Finding Aid for the Frank Mitchell papers, ca. 1920s-ca. 1980s
Processed by Jennifer Myers and Julie Graham; machine-readable finding aid created by E. Graney and Julie Graham.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Performing Arts Special Collections
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
URL: http://www2.library.ucla.edu/specialcollections/performingarts/index.cfm
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Frank Mitchell papers,
Date (inclusive): ca. 1920s-ca. 1980s
Collection number: 279
Creator: Mitchell, Frank.
Extent: 2 boxes (1 linear ft.) and 1 flat box
Abstract: Frank Mitchell was a vaudeville and film actor. The collection consists clippings, photographs, scrapbooks, business contracts
and agreements, correspondence, souvenir programs, awards, and ephemera.
Language: Finding aid is written in English.
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library.
Performing Arts Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Performing
Arts Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Administrative Information
Restrictions on Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library, Performing
Arts Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Copyright of portions of this collection has been assigned to the UCLA Library, Performing Arts Special Collections. The library
can grant permission to publish for materials to which it holds the copyright. All requests for permission to publish or quote
must be submitted in writing to the Special Collections Librarian, Performing Arts Special Collections. Credit shall be given
as follows: The Regents of the University of California on behalf of the UCLA Library, Performing Arts Special Collections.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of B. Clouid, 1993.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Frank Mitchell papers (Collection 279). Performing Arts Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, UCLA.
Biography
Mitchell Freundlich was born in NY, NY on May 13, 1905. As a child he trained with the acrobatic team of the Novello Brothers.
He began his career in vaudeville with Sim Moore, as Moore and Mitchell, performing acrobatic comics around the country (1924-25).
Mitchell married a well-known singer in Chicago, Jeane Fields (ca. 1924). He headlined his next partner, Jack Durant, at the
London Palladium (1929). The two appeared on Broadway in George White's comedy series of sketches
Scandals and Earl Carroll's
Vanities (1932-33). The team went on to appear in films including
365 Nights in Hollywood (1934), and
She Learned About Sailors (1934). Mitchell appeared in numerous western films, often appearing as Canonball, the sidekick to Tex Ritter and Bill Elliott
(1930s-40s). He performed in U.S.O Tours during WWII and enjoyed a television career including a recurring role in the television
series
Wagon Train (1960s). Mitchell received an honorary plaque for his roles in western films at the 1990 Golden Boot Awards. He died of a
cardiac arrest in North Hollywood, CA on January 21, 1991.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of material related to the career of actor Frank Mitchell. Includes clippings, photographs, scrapbooks,
business records, souvenir programs, and ephemera. Also includes sketches for Mitchell and Durant. The scrapbooks and clippings
cover both Mitchell's individual career and his association with and Jack Durant. Photographs include personal snapshots and
motion pictures stills including
Lone Star Vigilantes (1934) and
North of the Rockies (1942).
Organization and Arrangement
Arranged in the following series:
- Business Files
- Clippings
- Memorabilia
- Photographs
- Scrapbooks
- Script Material
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Mitchell, Frank--Archives.
Motion picture actors and actresses--Archival resources.
Box 1, Folder 9
Correspondence, contracts and agreements
ca. 1927-1938
Note
With notes from Sid Grauman and Burns and Allen.
Box 1, Folder 12
USO documents and thank you letters
ca. 1943-1946
Box 1, Folder 13
Correspondence, contracts and agreements
ca. 1946-1988
Note
With notes from Jerry Lewis.
Box 1, Folder 2
Mitchell and Durant clippings scrapbook belonging to Jane Mitchell
1924-1925
Note
For Sim Moore and Frank Mitchell; Mitchell and Durant; and Jane Mitchell.
Box 1, Folder 3
Mitchell and Durant clippings
no date
Box 1, Folder 4
Mitchell and Durant clippings
ca. 1924-1929
Box 1, Folder 5
Mitchell and Durant clippings
ca. 1932-1939
Box 1, Folder 6
Mitchell and Durant clippings
ca. 1940s-1950s
Box 1, Folder 7
Mitchell clippings
ca. 1960s-1984
Box 1, Folder 8
Mitchell and Durant clippings from magazines and trades
ca. 1934-1979
Box 3, Folder 3
Mitchell and Durant scrapbook pages of clippings
ca. 1930-1937
Box 3, Folder 4
USO Tour clippings
ca. 1944
Box 1, Folder 10
National Vaudeville Artists Fund Thirteenth Annual Benefit Performance Year Book
1929 - program
1929 April 21
Box 1, Folder 11
Billboard Theatrical Index
1931-1932
Note
Billboard Index of the New York Legitimate Stage - Season 1931-1932
Box 1, Folder 14
Mitchell performances or appearances - programs and ephemera
ca. 1929-1955
Box 1, Folder 15
Comedians vs. Leading Men: Worlds Greatest Baseball Game - Mitchell
appearance
no date
Note
See also Box 2 folder 22 for possible related photographs
Box 1, Folder 16
Personal ephemera
ca. 1929-1990
Note
Includes identification.
Box 2, Folder 1
Mitchell public appearances - programs
ca. 1950-1988
Note
With cast autographs of the Western Film Fair.
Box 2, Folder 2
Golden Boot Awards program
1988 Aug 19, 1989 Aug 5
Box 2, Folder 3
Personal ephemera
1991 Jan 29
Note
County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, In Memoriam to Frank Mitchell.
Box 3, Folder 1
Laff Parade publicity ad for Mitchell and Durant
no date
Box 3, Folder 2
Lone Star Vigilantes - lobby cards (11oversize items)
ca. 1953
Note
Mostly photoduplications.
Box 2, Folder 4
Newspaper press plate of Mitchell
no date
Box 2, Folder 5
Advance to the Rear negatives (4 items)
no date
Box 2, Folder 6
Wagon Train (television series) photograph (1 item)
no date
Box 2, Folder 7
She Learned About Sailors photographs (1 item)
Film released 1934
Note
Mitchell, Lew Ayres and Jack Durant in photograph.
Box 2, Folder 8
Music is Magic photographs (1 item)
Film released 1935
Note
Mitchell, Jack Durant, Eddie Dunn, and Alice Faye in photograph.
Box 2, Folder 9
Six Lessons from Madame LaZonga photographs (1 item)
ca. 1940
Box 2, Folder 10
Big House Blues photograph (1 item)
ca. 1941
Box 2, Folder 11
Land of the Outlaws photographs (1 item)
ca. 1941
Box 2, Folder 12
Lone Star Vigilantes photographs (12 items)
ca. 1941, 1942
Note
Mitchell, Bill Elliot, Tex Ritter, Budd Buster and Virginia Carpenter in photographs.
Box 2, Folder 13
North of the Rockies photographs (5 items)
Film released 1942
Note
Mitchell, Bill Elliot and Tex Ritter in photographs.
Box 2, Folder 14
Scaramouche photographs (1 item)
Film released 1952
Box 2, Folder 15
Kismet - photographs (1 item)
Film released 1955
Box 2, Folder 16
Advance to the Rear photographs (4 items)
ca. 1964
Box 2, Folder 17
Rhythm of the Rio Grande photograph (1 item)
Film released 1940
Box 2, Folder 18
Moore and Mitchell; Novello Brothers - photographs (4 items)
ca. 1918-1927
Box 2, Folder 19
Jane Mitchell (wife) - photographs (2 items)
no date
Box 2, Folder 20
Mitchell and Durant photographs (18 items)
ca. 1920-1936
Box 2, Folder 21
Mitchell portraits (36 items)
ca. 1920-1965
Box 2, Folder 22
Personal photographs (13 items)
ca. 1923; 1934; 1937; 1940; 1944
Note
Includes: Milton Berle, Eddie Quillian, Billy Gilbert and Lionel Stander, among others.
Robert Taylor at Comedians v. Leading Men Baseball Game; Lon Chaney Jr. at Comedian vs.
Leading Men Football Game.
Box 2, Folder 23
USO Tour photographs (43 items)
ca. 1943-1946
Box 2, Folder 24
USO Tour photographs (30 items)
ca. 1943-1945
Box 2, Folder 25
Unidentified stills Mitchell performances (5 items)
ca. 1940-1964
Box 2, Folder 26
Key Stone Cops photographs (12 items)
ca. 1965-1967
Note
Mitchell, Stan Lawson, Tippi Hedron, Mary Pickford in photographs.
Box 2, Folder 27
New Three Stooges photograph (7 items)
ca. 1975
Note
Mitchell, Joe De Rita and Paul "Mousie" Garner in photographs.
Box 2, Folder 28
Appearances at reunions and events photographs (19 items)
ca. 1980-1990
Box 2, Folder 29
Mitchell personal photographs (4 items)
ca. 1934-1988
Box 3
Earl Carroll, Atlantic City Aug 1931 photograph (1 oversize item)
1931 Aug
Note
Appears to be Nixon's Apollo Theater.
Box 3
Mitchell and Durant photograph (I oversize item) - Dead in the Room and Off the
Record: The Boys of 36 Hotel Biltmore
1936 Oct 28
Note
James Farley dinner in honor of President Roosevelt.
Box 3, Folder 8
Mitchell and Durant portraits (15 oversize items)
ca. 1926-1941
Note
With inscribed photographs from Rubinoff, Maurice Chevalier, Ted Lewis.
Box 3, Folder 5
This is Your Life? by Janie Mitchell - scrapbook pages - 1 of 3
ca. 1927-1966
Note
Photographs and clippings.
Box 3, Folder 6
This is Your Life? by Janie Mitchell - scrapbook pages - 2 of 3
ca. 1928-1950
Note
Photographs and clippings.
Box 3, Folder 7
This is Your Life? by Janie Mitchell - scrapbook pages - 3 of 3
ca. 1929-1966
Note
Photographs and clippings.
Box 1, Folder 1
Mitchell and Durant - sketches
no date
Note
Mostly Mitchell and Durant. With script titled
A Pair of French Heels by Howard
Emmett Rogers dated 1931 April 14.