
Box 2, Folder 20
Unidentified motion picture stills.
no date.
General note
G or 6 appears on photographs.
Box 2, Folder 23
Unidentified motion picture stills.
no date.
General note
Number 57E09 appears on photographs.
Box 2, Folder 25
Unidentified motion picture stills.
no date.
General note
Number 145 appears on photographs.
Box 2, Folder 12
Barkleys of Broadway (The).
1949.
Box 2, Folder 27
Danny Boy.
1945.
General note
Appears to be for the film Danny Boy.
Box 2, Folder 13
Eddie Albert Show #4.
no date.
Box 2, Folder 26
Granby Headshots.
no date.
General note
Credit on back of images: Ray Lee Jackson NBC Studio. Could be related to The Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers.
Box 2, Folder 15
Joan of Arc.
1950.
General note
Granby as Giles de Fecamp.
Box 2, Folder 16
Kiss the Blood Off My Hands.
1948.
Box 2, Folder 33
Man From Nowhere (The).
1916.
General note
Appears to be from The Man From Nowhere.
Box 2, Folder 17
Rasputin the Black Monk.
1917.
Box 1, Folder 15
Trelawny of the Wells.
ca. 1954.
Scrapbooks.
1908, 1910s-1920s, 1940.
Physical Description: Boxes 1-2, 4-5
Scope and Content Note
The series comprises three scrapbooks, each containing one or more of the following: clippings, theatre programs, playbills,
a small number of photographs, and ephemera. The scrapbooks represent Granby’s early entertainment career in stage and motion
pictures performances such as
Fine Feathers,
The Wife Decides, and
The White Sister, among others. One scrapbook specifically corresponds to Granby’s association with the Somerville Players during 1922-1923.
Loose items in scrapbooks were removed for preservation purposes and are listed on the inventory. There is no specific arrangement
to the series.
Box 5
Brown scrapbook.
ca. 1910-1914.
Box 1, Folder 2
Circus Day.
1911, no date.
General note
Removed from brown scrapbook for preservation purposes.
Box 2, Folder 39
Clippings.
1909, 1914, no date.
General note
Removed from brown scrapbook for preservation purposes.
Box 2, Folder 40
Fine Feathers clippings and theater programs.
ca. 1913-1915.
General note
Removed from brown scrapbook for preservation purposes.
Box 4, Folder 3
Grey and red scrapbook.
ca. 1915-1921.
General note
Clippings and photographs.
Box 1, Folder 7
Kismet.
1944.
General note
Removed from brown scrapbook for preservation purposes. With photograph of Granby and other actor in costume.
Box 2, Folder 41
Lyceum Theater (The) playsbills and theaer programs.
ca. 1912-1913.
General note
Removed from brown scrapbook for preservation purposes.
Box 2, Folder 42
Photographs.
no date.
General note
Removed from brown scrapbook for preservation purposes. Images of Benton, Granby, and West, as well as Granby in costume.
Box 2, Folder 45
Proctor's Theatre programs.
no date.
General note
Removed from brown scrapbook for preservation purposes.
Box 1, Folder 22
Samuels Opera House theatre programs.
1908-1909.
General note
Removed from brown scrapbook for preservation purposes.
Box 2, Folder 38
Telegrams, business cards, and souvenir printing rom Family Theatre.
1911, 1913, no date.
General note
Removed from brown scrapbook for preservation purposes. With a special printing of A Face Upon the Floor by D'Arcy, compliments
of Family Theatre, 1913.
Box 2, Folder 43
Theater programs and playbills.
1911, 1912, 1914, 1927.
General note
Removed from brown scrapbook for preservation purposes.
Box 1, Folder 23
White Sister (The) theater program and clipping.
1914; no date.
General note
Removed from brown scrapbook for preservation purposes.
Box 1, Folder 24
Whitney Theater (The) programs.
ca. 1914.
General note
Removed from brown scrapbook for preservation purposes. With The Barrier, Bought and Paid For, Brewster's Millions, Elevating
a Husband, The Escape, Fine Feathers, The Gamblers, The Great Divide, The Lure, One Day, Three Weeks, and What Happened to
Mary. Many include duplicate copies.
Box 1, Folder 25
Wife Decides (The).
no date.
General note
Removed from brown scrapbook for preservation purposes. Theater programs, clippings, and telegram.
Box 2, Folder 37
Witching Hour (The) property plot.
no date.
General note
Removed from brown scrapbook for preservation purposes.
Box 4, Folder 2
Somerville Players scrapbook.
1922-1923.
General note
Removed from Somerville scrapbook for preservation purposes.
Box 4, Folder 1
Somerville Players scrapbook.
1922-1923.
General note
Scrapbook containing photographs, theater programs, and playbills. Loose newspaper clippings and photographs related to the
Somerville Players have been removed for preservation purposes.
Box 2, Folder 44
Theater programs, playbills and clippings.
1913-1915, 1921, 1940, no date.
General note
Removed from grey and red scrapbook for preservation purposes. Texaco Star Theater production of Broken Dishes (1940 June).
Printed Materials.
1920, 1940s, 1954, 1960-1961.
Physical Description: Boxes 1, 3
Scope and Content Note
Box 1, Folder 1
Cane Crop theater program.
1929.
Box 1, Folder 4
Death Valley Centennial Celebration and certificate of appreciation.
1949.
General note
With publicity about the event.
Box 1, Folder 5
Family Nagashi (The) certificate of honor.
1944.
General note
With thank you letter to Granby and certificate of honor.
Box 1, Folder 6
Granby resume cards.
no date.
Box 3, Folder 8
Lambs (The)event programs and directory.
1940-1941, 1944-1952 1947, 1953.
Box 1, Folder 8
Masquers dance and dinner invitation..
1948.
Box 1, Folder 9
Noble Bucaneer (A).
no date.
General note
Trapper's Story (The) signed by author, H.A. D'Arcy.
Box 1, Folder 10
Offbeat magazine.
no date.
General note
Volume 1, Number 5.
Box 3, Folder 1
Pencil sketch of Granby.
no date.
General note
Appears to be from Kismet.
Box 1, Folder 11
Radio and Television Director's Guild '48 Yearbook.
1948.
Box 1, Folder 12
Radio Life magazine.
no date.
Box 1, Folder 13
Screen Actors Guild Annual Meeting program.
1961.
Box 1, Folder 14
Seriousness of Being Funny - Ten Commandments.
no date.
Box 3, Folder 3
Star Dispatch (The).
no date.
General note
Newspaper prop from unknown production.
Box 1, Folder 16
Writings by H. A. D'Arcy.
1920.
General note
The Face Upon the Floor and The Trapper's Story printed leaflets. Both items inscribed to Granby by D'Arcy.
Box 3, Folder 7
Written on the Wind.
no date.
General note
Souvenir program advertisement, photograph, and note that appears signed from Rita and Orson Welles. See box 1, folder 21
for script.
Scripts.
1913, 1940s, 1957.
Physical Description: Box 1
Scope and Content Note
The series contains a small number of scripts for motion picture and radio projects
Box 1, Folder 17
Decision.
1943, 1946.
General note
Published by Samuel French.
Box 1, Folder 18
Invasion U.S.A..
no date.
General note
Appears to be a complte screen play of Invasion U.S.A.
Box 1, Folder 19
It's a Wonderful Life script pages.
1947.
General note
Featuring Screen Guild Players.
Box 1, Folder 20
We Are Always Young radio script.
1941.
General note
Episode 164.
Box 1, Folder 21
Written on the Wind revised final screenplay.
1955.
General note
Two copies. See box 3 for related ephemera.
