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.
Collection Contents
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 1:7
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 1:15
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 1:39
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 1:44
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 1:48
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 1:52
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.
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
