Nancy Kelly Papers
SPEC.TRI.NK
Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
4.0 Cubic feet
1942-1997
Nancy Kelly was an American actress who appeared on radio, film, television, and the stage. She most famously starred in “Jesse James”, a 1939 movie, and “The Bad Seed” on film and stage. The Nancy Kelly Papers contain awards, casting calls, reviews, programs, prints and designs, correspondence, photographs, directors' notes, and screenplays from Nancy Kelly’s career.
(8) 5” legal document boxes
English
Kelly, Nancy, 1921-1995
Arrangement of Materials
The collection is unprocessed. Materials are arranged in the order recieved.
Acquisitions Information
Donated by Kelly Caro Rosenberg.
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], Nancy Kelly Papers, SPEC.TRI.NK, 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 March; Mackenzie Sommers, 2017 October.
Biographical Note
Nancy Kelly (1921-1995) was an American actress who appeared on radio, film, television, and the stage. She began her career as a child actress and model, appearing in over fifty films before the age of 17. She played Dorothy Gale in a 1933 to 1934 radio show based on
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, as well as many other female radio parts. Kelly continued to act in movies, starring in such films as "Jesse James" and "Stanley and the Livingstone." Kelly was a two-time winner of the Sarah Siddons Award for her work in Chicago theatre, as well as a Tony Award winner for her performance in "The Bad Seed." Kelly followed this up by starring in the film version in 1956, and receiving a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Kelly went on to work in television, and in 1957, she was nominated for the Emmy Awards for Best Single Performance by an actress for the TV episode "The Pilot" in Studio One. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Kelly has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Scope and Contents
The Nancy Kelly Papers contain awards, casting calls, reviews, programs, prints and designs, correspondence, photographs, directors' notes, and screenplays from Nancy Kelly’s career.
Kelly, Nancy, 1921-1995
Actresses--United States--20th century
Awards
Photographs
Screenplays
Theater programs
Voice actors and actresses--United States--20th century
Academy Award Nominations reminder list of eligible releases (2 copies), ballots for acting awards and for best picture, two return envelopes.
1
1
1971
Casting Call Sheet for "Nothing Equals Nothing"
1
2
1962 July 20
Casting Call Sheet for "The Women in Box 359"an ABC Circle Films production (w/Bruce Boxleitner)
1
3
1976 July 28
Certificates: Actor's Fund of America Award of Merit, Entertainment Committee Award of Appreciation, AMPAS Membership, Who's Who of American Women, National Red Cross
1
4
1955, 1959, undated
Clippings: Two copies of review by William Hawkins of "Twilight Walk"
1
5
1951
Clippings: Six reviews of "The Country Girl" w/New York Times interview
1
6
1952
Clippings: One review by William Hawkins; one review from the San Diego Union; one rehearsal portrait--all for "Season in the Sun"
1
7
undated
Clippings: "Studio One -- The Pilot", CBS Television programming advertisement from page 40 of the Monday edition of The Daily Mirror
1
8
1956 November 12
Clippings: "The Genius and the Goddess"--one article concerning assignment of Richard Whorf as director and designer of the production (New York Times)
1
9
undated
Clippings: "A Might Man Is HE"--multiple reviews (including New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, St. Louis)
1
10
1959
Clippings: "The Rivalry"--Brooks Aktinson review in the New York Times
1
11
1959
Clippings: Two copies of promotional piece for film "Nothing Equals Nothing"; written by Jack Hellman from Variety
1
12
1962 August 6
Clippings: "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"-- Various promotional pieces and interviews as well as reviews
1
13
1963
Clippings: "Box and Chairman Mao Tse-Tung"--Walter Kerr review from the New York Times
1
14
1968 October 13
Clippings: "Remote Asylum"--various reviews and promotional articles for Los Angeles production
1
15
1970
Clippings: "The Gingerbread Lady"--various reviews and promotional materials for touring production of Neil Simon's THE GINGERBREAD LADY
1
16
1971
Clippings: Miscellaneous including several obituaries
1
17
1995
Correspondence: "The Country Girl", including phone messages, receipts, tour itinterary
1
18
1952-1953
Correspondence: "The Pilot"--correspondence with subject of T.V. show Sister M. Aquinas
1
19
1956
Correspondence: Miscellaneous including telegrams from Mr. and Mrs. Ben Bodne and Doug Lambert as well as a note from college friend Eileen Flynn
1
20
1962
Correspondence: "Dorothy and Red" --letters concerning script discussions and development of production
1
21
1974
Correspondence: "Passion Play" --cover letter for script sent to Ms. Kelly
1
22
1981
Correspondence: "Split Levels" --cover note for T.V. sitcom proposal sent to Ms. Kelly
1
23
1983
Correspondence: Letter from James Thurber to Wolcott [Gibbs?]
1
24
1950 August 28
Correspondence: Maxwell Anderson letter to Nancy Kelly, concerning "Bad Seed" stage production; letter is mounted; includes envelope
1
25
1956 March
Director's Notes: "Down and Out on Sutton Place South" --director's notes for Nancy Kelly concerning rehearsal performance
1
26
undated
Drawings: Portraits (two) of Nancy Kelly by "Bad Seed" co-star Patty McCormack; colored pencil drawings mounted on poster-board
1
27
1954-1955
Pamphlet: Concerning a fund-raising campaign entitled "First Century Project"; object to raise money for 100th anniversary celebration of the Olympics in 1996
1
28
1987
Lease: June 1997 lease for Kelly Caro and Stuart Benus for apartment 3-I at 40 Central Park South in Manhattan
1
29
1997 June
Magazine: issue of "Guest" magazine (Detroit); photo of "Bad Seed" on the cover
1
30
1956 January 20-26
Magazine: issue of "Movie Mirror"; Elizabeth Taylor on cover
1
31
1961 July
Magazines: "Screen Actor"
1
32
1987-1991
Preview Passes for "Giants, Sons of Giants"
2
1
1962 January 5
Program from production of "The Big Knife" starrring Nancy Kelly
2
2
1949
Program from production of "Light Up the Sky" starring Nancy Kelly
2
3
1950
Program detailing the history of the La Jolla Playhouse in Hollywood, California
2
4
1951
Programs (three) from 1951 production of "Season on in the Sun" starring Nancy Kelly
2
5
1951
Program from production of "Twilight Walk" starring Nancy Kelly
2
6
1951
Program from the production of "The Country Girl" starring Nancy Kelly and Robert Young
2
7
1952
Programs from stage production of "The Bad Seed" starring Nancy Kelly
2
8
1955
Programs from the production of "The Genius and the Goddess" starring Nancy Kelly
2
9
1957
Programs: touring production of "A Mighty Man is He"
2
10
1959
Programs: production of "The Rivalry"
2
11
1959
Programs: Wilbur Theatre production of "Giants, Sons of Giants"
2
12
1961
Programs: Touring production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
2
13
1963
Programs: performance schedule from production of "Box" and "Quotations from Mao Tse-Tung"
2
14
1968
Programs: production of "Remote Asylum"
2
15
1970
Programs: touring production of Neil Simon's "the Gingerbread Lady"
2
16
1972
Program: One program and ticket stub for performance of Mise En Scene theater company's production of "The Werewolf of Westport"
2
17
1988
Decal: "A Mighty Man is He: Property of Hotel" from production of "A Mighty Man is He"
2
18
1959
Tour Documentation: touring production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" Includes note and letter from Alan Schneider; itinerary; press release info.; contract; box office figures
2
19
1963
Magazine: "Westways"
3
1
1973 April
Magazine: Where (published in Detroit) with covers of "The Bad Seed" and "The Gingerbread Lady"
3
2
1956; 1971
Miscellaneous items: brief resume; guest list for a party; letter (signature has worn away); article by William E. Simon entitled "To Reopen the American Mind"
3
3
1949-1988
Photographs: Nancy Kelly with others including Shepperd Strudwick and Reeves Witherall; four prints and accompanying correspondence
3
4
undated
Photographs: "Season in the Sun" (Nancy Kelly with Warren Caro; with Dick Stabile; with unidentified)--William Robson, photographer (5 prints)
3
5
1951
Photographs: Nancy Kelly--Headshots (12 prints; 10 exposures)
3
6
1942-1950s
Photographs: "The Bad Seed" (both theater and film)
3
7
1956
Photographs: Photos (front and back) of Nancy Kelly's Tony Award medal received for "The Bad Seed" (Antoinette Perry Award)
3
8
1955
Photographs: Film publicity stills from "Jesse James", "Betrayal from the East", "Caribbean Holiday", "Show Business", "Tail Spin", "Private Affairs", "Friendly Enemies", "Fly By Night" (15 prints)
3
9
1942
Plaque: Laminated production still (mounted on wood) from "Season in the Sun"; photo taken from Sunday News
3
10
1951 February 25
Plaque: Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Emmy) Nomination for "Actress--Best Single Performance 'The Pilot'"; signed by Ed Sullivan and Johnny Mercer
3
11
1956
Plaque: Exhibitor Laurel Award for "The Bad Seed",--"Topliner Dramatic Performance"; "Voted by the Film Buyers of the Motion Picture Industry"
3
12
1956-1957
Script: "After Many A Summer" written by Demetrois Vilan
4
1
1980
Script: "The Bad Seed" stage version; written by Maxwell Anderson
4
2
undated
Script: "The Bad Seed" stage version; written by Maxwell Anderson; side for role of "Christine"; all of her lines from Act I
4
3
undated
Script: "Black Woman in the White House" written by Demetrois Vilan
4
4
1972
Script: "Box" and "Chairman Mao Tse-Tung" written by Edward Albee
4
5
undated
Script: "A Boy Calls to Poseidon" verse collection by James Field
4
6
undated
Script: "A Death in the Family" written by Fred Coe
4
7
undated
Script: "Dorothy and Red" written by Henry S. Bloomgarden
4
8
undated
Script: "Dorothy and Red" 2nd copy; written by Henry S. Bloomgarden
4
9
undated
Script: "Down and Out on Sutton Place South" written by Mart Crowley;autographed by the author
4
10
undated
Script: "Friend" screenplay written by Norman Charles
4
11
undated
Script: "Giants, Sons of Giants" written by Joseph Kramm
5
1
undated
Script: "Ladies at the Alamo" written by Paul Zindel
5
2
undated
Script: "A Mighty Man is He" written by Arthur Kober and George Oppenheimer
5
3
undated
Script: "Nothing Equals Nothing" screenplay written by Sam Benedict
5
4
undated
Script: "Passion Play" written by Arthur Laurents
5
5
1981
Script: "The Pilot" a Studio One screenplay
5
6
undated
Script: "The Practice" written by Steve Gordon
5
7
1975
Script: "Rendez-Vous in Black"screenplay written by James P. Cavanagh
5
8
undated
Script: One page from "Season in the Sun" production
6
1
1951
Script: "Shay" by Anne Commire
6
2
1972
Script: Screenplay for "A Sound of Trumpets" written by James S. Pollack
6
3
undated
Script: Sitcom proposal for "Split Levels" written by Robert Fisher
6
4
1983
Script: "Twilight Walk" written by A.B. Schiffrin
6
5
1951
Script: "The Werewolf of Westport" written by Jeremiah Morris and John Lisbon Wood
6
6
1988
Script: "Women in Box 359" Screenplay for ABC Circle Films written by Cy Chermak
6
7
1976
Box Office Statements: "The Gingerbread Lady" national tour
7
1
1971-1972
Box Office Statements: "The Gingerbread Lady" national tour
7
2
1972 March
Box Office Statements: "The Gingerbread Lady" national tour
7
3
1972 April 1-May 6
Correspondence: Notes, Christmas cards, flower cards from run of "The Gingerbread Lady"; includes flower card from Goldie Hawn
7
4
1972
Correspondence: "The Gingerbread Lady" national tour
7
5
1971-1972
Personal accounting records for period during national tour of "The Gingerbread Lady"
7
6
1971-1972
Plaque: Cover of "Sunday Mirror" scene from the play "The Bad Seed"
8
1
1955 February 20
Scrapbook: Early press clippings (mostly from the Los Angeles Times and Hollywood Reporter)
8
2
1942
Clipping: Article written by Nancy Kelly concerning her participation in national tour of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" appeared in Chicago Daily News (matted)
8
3
1964 March 28
Photographs: Still from film version of "The Bad Seed" (mounted)
8
4
1955
Soundtrack: Background music for "Genius and the Goddess" Dvorak's New World Symphony Photograph of Nancy Kelly on handmade cover
8
5
undated
Lobby Cards: Promotional stills from "Friendly Enemies"
8
6
1942
Photograph: Rehearsal still from national tour of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
8
7
1964
Photograph: Promotional still for "Season in the Sun"
8
8
undated
Photographs: Portrait photos of Nancy Kelly one of which includes daughter Kelly Caro and husband Warren Caro
8
9
undated
Certificate: "Proudly We Hail" guest-starring performance awarded by U.S. Army
8
10
1950