Guide to the George Sumner Albee Papers, [ca. 1929-1958]

Processed by The Bancroft Library staff

The Bancroft Library.

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, California, 94720-6000

Phone: (510) 642-6481

Fax: (510) 642-7589

Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu

URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu

Note

This finding aid has been filmed for the National Inventory of Documentary Sources in the United States (Chadwyck-Healey Inc.).

Note

Arts and Humanities --Literature --American Literature

Guide to the George Sumner Albee Papers, [ca. 1929-1958]

Collection number: BANC MSS C-H 120

The Bancroft Library

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, California

Contact Information:

The Bancroft Library.
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu

Processed by:: The Bancroft Library staff
Date Completed:: Jan. 9, 1962
Encoded by:: James Lake

Collection Summary

Collection Title: George Sumner Albee Papers,

Date (inclusive): [ca. 1929-1958]

Collection Number: BANC MSS C-H 120

Creator: Albee, George Sumner, 1905-1964

Extent: Number of containers: 3 boxes, 1 carton and 2 v.

Repository: The Bancroft Library

Berkeley, California 94720-6000

Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Abstract: Mainly correspondence and manuscripts of his novels and short stories. Some royalty statements, contracts and financial papers also included.

Languages Represented: English

Information for Researchers

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library 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 reader.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], George S. Albee Papers, BANC MSS C-H 120, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Biographical Sketch

George Sumner Albee was born in Wisconsin, May 12, 1905. After the death of his father, he was taken by his mother to California. He graduated from the University of California in 1927 and then traveled in France, North Africa, China and Japan. He returned to Los Angeles, writing for the motion picture studios and fan magazines. In the mid-thirties he moved to New York City to concentrate on a writing career. Failing to find a publisher immediately, he worked for an advertising agency and wrote commercials for the DuPont radio program, Cavalcade of America. During the war, he worked for the Treasury Department, writing bond-selling speeches.

Mr. Albee has written a number of short stories, published in such magazines as Saturday Evening Post, McCall's, Cosmopolitan and Collier's. His novels include Not In a Day (1935), Young Robert (1937), Girl on the Beach (1953), and The Boys (1957). He died in Sarasota, Florida, on January 28, 1964.

Scope and Content

Mr. Albee presented his papers to Bancroft Library in September-October 1960. Covering the period 1929 to 1958, they consist mainly of letters written to him, carbon copies of some of his outgoing correspondence and manuscripts of short stories and novels. Included also are some royalty statements, contracts, clippings, and miscellaneous financial Papers.

Boxes 1 & 2

Letters written to Albee.

Scope and Content Note

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name of individual or organization. Single letters have been placed in miscellanies preceding each letter of the alphabet. Miscellaneous fan letters & unidentified correspondents are at the end of the file. A list of the more important correspondents is appended to this report.

Box 3

Letters written by Albee.

Additional Note

Carbon copies, arranged chronologically, 1929-1958. The file is obviously incomplete.

Personalia

Royalty statements

Reviews, clippings, etc.

Contracts and leases

Financial records, etc.

Ctn. 1 & vols.

Mss. of short stories, novels, novellas, radio scripts, etc., including The Boys, By the Sea, The Honorables, The Sunday Past, Waste Products, Young Robert, The Old Fool.

A - Miscellany

Acheson, Barclay

Letter, June 9, 1938

Adams, James Truslow

Letter, May 17, 1931

American Mercury

3 letters, 1930

Scope and Content Note

Signed by Charles Angoff and H. L. Mencken.

Ballantine Books, Inc.

4 letters, 1958

Scope and Content Note

Written mainly by Joan Seidenman.

Boodin, John Elof

9 letters, 1940-1942

The Bookman

5 letters, 1930-1932

Scope and Content Note

Written by Seward Collins and Dorothea Brande.

C - Miscellany

Clair, Rene

Letter, Aug. 26, 1931

Dakers, Andrew Herbert, 1887-

14 letters, 1937-1942

E - Miscellany

Edman, Irwin

Letter, Dec. 10, 1940

Eunson, Dale

13 letters, 1932-1952

Scope and Content Note

Include letters written by his wife, Katherine (Katherine Albert).

Freeman, Joseph

2 letters, 1940-1951

G -Miscellany

Grayson, Charles

Letter, Mar. 28, 1941

Guinness, Alec

Letter, May 23, 1955

Good Housekeeping

2 letters, 1957-1958

H - Miscellany

Hardwicke, Cedric Webster, Sir

Letter, June 10, 1955

Hearst, William Randolph, (1908- )

Letter, Sept. 23, 1952

Hemingway, Ernest

5 letters, 1931-1932

K - Miscellany

Knopf (Alfred A.) Inc.

Letter, Apr. 29, 1935

Scope and Content Note

Signed by Blanche Knopf.

Kronenberger, Louis

5 letters, 1933-1935

Scope and Content Note

Some written for Alfred A. Knopf Inc.

L - Miscellany

Lerner, Alan Jay

[ca. July 1949]

Lowry, Malcolm

Letter, Mar. 17, 1957

Lehman, Benjamin Harrison

11 letters, 1929-1940

Lowry, Margerie (Mrs. Malcolm Lowry)

2 letters, 1958

M - Miscellany

MacLeish, Archibald

Letter, May 20, 1937

Morganthau, Henry

Letter, Nov. 24, 1943

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures

5 letters, 1949-1950

Scope and Content Note

Many signed by Dore Schary.

N - Miscellany

Nathan, Robert

Letter, Aug. 1, 1948

New Yorker

3 letters, 1952

Scope and Content Note

Written by Robert Henderson.

O - Miscellany

O'Brien, Edward Joseph Harrington

Letter, Dec. 22, 1932

R - Miscellany

Raine, Norman Reilly

Letter, Aug. 12, 1949

Reynal and Hitchcock, Inc.

Letter, Aug. 19, 1937

Scope and Content Note

Signed by Curtice Hitchcock.

Robinson, Edward G.

Letter, May 2, 1935

Roosevelt, Eleanor (Roosevelt)

Letter, Aug. 6, 1957

Rosenman, Samuel Irving

Letter, Oct. 16, 1943

Rukeyser, Muriel

Letter, Mar. 31, 1943

S - Miscellany

Saroyan, William

Letter, Mar. 30, 1934

Sinclair, Upton Beall

Letter, Nov. 1, 1933

Stegner, Wallace Earle

Letter, Mar. 16, 1951

Scribner's (Charles) Sons

10 letters, l930-1937

Scope and Content Note

Several written by Kyle S. Crichton.

Steinbeck, John

51 letters, 1930-1950

Scope and Content Note

With these: letter, Oct. 11, [1935] from Carol H. Steinbeck; and postcard, ca. Sept. 20, [1951] from Elaine S. Steinbeck.

T - Miscellany

Thompson, Dorothy

Letter, Jan. 12, 1937

Tully, Jim

2 letters, Oct. 17, 1930 & n.d.

V Miscellany

Vanity Fair

Letter, Oct. 9, 1930

Scope and Content Note

Signed by Clare Boothe Brokaw.

Villard, Oswald Garrison

Letter, Dec. 14, 1937

W Miscellany

Wood, Grant

Letter, Feb. 10, 1940

Wright, Richard

Letter, Apr. 30, 1940