The collection consists of textual and non-textual material related to the life and professional career of Benjamin Holzman (1891-1963), a newspaper show business critic and press agent, who worked and lived on both the East and West Coasts. Materials include professional and personal correspondence, photographs, pubicity releases for New York plays, theater programs, newspaper clippings, and autobiographical statments on Holzman's career. This last material (see Box 1, Folders 4 and 5) offers glimpses into life on Broadway and the United States theater in the 1920s. Of particular value is the correspondence and telegrams between Holzman and Florenz Ziegfeld (1867-1932), the great Broadway and show business producer. They treat publicity for the Ziegfeld Follies and musicals ("Kid Boots") and the promotion of Billie Burke. Also of interest are theater programs for such theater productions as "Showboat," "Kid Boots," and "Whoopee." The latter two productions starred Eddie Cantor, whose materials are found Series 2. Materials in this series include, among other things, Cantor's personal joke book, some correspondence, and film stills from the film "Roman Scandals."

Benjamin Holzman (1891-1963) was a New York newspaper Broadway and vaudeville critic; press agent, both in Los Angeles and New York; and the personal business manager of Eddie Cantor. A native New Yorker, Holzman began his newspaper work with the New York Press in 1910 or 1911 as the “cabaret editor," and then joined the New York Evening Mail in the same position in 1916, eventually becoming its “dramatic editor" (theater critic). In 1924, fearing the demise of the newspaper because of its purchase by Frank Munsey, Holzman became the head of the publicity department of the great producer Florenz Ziegfeld (1867-1932). In 1926 or 1927 Holzman then teamed with fellow newspaperman Nat Dorfman to form the first independent publicity firm for theater on Broadway. The two men represented the Broadway producer George White (1892-1968); Florenz Ziegfeld (again); Fox Film; the actor, comedian, and radio star Eddie Cantor (1892-1964); and the actor Jackie Coogan (1914-1984).

8 linear feet (5 archival document boxes, 4 oversize archival flat boxes, 1 map case drawer)

Materials in the Department of Archives and Special Collections may be subject to copyright. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, Loyola Marymount University does not claim ownership of the copyright of any materials in its collections. The user or publisher must secure permission to publish from the copyright owner. Loyola Marymount University does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or of publication rights held by the original author or artists or his/her heirs, assigns, or executors.

Collection is open to research under the terms of use of the Department of Archives and Special Collections, Loyola Marymount University.