Emile De Recat Papers
SPEC.TRI.0095
Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
2.286 Cubic feet
circa 1916-1938, circa 1960s
Emile De Recat (1882-1949) was an Egyptian-born French-American theater producer. The Emile De Recat Papers, dated circa 1916-1938, circa 1960s, contains materials related to the life and work of theater producer Emile De Recat during his time in the United States. The collection contains posters, photographs, newspaper clippings, and scrapbooks, as well as some business documents.
(5) oversize folders; (1) oversize document box; (1) 2.5" legal document box; (1) 2.5" letter document box; (1) carton
English
De Recat, Emile
Arrangement of Materials
The Emile De Recat Papers are arranged in chronological order.
Acquisitions Information
Unknown
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], Emile De Recat Papers, SPEC.TRI.0095, Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute, Ohio State University
Access to Materials
Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.
Use of Materials
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.
Processing Information
This collection is unprocessed. Finding aid written by: Zoe MacLeod, 2017 April; Lindsay Resnick, 2022 October.
Biographical Note
Emile De Recat (1882-1949) was an Egyptian-born French-American theater producer. Born in Cairo to French parents, De Recat began his career as ballet master at the Paris Grand Opera Company. In 1914, he moved to the United States and settled in Chicago, Illinois, where he later started a production company. In 1922, De Recat moved to San Francisco, where he opened a costume shop, and the following year, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he would spend the remainder of his life. During the Great Depression, De Recat became involved in the New Deal's Federal Music Project, producing an all-Black cast in a version of Daniel Auber's comic opera
Fra Diavolo in Los Angeles in 1937. Later in the decade, De Recat transitioned from working on the stage to the screen, and produced and directed various films, including
The Girl From Rio in 1939. He died in Los Angeles at the age of 67.
Scope and Contents
The Emile De Recat Papers, circa 1916-1938, circa 1960s, contains materials related to the life and work of theater producer Emile De Recat during his time in the United States. The collection contains posters, photographs, newspaper clippings, and scrapbooks, as well as some business documents. Also included in this collection are clippings and publicity relating to Raquel Nieto (1903-1986), also known as "the Mexican Nightingale," an operatic soprano who was managed and mentored by De Recat, and later became his second wife. There is also a folder that includes research notes about De Recat compiled by an unknown person in approximately the 1960s.
De Recat, Emile
Newspaper clippings
Photographic prints
Posters
Scrapbooks
Theatrical producers and directors--United States--20th century
Early career materials
1
1
circa 1916-1922
Les Pecheurs de Perles poster
1
1916
Scrapbook
2
1
1916-1927
Chicago materials and research notes
1
2
1919-1920, circa 1960s
Chicago photograph album
2
2
circa 1919-1922
Contract forms
3
1
circa 1920-1928
The Gim-me Girl poster
2
1920
Right Foot Forward poster
3
1920
Scrapbook
2
3
1920-1931
Production photographs
1
3
1925-1931
Write-ups and programs for various performances
1
4
1925-1938
Publicity regarding Raquel Nieto
1
5
1926-1931
State Emergency Relief Act materials
1
6
1930-1940
Fra Diavolo materials
1
7
1937-1938
You'd be Surprised photographs
4
1
1919
The Curio Shop photographs
4
2
1919
Unidentified production photographs
4
3
circa 1920
The Handicap photographs
4
4
1920
The Weasel photograph
4
5
1920
La Traviata photograph
4
6
1921
Unidentified production photographs: Los Angeles (Calif.)
4
7
circa 1922-1930
De Recat-Bostick Corporation materials
4
8
1923 August 31, undated
Scrapbook pages
2
4
1923-1924
Texas Bob: Cowboy Hypnotist and Mind-Reader poster
4
circa 1924
Correspondence regarding Arnold C. Lackenbach
3
2
1924
The Smiles of 1924 photograph
4
9
1924
The Smiles of 1924 poster
5
1924
A Spanish Fantasy photograph
4
10
circa 1925
La Fiesta de Anza photograph
4
11
1925
La Bernicia Premier Revue photographs
4
12
1927
Scrapbook
3
3
1928
Pan-American Union materials
3
4
1928-1929
Correspondence
3
5
1929-1930
Fra Diavolo photographs
4
13
1937
Fra Diavolo press comments
3
6
1937 April, December
Oh, Georgette photographs
4
14
undated
Unidentified production photographs: Kansas City (Mo.)
4
15
undated
Unidentified production photographs: New York (N.Y.)
4
16
undated
Unidentified production photographs: Saint Louis (Mo.)
4
17
undated
Unidentified production photographs: unknown locations
4
18
undated