Inventory of the Joseph Tomes Papers

Sara Gunasekara
Department of Special Collections
General Library
University of California, Davis
Davis, CA 95616-5292
Phone: (530) 752-1621
Fax: (530) 754-5758
Email: speccoll@ucdavis.edu
© 2011
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.


Creator: Tomes, Joseph, 1912-1998
Title: Joseph Tomes Papers
Date (inclusive): 1928-1990
Extent: 0.9 linear feet
Abstract: Joseph Tomes was a founding member of the Fresno Community Theater in Fresno, California. The collection contains correspondence, photographs, programs, and memorabilia, many of which are related to Fresno Community Theater productions. Also included are short letters from theatrical personalities including Helen Hayes, Lynn Fontanne, Laurence Olivier, John Barrymore, and James Mason.
Physical location: Researchers should contact Special Collections to request collections, as many are stored offsite.
Repository: University of California, Davis. General Library. Dept. of Special Collections.
Davis, California 95616-5292
Collection number: D-066
Language of Material: Collection materials in English.

Biography

Joseph Tomes, a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, graduated from Butler University. He apprenticed as an actor at the Pasadena Community Playhouse and performed in Laurence Oliver's production of Romeo and Juliet. Tomes was a founding member of the Fresno Community Theater in Fresno, California, in 1955.

Scope and Content

The collection contains correspondence, photographs, programs, and memorabilia, many of which are related to Fresno Community Theater productions. Also included are short letters from theatrical personalities including Helen Hayes, Lynn Fontanne, Laurence Olivier, John Barrymore, and James Mason.

Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is arranged in five series: 1. Correspondence, 2. Writings by Tomes, 3. Printed Materials, 4. Memorabilia, 5. Photographs.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Tomes, Joseph, 1912-1998--Archives
Olivier, Laurence, 1907-1989--Correspondence
Fresno Community Theater
Community theater--California--Fresno

Access

Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Joseph Tomes.

Processing Information

Sara Gunasekara processed this collection and created and encoded this finding aid.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Joseph Tomes Papers, D-066, Department of Special Collections, General Library, University of California, Davis.

Publication Rights

Copyright is protected by the copyright law, chapter 17, of the U.S. Code. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections, General Library, University of California, Davis as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

 

Series 1. Correspondence 1933-1977

Scope and Content Note

Arranged in three subseries: Outgoing, Incoming, and Third Party.
Additional correspondence concerning the opening of the Fresno Community Theater in 1955 can be found in the scrapbook in Series 4: Memorabilia.
 

Series 1.1 Outgoing 1964-1977

Physical Description: 3 letters

Scope and Content Note

Contains letters written by Tomes.
Box 1:1

Driggs, Golden 1964 January 16

Box 1:2

Sacramento Civic Theater 1968 January 22

Box 1:3

, Eleanor 1977 January 12

 

Series 1.2 Incoming 1933-1977

Scope and Content Note

Contains letters and telegrams written to Tomes. Arranged alphabetically by correspondent.
Box 1:4

Allan, Gillian 1966 November 4

Physical Description: 1 telegram
Box 1:5

Allan, Gillian undated

Box 1:6

Anderson, Warner undated

Box 1:7

Barrymore, John 1933 April 17

Box 1:8

Cohen, Max 1966 November 7

Box 1:9

Driggs, Golden 1964 January 7

Box 1:10

Eaton, Edwin M. 1963 December 9

Box 1:11

Edmonds, Myrtle 1963 December 10

Box 1:12

Fontane, Lynn 1942 June 25

Box 1:13

Fosse, Sally 1963 December 10

Box 1:14

Hayes, Helen 1938 June 9

Box 1:15

Hayes, Helen 1938 September 10

Box 1:16

Mason, James 1949 September 1

Box 1:17

Mason, James 1956 April 18

Box 1:18

Olivier, Laurence 1944-1945

Physical Description: 2 telegrams
Box 1:19

Olivier, Laurence 1946 May 25

Box 1:20

Olivier, Laurence 1946 November 4

Box 1:21

Olivier, Laurence 1947 July 18

Box 1:22

Olivier, Laurence 1947 December 11

Box 1:23

Olivier, Laurence 1950 August 25

Box 1:24

Olivier, Laurence 1955 May 10

Box 1:25

Olivier, Laurence 1970 May 30

Box 1:26

Olivier, Laurence 1969 March 26

Box 1:27

Olivier, Laurence 1974 November 5

Box 1:28

Olivier, Laurence 1977 May 18

Box 1:29

Quinn, Frances 1967 April 14

Physical Description: 1 telegram
Box 1:30

Rafferty, Kathryn 1963 December 11

Box 1:31

Sacramento Civic Theater 1967-1968

Box 1:32

Shannon, Abby 1963 December 9

Box 1:33

Welford, Dorothy 1970 September 8

Box 1:34

Wills, Ted C. 1963 December 10

Box 1:35

Woolf, Virginia 1966 November 4

Physical Description: 1 telegram
Box 1:36

Unidentified 1966

Physical Description: 2 telegrams
 

Series 1.3 Third Party 1963

Physical Description: 1 letter
Box 1:37

Hannah, J.L. to KMJ-TV 1963 December 13

 

Series 2. Writings by Tomes 1940-1963

Physical Description: 2 folders
Box 1:38

Diary entry 1940 April 8

Box 1:39

Eulogy given at Mayor Arthur L. Selland's funeral 1963 December

 

Series 3. Printed Material 1928-1990

Scope and Content Note

Arranged into three subseries: Clippings, Pamphlets, and Programs and Promotional Materials.
 

Subseries 3.1 Clippings 1966-1990

Box 1:40

Olivier, Laurence 1967-1990

Box 1:41

Sacramento Civic Theater 1966-1977

 

Series 3.2 Pamphlets 1938

Physical Description: 1 folder

Scope and Content Note

Contains two pamphlets written by Charles F. Prickett.
Box 1:42

Aids for the Formation and Management of Little Theatres by Charles F. Prickett undated

Box 1:42

Pitfalls of Little Theatre Management by Charles F. Prickett 1938 May

 

Subseries 3.3 Programs and Promotional Material 1928-1977

Scope and Content Note

Contains theater programs from various performances. Many have autographs of actors who performed in the play.
Box 1:43

Eaglet Theater 1966-1968

Box 1:44

Fresno Community Theater 1955-1977

Box 1:45

Fresno Community Theater, promotional materials 1961-1969

Box 1:46

The Kingdom of God 1930

Scope and Content Note

Autographed by Ethel Barrymore.
Box 1:47

Lincoln Portrait 1955

Box 1:48

Merchant of Venice 1928

Scope and Content Note

Autographed by Robert Mantell, Genevieve Hamper, and John Alexander.
Box 1:49

Merchant of Venice 1929

Scope and Content Note

Autographed by George Arliss and Freida Inescort.
Box 1:50

Papa Juan 1930

Scope and Content Note

Autographed by Otis Skinner.
Box 1:51

Romeo and Juliet 1940

Box 1:52

Sherlock Holmes 1930

Scope and Content Note

Autographed by William Gillette.
Box 1:53

Smiling Faces 1932

Scope and Content Note

Autographed by Fred Stone and Paula Stone.
Box 1:54

Strictly Dishonorable 1929

Scope and Content Note

Autographed by Margaret Perry.
Box 2:1

Various 1934-1973

 

Series 4. Memorabilia 1929-1969

Scope and Content Note

Contains autographs, plaque, and a scrapbook, among other items.
Box 2:2

Autographs 1929-1930

Scope and Content Note

Autographs of E.H. Sothern, Raymond Huntley, Tom Skeyhill, and William Gillette.
Box 2:3

Birthright by Stephen Lord, script 1964 November 13

Box 2:4

Christmas cards from Laurence Olivier 1953-1955

Box 2:5

By-laws of Fresno Community Theater 1955

Box 2:6

Ephemera from Mayor Selland's funeral 1963

Box 2:7

Medic, All the Lonely Night, script 1955

Box Realia

Plaque inscribed to Joseph Tomes, President, 1955-60, in grateful appreciation for his faithful and outstanding services in the founding and leadership of the Fresno Community Theater undated

Box 2:8

Scrapbook compiled for Fresno Community Theater's first performance, Born Yesterday 1955

Box 2:9

Ticket stubs from the National Theatre at the Old Vic 1969

 

Series 5. Photographs 1944-1961

Scope and Content Note

The majority of the photographs are of performances by the Fresno Community Theater. Arranged alphabetically by title.
Box 2:10

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0001 Affairs of State, Fresno Community Theater 1956 October

Box 2:11

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0002- Bernardine, Fresno Community Theater 1957 March

Box 2:12-14

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0003-UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0005 Born Yesterday, Fresno Community Theater 1955 June

Box 2:15

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0006 The Boy Friend, Fresno Community Theater 1958 September

Box 2:16

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0007 The Bright and Golden Land, the PAF Playhouse undated

Box 2:17-19

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0008-UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0010 The Desperate Hours, Fresno Community Theater 1957 April

Box 2:20

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0011 Fields, W.C. undated

Box 2:21-23

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0012-UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0014 Gang's All Here, Fresno Community Theater 1961 November

Box 2:24-26

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0015-UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0017 Inherit the Wind, Fresno Community Theater 1960 April

Box 2:27-29

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0018-UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0020 The Little Foxes, Fresno Community Theater 1956 December

Box 2:30

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0021 Male Animal, Fresno Community Theater 1955 October

Box 2:31

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0022 Man Who Came to Dinner, Sacramento Civic Theater 1944 November

Box 2:32-34

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0023-UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0025 Mister Roberts, Fresno Community Theater 1958 May

Box 2:35

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0026 Olivier, Laurence as Othello undated

Box 2:36-38

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0027-UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0029 The Potting Shed, Fresno Community Theater 1958 March

Box 2:39-41

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0030-UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0032 Reclining Figure, Fresno Community Theater 1956 January

Box 2:42-44

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0033-UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0035 Time Limit, Fresno Community Theater 1957 October

Box 2:45

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0036 Tomes, Joseph in Lincoln Portrait 1955 February

Box 2:46-47

UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0037-UCD.PIC.D066.2011.0039 The Vinegar Tree, Fresno Community Theater 1958 January