Contributing Institution: UCLA Library Special Collections

Title: Eileen Barton sound recording collection

Creator: Barton, Eileen

Identifier/Call Number: PASC-M.0256

Physical Description: 5 Linear Feet (10 boxes)

Date (inclusive): circa 1940-1999

Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Language of Material: Materials are in English.

Portions of collection unprocessed. Audio materials are unavailable for access. Please contact Special Collections reference (spec-coll@library.ucla.edu) for more information.

CONTAINS UNPROCESSED AUDIO MATERIALS: Audio materials are not currently available for access and will require further processing and assessment. If you have questions about this material please email spec-coll@library.ucla.edu.

Property rights to the physical objects belong to the UCLA Library Special Collections. All other 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.

Collections are processed to a variety of levels depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived user interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides a standard level of preservation and access for all collections and, when time and resources permit, conducts more intensive processing. These materials have been arranged and described according to national and local standards and best practices.

UCLA Catalog Record ID: 6165112 

"Eileen Barton (born 24 November 1920, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA, died 27 June 2006, Hollywood, California, USA) appeared on stage as a toddler with her parents, vaudevillians Benny and Elsie Barton. Barton went on to appear with Rudy Vallee, Milton Berle and others, mainly on radio, and understudied Nancy Walker, herself then a newcomer, in Best Foot Forward (1941) on Broadway. In the early 40s, Barton was often on radio with Frank Sinatra, with whom her father had a business relationship in a music publishing company. Later in the decade she was on radio's Teen Timers and her own programme, The Eileen Barton Show. In 1949 Barton made a record that might have seemed like a fill-in at the time but which proved to be a huge hit in her homeland, spending 12 weeks of at number 1. This was 'If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked A Cake', on the National Records label, with which she was ever afterwards associated. The success of this record led to Barton appearing often in cabaret and she made other records, of which 'Sway' and 'I'm Gonna Hang My Hat On The Tree That Grows In Brooklyn' were moderately popular but nothing ever came close to her big hit. Barton appeared in a few films, in bit parts or as herself, including Show For Sale (1937), College Capers (1954) and Promises! Promises! (1963). On television she appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show a few times in the early 50s, and in episodes of series such as The Swift Show (1948), The Big Record and Video Village (both 1958). From the 50s, for a few years Barton appeared at supper clubs, hotels and casinos in major resorts. The year of Barton's birth was often claimed to be 1929, although at the time of her death 1925 was suggested. Of these dates 1929 seems least likely and 1925 rather speculative." (Source: Encylopedia of Popular Music).

Collection consists of sound recordings made by and collected by singer, Eileen Barton.