Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- Dame Judith Anderson papers
- Dates:
- bulk 1915-1990
- Creators:
- Anderson, Judith, 1897-1992
- Abstract:
- The collection includes papers of the Australian born actress noted for her stage, radio, and television work, particularly her Shakespearean roles. The collection includes scripts, photographs, scrapbooks, correspondence, and audio recordings.
- Extent:
- 30 Linear Feet (46 document boxes, 6 oversize flat boxes, 1 shoebox, 15 audio recordings)
- Language:
- The collection is in English.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Dame Judith Anderson papers, PA Mss 6. Department of Special Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
Papers of Australian born actress noted for her stage, radio, and television work, particularly her Shakespearean and classical roles. The collection includes awards, artwork, scripts, photographs, scrapbooks, clippings, correspondence, and audio recordings.
- Biographical / historical:
-
[from Independent obituary] "Born Frances Margaret Anderson-Anderson, in Adelaide, South Australia, on February 10, 1898, she made her first appearance on state in 1915. She soon began touring with Australian companies and made her first New York debut in 1918. After small parts at first, by 1921 she was playing leading roles in stock companies in Boston and Albany. After a decade of continuous work, including three plays in Australia, Anderson succeeded Lynn Fontaine as Nina Leeds in Strange Interludes. In 1932 she toured with the Eugene O'Neill trilogy Mourning Becomes Electra, which opened at New York's Alvin Theatre.
The list of roles is long and impressive in its challenge and diversity. From O'Neill to her incomparable Lady Macbeth and Medea to the matriarch in NBC's soap Santa Barbara, Anderson brought her unique presence and force to the stage. Her striking looks and demeanor were unforgettable images to stage and screen audiences. Probably her best-known part, that of Mrs. Danvers, the deranged housekeeper in Hitchcock's 1940 classic Rebecca, forever typecast her in the minds of the viewing public ...
After 45 years on stage and in films, Anderson was given the title of Dame Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 1950.
Dame Judith lived quietly in Santa Barbara for almost 50 years, making a significant and generous contribution to the local theater community during that time. In her long relationship with the Lobero Theatre Foundation, Anderson performed numerous times at the theater..."
She died January 3, 1992, in her home on San Ysidro Road in Montecito.
- Acquisition information:
- Donated by Dame Judith Anderson.
- Arrangement:
-
The collection is organized into the following series: I. Artwork, II. Awards, III. Correspondence, IV. Clippings, V. Personal Papers, VI. Photographs, VII. Programs, VIII. Publicity, IX. Scrapbooks, X. Scripts, and XI. Miscellaneous Essays, Poetry, and Other Materials, XII. Audio Recordings.
- Physical location:
- Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-04-01 09:15:20 -0700 .
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
The collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
-
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Dame Judith Anderson papers, PA Mss 6. Department of Special Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
- Location of this collection:
-
UC Santa Barbara LibrarySanta Barbara, CA 93106-9010, US
- Contact:
- (805) 893-3062