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Finding Aid for the William Lewis Papers, 1918-1947
1496
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Title: William Lewis Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1918-1947
Collection number: 1496
Creator:
Lewis, William
Extent:
1 oversize box
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library.
Dept. of Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Abstract: William Lewis decided on a dancing career after seeing the Frisco Kid perform in the early 1920s. He began in vaudeville with
the group, Sunshowers, and later with a travelling minstrel show. His wife Elsie studied Russian ballet and tap dancing. The
collection consists of photographs, theater programs, and ephemera relating to the vaudeville careers of William and Elsie
Lewis, and to vaudeville in America in the 1920s.
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Language:
English.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections. Literary 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.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Advance notice required for access.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of William F. Lewis, 1983.
[Identification of item], William Lewis Papers (Collection 496). Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
UCLA Catalog Record ID:
1973134
William Lewis was born in Providence, Rhode Island; he decided on a dancing career after seeing the Frisco Kid perform in
the early 1920s; began in vaudeville with the group, Sunshowers, and later with a travelling minstrel show; his wife Elsie
studied Russian ballet and tap dancing; danced at Capital Music Hall in New York with the the Chester Hale Girls; William
and Elsie joined a touring group, Gobs of joy; after 1932, William Lewis returned to Rhode Island and opened a dancing school;
after their baby was born, Lewis danced and served as an MC throughout the state; after the U.S. became involved in World
War II, he took a job in an ammunitions factory; continued to do MC work until 1960, after which he continued to perform in
nursing homes.
Collection consists of photographs, theater programs, and ephemera relating to the vaudeville careers of William and Elsie
Lewis, and to vaudeville in America in the 1920s.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Lewis, William--Archives.
Lewis, Elsie--Archives.
Vaudeville--United States--Archival resources.