Finding Aid to the Tony Reyes Papers, 1950-2003 Coll2013.021

Finding aid prepared by Daniel Priore
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California, 90007
(213) 741-0094
askone@ONEarchives.org
© 2013


Title: Tony Reyes papers
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2013.021
Contributing Institution: ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Language of Material: English
Physical Description: 5.0 linear feet. 1 archive box, 2 archive cartons, and 2 flat boxes
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1960-1990
Date (inclusive): 1950-2003
Abstract: Tony Reyes was a Los Angeles based entertainer and a founding member of ONE Incorporated with his partner Don Slater. This collection primarily consists of music recordings, photographs, newspaper clippings, letters, and clothing regarding Reyes' entertainment career, but does also include personal travel and art photographs as well as pre-1964 ONE Incorporated event recordings.
Language of Materials: The bulk of these materials are in English, however some articles and audiotapes are in Spanish.
creator: Reyes, Tony (Antonio), circa 1929-2003

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.

Preferred Citation

[Box/folder #, or item name] Tony Reyes Papers, Coll2013-021, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Scope and Contents

The collection comprises music recordings, photographs, newspaper clippings, letters, and clothing regarding Reyes' personal life and entertainment career, 1950-2003. The materials document his days as a flamenco dancer at various entertainment venues throughout Los Angeles as well as his development as a dancer, musician, singer, and teacher. Photographs include images documenting his personal life, art, travel, and entertainment career. The bulk of the audiotapes contains music Reyes used or created for performing or teaching dance, music, and singing. Other audiotapes contain early recordings from ONE Incorporated meetings, lectures, and conferences, including a recording of the 1955 Midwinter Institute.

Biography

Tony Reyes was a Los Angeles based entertainer and founding member of ONE Incorporated. He began his career as a flamenco dancer on Olvera Street and eventually expanded into various genres of dance, music, and singing as a performer and teacher. Reyes was together with his partner Don Slater for over 50 years and had been actively involved with Slater at ONE Incorporated from 1952-1964. Reyes became an amateur painter later in his life.

Separated Materials

Removed to the ONE audiovisual collection
ONE Incorporated event recordings, catalog numbers ARR0089-ARR0116
Removed to the Jim Kepner Papers
Figures in German History and Shots of Keval - photograph negative reel
Toward Tomorrow, no.1 (1944)
Removed to the ONE periodical collection
Toward Tomorrow - Issue #1
Voice of Imagi-Nation - November 1941, Issue # 19
Voice of Imagi-Nation - January 1942, Issue # 20
Voice of Imagi-Nation - February 1942, Issue # 21
Voice of Imagi-Nation - VoM Suppl, Issue # 23
Voice of Imagi-Nation - August 1942, Issue # 24
Voice of Imagi-Nation - 1942, Issue # 25
Voice of Imagi-Nation - November 1942, Issue # 26
Voice of Imagi-Nation - September 1943, Issue # 27
Voice of Imagi-Nation - November 1943, Issue # 28
Voice of Imagi-Nation - January 1944, Issue # 29
Voice of Imagi-Nation - 1944, Issue # 30
Voice of Imagi-Nation - 1944, Issue # 31
Voice of Imagi-Nation - May 1944, Issue # 32
Voice of Imagi-Nation - June 1944, Issue # 33
Voice of Imagi-Nation - July 1944, Issue # 34
Voice of Imagi-Nation - August 1944, Issue # 35
Voice of Imagi-Nation - October 1944, Issue # 36
Voice of Imagi-Nation - December 1944, Issue # 37
Voice of Imagi-Nation - January 1945, Issue # 38
Voice of Imagi-Nation - January 1945, Issue # 39
Voice of Imagi-Nation - March 1945, Issue # 40
Voice of Imagi-Nation - April 1945, Issue # 41
Voice of Imagi-Nation - May 1945, Issue # 42
Voice of Imagi-Nation - June 1945, Issue # 43
Voice of Imagi-Nation - July 1945, Issue # 44
Voice of Imagi-Nation - August 1945, Issue # 45
Voice of Imagi-Nation - September 1945, Issue # 46
Voice of Imagi-Nation - October 1945, Issue # 47
Voice of Imagi-Nation - November 1945, Issue # 48
Voice of Imagi-Nation - July 1946, Issue # 49
Voice of Imagi-Nation - 1946, Issue # 50

Acquisition

Date and method of acquisition unknown.

Processing Information

The newspaper scrapbook was formerly in box 102-A131. Collection processed by Daniel Priore, March 2013.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries 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.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

ONE, Inc.
Audiotapes
Flamenco
Gay activists--California--Los Angeles

 

Tony Reyes papers 1950-2003

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of reel-to-reel audiotapes, 33 rpm records, and photographs regarding the entertainment career and personal life of Tony Reyes, 1950-2003. To a lesser extent, the collection also includes correspondence, flyers, performance programs, and clippings as well as recordings of ONE Incorporated events from 1955-1963, including the 1955 Midwinter Institute. The bulk of the photographs consists of headshots and other entertainment photographs of Reyes, but also includes signed photographs of other entertainers. The collection includes a Flamenco outfit with dancing shoes that Reyes used for his performances.

Arrangement

This series is arranged in alphabetical order by subject material.
Box 1, Folder 1

Accordion photographs 1976, 1990

Scope and Contents note

6 black-and-white photographs (including duplicates) and 1 negative of Reyes with an accordion.
Box 2, Folder 1

Artwork photograph album Undated

Physical Description: [orange/pink album cover with an image of a white cat with a blue hat]

Scope and Contents

33 color photographs of original artwork by Tony Reyes along with 2 small postcard size paintings.
Box 1, Folder 2

Autographed photographs 1959-1971

Scope and Contents note

31 autographed black-and-white photographs of various entertainers.
Box 1, Folder 3

Casa Escobar photographs Undated

Scope and Contents note

3 black-and-white photographs and 7 black-and-white negatives of the Casa Escobar restaurant. Also includes a photocopied image of a young Tony Reyes.
Box 5, Folder 1

Clippings and flyers Undated

Physical Description: [oversized]
Box 1, Folder 4

Country-western photographs 1990

Scope and Contents note

3 photographs (including duplicates) of Reyes in country-western attire.
Box 1, Folder 5

Dagoberto Reyes 1982

Scope and Contents note

Articles on artist Dagoberto Reyes.
Box 1, Folder 6

Dancer photographs 1985, undated

Scope and Contents note

14 black-and-white photographs of various dancers, including Tony.
Box 1, Folder 7

El Paseo Inn flyers Undated

Box 1, Folder 8

El Paseo photographs Undated

Scope and Contents note

4 black-and-white photographs (including duplicates) of Reyes for publicizing his El Paseo Inn performances.
Box 2, Folder 4

Entertainment photograph album Undated

Physical Description: [off-white cover with gold trim]

Scope and Contents

83 black-and-white photographs featuring a young Tony Reyes and partners in dance, music, and singing poses. Included are flyers, clippings and two drawings of Reyes.
Box 1, Folder 9

Entertainment photographs Undated

Scope and Contents note

14 publicity photographs (including duplicates) and 5 negatives of Reyes in professional entertainer attire. One of the photographs was signed by Reyes.
Box 5, Folder 2

Entertainment photographs Undated

Physical Description: [oversized]

Scope and Contents

8 enlarged entertainment photographs of Tony Reyes and other entertainers, including 2 signed by female entertainers. 1 photograph of Tony Reyes is a mounted 18 x 24 inch poster.
Box 2, Folder 2

European vacation photograph album 1979

Physical Description: [green album cover]

Scope and Contents

48 color photographs of Reyes' European travels. Also includes 10 pages of clippings from vacation brochures.
Box 4

Flamenco dancing shoes

Garment-bag 1

Flamenco costume

Scope and Contents note

The Tony Reyes flamenco costume includes a red and yellow cape, turquoise vest, and white ruffled shirt.
Box 1, Folder 10

Guitar photographs 1960, 1970

Scope and Contents note

7 black-and-white photographs (including duplicates) and 1 black-and-white negative of Reyes with a guitar.
Box 1, Folder 11

Headshots

Scope and Contents note

24 black-and-white photographs (including duplicates) and 8 negatives of Tony Reyes for professional use.
Box 2, Folder 3

Janina and Antonio photograph album 1979-1980, undated

Physical Description: [green album cover]

Scope and Contents note

143 color and black-and-white photographs of Reyes with Janina Laufer on vacation and at weddings as well as 4 photographs of Reyes at a younger age.
Box 1, Folder 12

Naila and Antonio oriental duet with tambourine 1989

Scope and Contents note

5 black-and-white photographs (including duplicates) and 3 negatives of Reyes with partner Nalia in their oriental duet attire.
Box 3

Music recordings 1962-1964

General Physical Description note: [11 7-inch reel-to-reel audiotapes, 7 5-inch reel-to-reel audiotapes, 5 3-inch reel-to-reel audiotapes, 11 33rpm records, 3 empty but labeled reel-to-reel containers, 2 empty but labeled records sleeves, and 1 loose 3x5-inch card label]

Scope and Contents

The audio reels consist of piano, guitar, orchestral, and singing music for Tony Reyes' dance, music, and voice performances and/or lessons. The recordings include music for the waltz, tango, rumba, swing, cha cha, samba, and flamenco. The audio reels contain piano music recorded by Janina Laufer as well as guitar music and singing by Reyes. One record contains an autograph by Graciela Flores, another a live recording of Reyes with others on Olvera Street. One reel is labeled as "Sleep Tape: Invocation of Thoth."
Box 4

Music recordings 1963-1996

General Physical Description note: [22 5-inch reel-to-reel audiotapes]

Scope and Contents

The audio reels consist of piano, guitar, orchestral, and singing music for Tony Reyes' dance, music, and voice performances and lessons. The reels include singing performances by Tony Reyes and piano music played by Janina Laufer and Ms. Franco. One reel contains a compilation from Don Slater's favorite records.
Box 2, Folder 5

Newspaper scrapbook 1950-1979

Physical Description: [red album cover]

Scope and Contents

Scrapbook of newspaper articles, flyers, and advertisements for shows hosted by Tony Reyes.
 

ONE Incorporated recordings 1955-1963

General Physical Description note: [28 reel-to-reel audiotapes]

Scope and Contents note

The audio reels contain recordings of various programs, panels, lectures, and discussions hosted by ONE Incorporated, including the 1955 Midwinter Institute. The recordings also include broadcast tapes concerning gay and lesbian issues, often involving a member of ONE Incorporated. For more information, refer to catalog numbers ARR0089-ARR0116 in the ONE audiovisual collection.
Box 1, Folder 13

Orchestra negative 1976

Scope and Contents note

1 negative of a pianist and drummer.
Box 1, Folder 14

Personal papers 1990-2003, undated

Scope and Contents note

Performance and teaching flyers, clippings, and correspondence. Includes Reyes' entertainment resume and a one page biography of his entertainment career.
Box 1, Folder 15

Personal photographs 1979-1990, undated

Scope and Contents note

23 color and black-and-white photographs of Tony Reyes with friends and family including his partner Don Slater. Also includes 8 black-and-white photographs and 1 black-and-white negative of Reyes' artwork as well as 4 black-and-white photographs of Louise's [no last name given] family from what appears to be the early twentieth century.
Box 1, Folder 16

Reyes Troupe advertisement

Box 1, Folder 17

Singing photographs 1987

Scope and Contents note

3 black-and-white photographs (including duplicates) and 1 black-and-white negative of Reyes singing.
Box 1, Folder 18

"Those Were the Days"

Scope and Contents note

Sheet music and song lyrics.
Box 1, Folder 19

Tropicana program