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Guide to the Ellis Family Theater Memorabilia Collection
MS-0106
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Collection Title: Ellis Family Theater Memorabilia Collection
Dates: 1887-1959
Identification: MS-0106
Creator:
Ellis Family
Physical Description: 3.00 linear ft
Language of Materials:
English
Repository:
Special Collections & University Archives
5500 Campanile Dr. MC 8050
San Diego, CA, 92182-8050
URL: http://library.sdsu.edu/scua
Email: scref@rohan.sdsu.edu
Phone: 619-594-6791
The Ellis Family theatrical history began in 1859 when Edward Charles Ellis, age 14, left home and made his stage debut as
a blackface comedian. This performance marked the beginning of over 100 years in theater for the Ellis Family.
Beginning in approximately 1900, Edward's daughter, Edith Ellis, wrote three dozen plays for production on Broadway, elsewhere
in the United States, and in London. Edward's son, also Edward Ellis, had a successful career on Broadway and went on to Hollywood.
Granddaughter Ellis Baker acted on Broadway, performed the successful "Showoff" in London, and headed acting companies across
America. She retired to Escondido, California in 1979.
This collection is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
Ellis family -- Archives
Personal Papers
Photographs
Publications
Baker, Ellis, actress
Ellis, Edith, 1876-1961 -- Archives
Ellis, Edward Charles, b. 1845 -- Archives
Ellis, Edward, 1870-1952 -- Archives
Kelly, George, 1887-1974. Showoff
Actresses -- United States -- Biography
American drama
American drama (Comedy)
Bijou Theater (St. Paul, Minn.)
Motion picture plays, American
Playbills -- Specimens
Theaters -- Minnesota -- St. Paul
The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with
the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections
is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Requests for permission to publish must be
submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission
is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission
of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available
for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including
but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.
This collection is open for research.
Identification of item, folder title, box number, Ellis Family Theater Memorabilia Collection, Special Collections and University
Archives, Library and Information Access, San Diego State University.
The Ellis Family Collection consists of theater and movie scripts by Edith and Edward Ellis, playbills, programs, reviews,
photographs, and information about the Ellis family, specifically Edith Ellis. Also included are movie house ledgers, movie
production picture magazines, posters, and promotional photographs from the Bijou Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota. Its connection
with the Ellis Family is unclear; possibly the theater was operated by the Ellis Family.