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Hellman (Florence Marx) Theatrical Diaries
mssHM 62931-62946  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Conditions Governing Access
  • Conditions Governing Use
  • Preferred Citation
  • Immediate Source of Acquisition
  • Biographical / Historical
  • Scope and Contents
  • Processing Information
  • Arrangement

  • Contributing Institution: The Huntington Library
    Title: Florence Marx Hellman theatrical diaries
    Creator: Hellman, Florence Marx
    Identifier/Call Number: mssHM 62931-62946
    Physical Description: 2 Linear Feet (16 volumes)
    Date (inclusive): 1903-1942
    Abstract: Theatrical diaries kept by Florence Marx Hellman of Los Angeles, California.
    Language of Material: Materials are in English.

    Conditions Governing Access

    Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

    Conditions Governing Use

    The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item]. Florence Marx Hellman theatrical diaries, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

    Immediate Source of Acquisition

    Gift of Sandi Walker, June 2001.

    Biographical / Historical

    Florence Marx Hellman, wife of Irving Herman Hellman, a Los Angeles civil engineer and entrepreneur. The Hellmans were married on November 30, 1911 in Los Angeles. She died in Los Angeles in December 1962.

    Scope and Contents

    The diaries contain detailed descriptions and critiques of many plays, concerts and performers, with printed programs and photographs pasted into the volumes. The plays, operas and concerts were performed in theaters in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Venice, Paris, London, Berlin, Munich and Vienna. The diaries also discuss automobile trips that the Hellmans took in Europe, current fashions, social life, etc. The diaries cover many well-known actors, singers, dancers, composers, playwrights and members of the British Royal Family including: Zoe Akins, Queen Alexandra, Judith Anderson, Fred Astaire, Josephine Baker, Tallulah Bankhead, J.M. Barrie, Ethel Barrymore, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore, Sarah Bernhardt, Jack Buchanan, Billie Burke, Enrico Caruso, Noel Coward, Isadora Duncan, Queen Elizabeth II, Edith Evans, Geraldine Farrar, Lynn Fontanne, John Gielgud, Helen Hayes, Leslie Howard, Charles Laughton, Gertrude Lawrence, Alfred Lunt, W. Somerset Maugham, Henry Miller, Vaslaw Nijinsky, Anna Pavlova, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Will Rogers and Peggy Wood. All of the volumes are in poor condition with loose covers, pages and bindings, but no pages or text have been lost.

    Processing Information

    Collection was processed by Gayle M. Richardson in August 2005. In 2021, Brooke M. Black created a finding aid.

    Arrangement

    Arranged chronologically.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Automobile travel -- England
    Fashion -- Great Britain -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
    Fashion -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
    Theater and society -- California
    Theater -- Europe -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
    Theater -- Great Britain -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
    Theater -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
    England -- Description and travel
    Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 20th century
    United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century
    Diaries -- United States -- 20th century
    Scrapbooks -- United States -- 20th century
    Theater programs -- United States -- 20th century
    Akins, Zoë, 1886-1958
    Alexandra, Queen, consort of Edward VII, King of Great Britain, 1844-1925
    Anderson, Judith, 1897-1992
    Astaire, Fred
    Baker, Josephine, 1906-1975
    Bankhead, Tallulah, 1902-1968
    Barrie, J. M. (James Matthew), 1860-1937
    Barrymore, Ethel, 1879-1959
    Barrymore, John, 1882-1942
    Barrymore, Lionel, 1878-1954
    Bernhardt, Sarah, 1844-1923
    Buchanan, Jack, 1890-1957
    Burke, Billie, 1885-1970
    Caruso, Enrico, 1873-1921
    Coward, Noel, 1899-1973
    Duncan, Isadora, 1877-1927
    Elizabeth, Queen, consort of George VI, King of Great Britain, 1900-2002
    Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain, 1926-
    Evans, Edith, 1888-1976
    Farrar, Geraldine, 1882-1967
    Fontanne, Lynn
    George V, King of Great Britain, 1865-1936
    George VI, King of Great Britain, 1895-1952
    Gielgud, John, 1904-2000
    Hayes, Helen, 1900-1993
    Howard, Leslie, 1893-1943
    Laughton, Charles, 1899-1962
    Lawrence, Gertrude
    Lunt, Alfred.
    Margaret, Princess, Countess of Snowdon, 1930-2002
    Mary, Queen, consort of George V, King of Great Britain, 1867-1953
    Maugham, W. Somerset (William Somerset), 1874-1965
    Miller, Henry, 1889-1927
    Nijinsky, Vaslaw, 1890-1950
    Pavlova, Anna, 1881-1931
    Rachmaninoff, Sergei, 1873-1943
    Rogers, Will, 1879-1935
    Windsor, Edward, Duke of, 1894-1972
    Wood, Peggy, 1892-1978