Finding Aid to the Nudie's Rodeo Tailors Archives MSA.30
Holly Rose Larson and Marva Felchlin
Library and Archives at the Autry
2012 February 13
210 South Victory Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91502
rroom@theautry.org
Contributing Institution:
Library and Archives at the Autry
Title: Nudie's Rodeo Tailors Archives
Creator:
Kotlyarenko, Nuta
Creator:
Cohn, Nudie
Creator:
Nudie's Rodeo Tailors
Identifier/Call Number: MSA.30
Physical Description:
28 Linear Feet
(64 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1950-1994
Abstract: Nudie Cohn, born Nuta Kotlyrenko in Kiev (1902 December 15 - 1984 May 9), was a Russian immigrant who moved to America in
1913. Born into a family of boot makers and tailors, he made a name for himself in Western style tailoring. Nudie's custom
clothing was distinguished by its sharp fit and eye-catching embellishments. His work became famous in the Western music scene
in the 1950s, and his client base grew over four decades to include movie studios, movie stars, rock and roll musicians, and
equestrian parade participants. Nudie is famous for outfitting Roy Rogers in rhinestone-studded fringe, creating the gold
lamé suit Elvis wore in 1957, and the light-up suit donned by Robert Redford in
The Electric Horseman. The Nudie's Rodeo Tailors Archives collection spans 1950-1994 and includes customer clothing files, correspondence, boot
patterns, financial records, photographs, and publications.
Language of Material:
English
.
Conditions Governing Access
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is
given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include
or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Related Archival Materials
97.148 archival records and artifacts collection, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles.
Clothing and accessories collection, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles.
Grand Ole Opry Archives, Nashville, TN.
Arrangement
- Series 1: Billing
- Series 2: Boot Patterns and Boot Records
- Series 3: Clippings and Correspondence
- Series 4: Customer Accounts
- Series 5: Customer Address and Measurement Cards
- Series 6: Customer Clothing Files - Individuals
- Series 7: Customer Clothing Files - Groups
- Series 8: Photographs
- Series 9: Publications
All series are organized alphabetically by last name of individual customer or correspondent, name of group or organization,
or event or subject, as in the case of the Publications or Clippings files.
Processing History
Initial inventory, physical processing, and cataloging by Autry Museum of the American West staff. Additional processing
and finding aid completed by Holly Rose Larson, NHPRC Project Archivist, 2012 February 13, made possible through grant funding
from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Scope and Contents
The Nudie's Rodeo Tailors Archives document the business's activities from 1950 through the early 1990s. This archive is comprised
of nine series: Billing, Boot Patterns and Boot Records, Clippings and Correspondence, Customer Accounts, Customer Address
and Measurement Cards, Customer Clothing Files for Individuals, Customer Clothing Files for Groups, Photographs, and Publications.
The Customer Clothing Files for Individuals represent the bulk of the collection, and often contain fabric swatches and drawings
of individual items of clothing that Nudie was asked to design.
Customer records include Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Tanya Tucker, Conway Twitty, Hank Williams
and Tammy Wynette as well as Western movie and television stars such as Gene Autry, Smiley Burnett, Monte Hall, Montie Montana,
Clayton Moore, Tex Ritter and Roy Rogers. Files for famous movie, television and music personalities include Bob Dylan, George
Harrison, Janis Joplin, John Lennon, Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood, Gram Parsons, Elton John, Dennis Hopper, Keith Richards,
and Mick Jagger.
Biographical Note
Nudie Cohn (1902 December 15 - 1984 May 9) was a poor Russian immigrant who became one of the most famous and successful American
Western wear designers of the twentieth century. Born Nuta Kotlyrenko to a Jewish boot maker and his wife in Kiev, Nuta was
a tailor's apprentice by age eight. At age eleven he was sent to America with his older brother to take up residence with
relatives in Brooklyn, New York. At Ellis Island, his first name was misunderstood by immigration officers as "Nudie," and
the two brothers gave Cohn as their surname, to match their relatives in Brooklyn; thus Nudie Cohn was born.
Nudie tried his hand at many vocations, but the majority of his successful ventures were in tailoring. As a young man, he
bounced between Los Angeles and New York City, and on one of these trips met his wife, Helen Barbara Kruger, in Minnesota.
He nicknamed her "Bobbie," and they married on 1933 September 4.
In New York City they opened Nudie's for the Ladies, a boutique near Times Square that catered to burlesque dancers. It was
here that Nudie started exploring the use of rhinestones and fanciful costumes. The couple returned to Minnesota in 1936,
then moved with their two-year-old daughter Barbara to Los Angeles in 1940.
Nudie started to gain footing in Los Angeles with a dry cleaning and tailoring shop. His own designs began to bring in a
lot of work, but a dishonest partner ended that venture. He then started designing and manufacturing Western style shirts
for a wholesaler in North Hollywood. Again, he was met with quick success, but had to sell his part of the business after
a medical emergency depleted his finances in 1947.
Although he was a talented designer and tailor, a big part of Nudie's business success was his charisma. Tex Williams was
convinced that Nudie could be successful again, and Williams sold a horse and saddle to bankroll Nudie's next business venture,
which was to outfit Tex Williams and his new band. A huge crowd came to the Riverside Rancho to see the show, and the owner
of the club let Nudie display his designs there. That exposure, paired with Tex Williams raving about Nudie on the radio,
brought the success that Nudie and Tex were counting on.
Both Nudie and his wife Bobbie were charismatic and enjoyed a good time. Their home and tailoring studio became a regular
hang-out for Western musicians like Cliffie Stone, Spade Cooley, Hank Thompson, and Merle Travis who had suits made and often
stayed on, playing their instruments with Nudie on mandolin.
In 1950, Nudie was able to move his shop out of his home and open "Nudie's Rodeo Tailors and Western Equipment" on Victory
Boulevard in North Hollywood. Nudie's custom clothing was distinguished by its sharp fit and eye-catching embellishments.
Word of mouth brought many more entertainment industry customers like Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Gene Autry, and Monte Hale.
Movie and television studios hired Nudie for costume design. Customers also included equestrians requiring parade outfits
and rock 'n roll musicians. By 1954, Nudie employed 14 staffers. Nudie moved the business to a bigger shop on Lankershim Boulevard
in North Hollywood in 1963.
This location, complete with a horse statue out front, became a landmark in the San Fernando Valley.
Nudie's workshop employed Manuel Cuevas, a top name in today's Western couture world, shirts and pants maker Jaime Castaneda,
who is still in the tailoring business in North Hollywood, and master embroiderers Viola Grae and Rose Clements.
Nudie is famous for outfitting Roy Rogers in rhinestone-studded fringe, creating the gold lamé suit Elvis wore in 1957, and
the light-up suit donned by Robert Redford in
The Electric Horseman. Nudie's Rodeo Tailors' clientele list is impressive, boasting such stars as Rex Allen, Pee Wee King, Patsy Cline, Dolly
Parton, John Wayne, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Janis Joplin, Gram Parsons and the Flying Burrito Brothers.
Nudie was also known for his cars, including a 1950 Hudson, which were embellished with steer horns and silver dollars, and
for wearing mismatched boots—a nod, he says, to his impoverished childhood, when the only pair of shoes he had was mismatched
hand-me-downs. Although Nudie never met with success as a musician, he also recorded and released his own album, Nudie and
His Mandolin, in 1975.
Nudie retired from Nudie's Rodeo Tailors in the early 1980s, but his wife Bobbie and their granddaughter Jamie kept the business
running until 1995. Nudie's creations are celebrated today by museums, collectors and fans of his clothing. Permanent exhibitions
at institutions such as the Autry Museum of the American West (previously known as Autry National Center), the Country Music
Hall of Fame and Museum, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the Opryland Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution include
pieces by Nudie's Rodeo Tailors. Nudie's designs are sought after as collector's items and are still worn on stage by such
performers as Beck and Emmylou Harris.
Acquisition
Donated by Helen B. Cohn, widow of Nudie, 1994 July 28.
Preferred Citation
Nudie's Rodeo Tailors Archives, 1950-1994, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MSA.30; [folder number] [folder title][date].
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Financial records
Costume design
Costume designers -- Biography
Costume designers -- United States -- Biography
Cowboys -- Clothing
Manufacturers catalogs
Fashion -- United States -- History -- 20th century
Fashion -- West (U.S.)
Motion picture actors and actresses -- Clothing -- United States
Clothing and dress measurements
Clothing trade
Photographs
Commercial catalogs
Sales catalogs
Programs
Advertisements
Clippings
Correspondence
box 1-5
Billing
1950-1991
Scope and Contents
These are the ledger book pages for individual and group customers, including contact information, purchase order details,
and financial records. Some files also include correspondence and notes interfiled with the ledger sheets. Similar records
can be found in Series 4: Customer Accounts.
box 6-14, 64
Boot patterns and boot records
1950-1985
Scope and Contents
This series includes patterns for boot embellishments as well as traced outlines of the feet of customers. Some of the foot
outlines are accompanied by the signatures of the customers. Customers include Gene Autry, Jackson Brown, Glen Campbell, Linda
Carter, Cher, Bob Dylan, Clint Eastwood, Jerry Garcia, Billy Gibbons, Merle Haggard, Chris Hillman, Dolly Parton, Robert Redford,
Ed Schafer, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Doc Severson, and Hank Williams, Jr.
box 15-17
Clippings and correspondence
1954-1979
Scope and Contents
This series includes clippings on Nudie, his suits, his cars, his clients, and his parade appearances, photographs, and obituaries.
Correspondence includes greeting cards, letters, and telegrams from friends and clients.
Arrangement
Items in this series are alphabetized by event, name of correspondent, name of format, name of publication, or topic.
box 18-20
Customer accounts
1955-1985
Scope and Contents
These are the ledger book pages for customers, including contact information, purchase order details, and financial records.
These files sometimes also include correspondence and notes interfiled with the ledger sheets. The majority of the files are
movie studio accounts. Similar records can be found in Series 1: Billing. Studio accounts in Series 4 include CBS, Columbia
Pictures Corporation, Disneyland/Walt Disney Prod., KTLA TV, MGM, NBC, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Universal Studios,
Viacom, Warner Brothers, and Western Costume.
Arrangement
The Customer Accounts series is divided into two sections: Studios and Other.
box 21-22
Customer address and measurement cards
circa 1955-1979
box 23-51
Customer clothing files - Individuals
1952-1993
Scope and Contents
This series includes files for individual customers, some of whom were sent by movie studios for costuming. Materials in
these files may include contact information, correspondence, ephemera, intake forms, measurements, photographs, sketches,
and swatches. Some of the clients are Gene Autry, Cher and Sonny Bono, David Byrne, James Caan, Johnny Cash, Dick Clark, James
Coburn, Tony Curtis, Cutter Bill, John Denver, Bob Dylan, Clint Eastwood, Chris Ethridge, Jerry Garcia, Elliot Gould, Merv
Griffin, Gene Hackman, George Harrison, Chris Hillman, David Hockney, Mick Jagger, Janis Joplin, Pee Wee King, Louis L'Amour,
K. D. Lang, Lash LaRue, Cloris Leachman, John Lennon, Gordon Lightfoot, Audie Murphy, Mike Nesmith, Harry Nilsson, Nick Nolte,
Phil Ochs, Graham Parsons, Dolly Parton, Bill Paxton, Slim Pickens, Elvis Presley, and Robert Redford.
box 52-56
Customer clothing files - Groups
1953-1992
Historical Note
This series includes a file of autographs Nudie collected for a plaque he made to present to the Grand Ole Opry from stars
in Hollywood. Nudie presented the plaque as a gesture from West Coast Country and Western music stars and Western film stars
to the Grand Ole Opry. The presentation was made during the short-lived Grand Ole Opry television series that was sponsored
by Purina in September 1956.
Scope and Contents
This series includes files where clothing was ordered for a group rather than an individual. Materials in these files may
include contact information, correspondence, ephemera, intake forms, measurements, photographs, sketches, and swatches. Some
of the intake forms and invoices have the heading "Nudie's Palace Barn Western Shop." This series includes a file of autographs
Nudie collected for the plaque he made to present to the Grand Ole Opry in 1956.
Group customer files include parade participants such as Shriner and Sherriff mounted patrols and posses, parade bands, and
Western bands like Porter Wagoner and Hank Williams, Jr.
box 57-58
Photographs
1950-1975
Scope and Contents
The photographs in this series depict Nudie Cohn, Bobbie Cohn, the staff of Nudie's Rodeo Tailors and Western Equipment, the
store interior, and men's and women's clothing and parade outfits. Other people featured in these photographs include Rex
Allen, Gene Autry, Johnnie Bias Arizona, "Lex" Blythe, Sterling Blythe, Don Churchill, The Collins Family, Doreen Dare, Curley
Gold, Dixie Grady, Chuck Hansen, Mike Harris and the Charmettes, Bill "Buckskin" Hale, Roy Hogsid Family, Sherry Lee, Piper
Lori, Butch Miller, Gene Palmer, Roy Rogers, Wes Schorr, Sagebrush Shorty, the Sneed Family, John Sonney, Barbara Walz, Dick
Wells, Curly Wiggins, and Tex Williams.
box 59-63
Publications
1950-1994
Arrangement
Box 59
Inside the Astrodome
Axton, Hoyt. Telephone Messages. 1974
Axton, Hoyt. Book of drawings, dated and inscribed to Nudie and
Bobbie, 1981.
Advertisement-Letter from Nudie's
Advertisement-The Apple Valley Story
Annual-"Big John" Hamilton Enterprises Annual Report
Business Cards
Calendar-Hank Thompson Photo Calendar
Catalog-Edward H. Bohlin 1 of 2
Catalog-Edward H. Bohlin 2 of 2
Comics-Wrangler Rodeo Series Book 16
Comics-Rocky Lane Western
Magazine-California Country, Jan. 1968
Magazine-Country Music, Dec. 1976
Magazine-Country Music, Nov. 1976
Magazine-Country Music, Aug. 1976
Magazine-Country Music, July 1976
Magazine-Country Music Life, Nov. 1965
Magazine-Country Music Report, Dec. 1963
Magazine-Country Music Report, Nov. 1963
Magazine-Country Music Report, Oct. 1963
Magazine-Country Music Report, Aug. 1963
Magazine-Country Music Review Yearbook, 1965
Box 60
Magazine-Country Music Review, 1965
Magazine-Country Music Review, Sept. 1965
Magazine-Country Music Review, June 1965
Magazine-Country Music Review, Apr. 1965
Magazine-Country Music Review, Nov.-Dec. 1964
Magazine-Country Music Review, Sept.-Oct. 1964
Magazine-Country Music Review, May 1964
Magazine-Country Music Review, Mar.-Apr. 1964
Magazine-Country Music Review, Jan. 1964
Magazine-Country Music Scrapbook
Magazine-Country Music Stars
Magazine-Country Song Roundup
Magazine-Country & Western Scrapbook
Magazine-Elvis in the Army
Magazine-Billy Gray
Magazine-The Gun Barrel, Sept.-Oct. 1955
Magazine-KERO- TV 10th Anniversary Picture Album
Box 61
Magazine-Jerry Lee Lewis
Magazine-Johnny Meeks
Magazine-Rodeo Sports News 1964
Magazine-The Hank Snow 25th Aniv. Album
Magazine-Sound Format July 1966
Magazine-Successful Western Merchandising-Vol. I 1970
Magazine-Weno Country Oct. 1968
Magazine-Western Horseman May 1967
Magazine-Western Horseman April 1967
Magazine-Tex Williams' Western Life July 1950
Magazine-Tex Williams' Western Life March 1950
Magazine-Tex Williams' Western Life Feb. 1950
Magazine-Tex Williams' Western Life Jan. 1950
Magazine-Tex Williams' Western Life-Preview Issue
Magazine-Western Outfitter Apr. 1979
Magazine-Western Outfitter/American Hat Co.
Magazine-Faron Young-Grand Ole Opry
Box 62
Program-Academy of Country Music May 3, 1994
Program-Academy of Country Music April 25, 1990
Program-Academy of Country Music March 25, 1974
Program-Academy of Country & Western Music Mar. 13, 1972
Program-Academy of Country & Western Music Mar. 22, 1971
Program-Academy of Country & Western Music Apr. 13, 1970
News-Academy of Country & Western Music June 1969
Program-Academy of Country & Western Music Apr. 28, 1969
Program-Country & Western Spectacular 1963
Program-Golden Boot Awards
Program-Motion Picture Costumers 1967
Program-Motion Picture Costumers 1966
Program-Motion Picture Costumers 1965
Program-Motion Picture Costumers 1964
Box 63
Program-Motion Picture Costumers 1963
Program-Motion Picture Costumers 1961 Awards
Program-Motion Picture Costumers 1960
Program-Motion Picture Costumers 1959
Program-Motion Picture Costumers 1958
Program-National Finals Rodeo-L.A. 1963
Program-National Finals Rodeo-L.A. 1962
Program-Rose Bowl Rodeo 1965
Program-Bob Steele (The Masquers honor-)
Program/Tickets-WSM Grand Ole Opry's 39th Birthday Celebration
Quarterly-JEMF Quarterly Winter 1983
Quarterly-JEMF Quarterly Autumn 1983
Scope and Contents
This series includes advertisements, annual reports for other companies, business cards, a Hank Thompson Photo Calendar, Edward
H. Bolin catalogs, comics, magazines, quarterlies, and programs. Publications include comics,
Country Music magazines,
JEMF Quarterly, Tex Williams'
Western Life, and
Western Outfitter. Programs from award ceremonies are from the Academy of Country Music, Golden Boot Awards, Motion Picture Costumers, National
Finals Rodeo-L.A., and others.