Florence Marx Hellman Theatrical Diaries mssHM 62931-62946
Gayle M. Richardson and Brooke M. Black
The Huntington Library
March 2021
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
reference@huntington.org
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
Theatre record HM 62931
1903-1908
Theatre record HM 62932
1906-1907
Places visited/illustrated HM 62933
1907-1908
Theatre record HM 62934
1908-1909
Theatre record HM 62935
1909
Theatre record HM 62936
1909
Theatre record HM 62937
1909-1911
Theatre record HM 62938
1910-1912
Theatre record HM 62939
1915-1917
Theatre record HM 62940
1918-1924
Theatre record HM 62941
1924-1925
Theatre record HM 62942
1925-1928
Theatre record HM 62943
1929-1930
Theatre record HM 62944
1930-1932
Theatre record HM 62945
1932-1938
Theatre record HM 62946
1938-1942
