Finding aid for the Donald Randolph papers
Processed by Lauren Jung with assistance from Julie Graham; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé after initial
encoding by Julie Graham.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1575
(310) 825-4988
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
©2014 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Title: Donald Randolph papers
Collection number: 2125
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
1.75 linear ft.
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1935-1957
Date (inclusive): 1930-1979
Abstract: Donald Randolph was a stage, film, television, and radio actor. The collection includes two scrapbooks of programs and clippings
documenting a number of projects in which Randolph was involved, photographs, and a small amount of ephemera, correspondence,
and writings by Randolph.
Language of Materials: English
Physical Location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Creator:
Randolph, Donald
Restrictions on Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Donald Randolph papers (Collection 2125). Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, UCLA.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of Stanley Waxman, August 1993.
Biography/History
Donald Randolph was born in 1906 in Cape Town, South Africa. At the end of his second year of college, he began working for
a mattress firm in Chicago, and in his spare time he joined a small theatrical group called the Dill Pickle Club. After moving
to Los Angeles, Randolph began acting in 1926, landing a part in the west coast production of “Desire Under the Elms.” His
next connection was with the San Bernardino Broadway Players, appearing in a large number of plays throughout California.
In 1928 he became the leading man for the Fulton Stock Company in Oakland, California, where he appeared in thirty plays in
one season.
Randolph moved to the east coast to pursue his growing career. He first joined the Jessie Bonstelle Stock Company in Detroit;
he then made his Broadway debut in 1932 in "Fatal Alibi," in which he played the family butler. He subsequently appeared in
more than 35 Broadway shows in featured and starring roles.
In 1937 Randolph joined Maurice Evans' Shakespearian Company and for three seasons played Bolingbroke in "Richard III," Horatio
in "Hamlet" and the Earl of Worcester in "Henry IV." For his performance as Bolingbroke, he earned him a New York critics
honor as the best supporting actor on Broadway between 1937 and 1940.
Other productions followed, most notably “Angel Street” and in 1941 Randolph appeared with Gertrude Lawrence in the acclaimed
"Lady in the Dark."
During World War II, Randolph entertained the troops in the Mediterranean under the USO. For eight months he directed and
performed in “Blithe Spirit,” which also starred Annabella, and for this contribution he received a Civilian Service Emblem.
In 1946, Randolph returned to the Broadway stage in the starring role of "Life With Father," one of the longest-running Broadway
hits in the history of the American theater. After one year, he left Broadway and went to Hollywood where he pursued a film
career, appearing in numerous motion pictures, including "Mask for Lucretia, ""Bride of Vengeance," "The Silver Chalice,"
"The Khyber Patrol," "The Rawhide Years" and "Gunsmoke." In between films, he also appeared in television soap operas and
sit-coms, as well as occasional stage appearances in Southern California.
Randolph served for many years on the board of the Screen Actors Guild and in 1985 he received a Resolution of Commendation
for having served more than 20 years on the board of trustees of the SAG-Producers pension and health plans.
Donald Randolph died on March 16, 1993 in Los Angeles, California. Biographical information provided by donor Stanley Waxman,
in 1993.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of two scrapbooks, photographs, and a small amount of material from professional affiliations related
to the career of actor Donald Randolph. The two scrapbooks represent Randolph’s career from the 1930s-1950s and consists of
clippings, programs, and ephemera. The photographs are mostly stills from theatre and film productions. There are 3 typescript
writings that appear to be dramatizations, one written by Randolph; and a small number of items representing Randolph’s professional
affiliations including
Organization and Arrangement
The collection is arranged into the following series:
- 1. Photographs
- 2. Scrapbooks and Ephemera
- 3. Scripts
- 4. Professional Affiliations.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Randolph, Donald -- Archives
Actors--United States--Archives.
Photographs.
no date, ca. 1930s-1950s.
Language of Material:
English
Scope and Content
The series consists of production stills, a small number of headshots, and what appears to family and/or personal photographs.
The series is arranged into four subseries: Personal Photographs, Stage Projects, Motion Picture Projects, Radio Projects,
and Unidentified Projects. The bulk of the stills represent stage and film projects in which Randolph was involved, such as
the stage productions of The Heiress, Lady in the Dark, and Life with Father, and the films Bride of Vengeance, Cowboy, and
Under the Gun . Also included are photographs of others inscribed to Randolph. The files are arranged alphabetically within
each subseries.
Box 1, Folder 21
Photographs.
(no date, ca. 1920s-1940s,1979).
Language of Material:
English
Scope and Content
Appears to be personal and/or family related.
Box 1, Folder 22
Photographs of others that are inscribed to Randolph.
(no date, 1940, 1945).
Language of Material:
English
Stage Projects.
(no date, 1944, 1946-1947).
Box 1, Folder 1
Angel Street.
(no date, 1944).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 2
Blithe Spirit.
(no date, 1944).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 3
Green Beetle (The).
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 4
Heiress (The).
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 5
I Like It Here.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 6
Lady in the Dark.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 7
Life with Father.
(no date, 1946-1947).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 8
Maurice Evan's Theater Company.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 2, Folder 2
Naked Genius (The).
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 9
Ten Nights in a Bar Room.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 10
Stars Weep (The).
(1947).
Language of Material:
English
Motion Picture Projects.
(no date, ca. 1940s-1950s).
Box 2, Folder 1
Bride of Vengeance.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 11
Bride of Vengeance.
(no date, 1948).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 12
Cowboy.
(1957).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 13
Fourteen Hours.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 14
Gambling House.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 15
Golden Horde (The).
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 16
Purple Mask (The).
(1954).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 17
Rogues of Sherwood Forest.
(1946).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 18
Under the Gun.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Radio Projects.
(1950-1951).
Box 1, Folder 19
Armed Forces Radio Service.
(1950-1951).
Language of Material:
English
Unidentified Projects.
(no date).
Box 1, Folder 20
Headshots of Randolph.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 21
Unidentified Performances.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Scrapbooks and Ephemera.
(no date, 1935-1958).
Language of Material:
English
Scope and Content
The series consists of 2 scrapbooks and a small amount of ephemera representing Randolph’s career from the 1930s-1950s. The
scrapbooks contain of an assortment of clippings, programs, and other ephemera. The ephemera includes posters for
Blithe Spirits, a placard for
Second Threshold, and articles from The Stars and Stripes Armed Forces daily newspaper. There is no particular arrangement to the series.
Box 2, Folder 6
Scrapbook.
(1935-1947).
Language of Material:
English
Scope and Content
Mainly news paper clippings and programs representing project in which Randolph was involved.
Box 2, Folder 7
Scrapbook.
(1946-1958).
Language of Material:
English
Scope and Content
Mainly news paper clippings and programs representing project in which Randolph was involved.
Box 1, Folder 24
Blithe Spirit programs and posters.
(no date, ca. 1940s).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 25
Il Resto del Carlino (Italian news publication).
(1945).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 26
Lady in the Dark program.
(no date).
Box 2, Folder 5
Life with Father - Seagram's Gin advertisement.
(1946).
Language of Material:
English
Scope and Content
May be from Life Magazine.
Box 1, Folder 27
Maurice Evans programs.
ca. 1930s.
Language of Material:
English
Box 2, Folder 4
Second Threshold placard.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 28
Second Threshold London review proof.
(1952).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 29
Stars and Stripes (The) news publication articles.
(1945).
Language of Material:
English
Box 2, Folder 3
Walt Disney's Dumbo sheet music.
(1941).
Language of Material:
English
Scripts Material.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Scope and Content
The scripts material includes:
Murder By Genius, a short dramatization of
Miracle of the Fifteen Murderers by Randolph; a satirical melodramette titled
Midsummer Night's Nightmare, and
Double Exposure adapted from a yarn by Jack Dolph. The series is arranged alphabetically by title.
Box 1, Folder 30
Double Exposure adapted from a yarn by Jack Dolph.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 31
Midsummer Nights Nightmare satirical melodramette.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 32
Murder By Genius by Randolph.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Scope and Content
Short dramatization of Miracle of the Fifteen Murderers.
Professional Affiliations.
(no date, 1961-1963).
Language of Material:
English
Scope and Content
The Professional Affiliations series consists of certificates, correspondence, and ephemera that highlight Randolph’s participation
in professional organizations including the Masquers Club and the Screen Actors Guild. The series is arranged alphabetically
by folder title.
Box 1, Folder 33
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences member certificate.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 34
Actor's Fund of America certificate.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 36
Masquers (The) photographs.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 37
Masquers (The) programs.
(1961-1963).
Language of Material:
English
Box 2
Masquers (The) photograph (rolled).
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 38
Masquers (The) [writings by Randolph].
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 35
Screen Actor's Guild Producers Pension Fund letters written by Randolph.
(no date).
Language of Material:
English
