Preliminary Inventory to the Robert A. Wachsman Papers, 1922-1958, circa 1985 SPEC.TRI.RAW Finding aid prepared by Ashleigh Minor Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections

1858 Neil Avenue Columbus, OH, 43210

2017 October

(in JIRA queue)

This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2017-10-18T08:52-0400 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Robert A. Wachsman Papers SPEC.TRI.RAW Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections 1.47 Cubic feet 1922-1958, circa 1985 Robert A. Wachsman was a producer and casting director for radio and theatre, as well as a publicist and columnist. The Robert A. Wachsman Papers contain programs, clippings, reviews, and photographs of productions and actors Wachsman was involved with between 1922 and 1958. (3) 2.5” letter document boxes; (1) flat box English Wachsman, Robert A. Arrangement of Materials

This collection is unprocessed. Materials are arranged in the order received.

Acquisitions Information

TRI.RAW.254: Robert A. Wachsman, 1993 January

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Robert A. Wachsman Papers, SPEC.TRI.RAW, 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: Ashleigh Minor, 2017 October

Biographical Note

Robert A. Wachsman (1902-1993) was a producer and casting director for radio and theatre, as well as a publicist and columnist. He began his career producing radio advertisements with Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin before he became the casting director and production manager for Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess”. Wachsman wrote for the Hollywood Reporter during the 1940s, and had his own public relations firm, R.A. Wachsman & Co.

Scope and Contents

The Robert A. Wachsman Papers contain programs, clippings, reviews, and photographs of productions and actors Wachsman was involved with between 1922 and 1958. Many materials in the collection are autographed by people he worked with. Also included is a copy of a biographical manuscript Wachsman wrote about composer Jerome Kern based on interviews he conducted with Kern during the 1940s.

Wachsman, Robert A. Actors--United States--20th century Actresses--United States--20th century Composers--United States--20th century Journalists--United States--20th century Manuscripts (documents) Musical theater--United States--20th century Photographs Programs (documents) Radio producers and directors--United States--20th century Theatrical producers and directors—United States—20th century Porgy and Bess production photographs 1 1 1935 October Porgy and Bess artist photographs 1 2 1935-1936 Porgy and Bess contact sheets (48 photographs) 1 3 undated Porgy and Bess souvenir programs 1 4 1938 Porgy and Bess programs 1 5 1938 Porgy and Bess clippings 1 6 1935-1938 Porgy and Bess theatre magazine articles 1 7 1935 October-November George Gershwin in an all Gershwin program with the Philharmonic Orchestra 1 8 undated "The First Reader: Story of Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue' Told by Paul Whiteman in Symposium on the Life and Work of the Late Composer" by Harry Hansen, New York World-Telegram 1 9 1938 October 11 George Gershwin obituaries 1 10 1937 July 12-19 George Gershwin Memorial Concert program 1 11 1937 September 8 John Henry production photographs 1 12 undated John Henry radio program clippings 1 13 1933-1935 "John Henry Blues" sheet music by W.C. Handy 1 14 1922 Vanessi's restaurant menu, authographed 1 15 undated Boy Meets Girl clippings 1 16 1935 Lady Precious Stream, Boy Meets Girl, At Home Abroad, and Edward Matthews recital programs 1 17 1935 Unidentified production photographs by Richard H. Tucker, Jr. 1 18 undated A Night with the Stars program and photographs 1 19 1935 Alexander Steinert, Jack Carr and Cordell photographs 1 20 undated George Gershwin and Harold Arlen at CBS photograph 1 21 1934 Jerome Kern, Paul Robeson, and Oscar Hammerstein at Jerome Kern's home photograph 1 22 1940 Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer at Arlen's home photograph 1 23 1940 W.C. Handy, Shelton Brooks, Harold Arlen, and Irving Berlin at ASCAP Day, San Francisco World's Fair photograph 1 24 undated Jerome Kern, Sigmund Romberg, and H. Warren at ASCAP night at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles mounted photograph 2 1 1941 Harold Arlen, Jerome Kern, Gene Back, and Charlie Butterworth at ASCAP in Los Angeles mounted photograph 2 2 1941 Rose McClendon and Juando Hernandez in John Henry roles photograph 2 3 undated Jerome Kern sketch print by Bettina Steinke 2 4 1942 February "Last night when we were young" music manuscript by Harold Arlen 2 5 undated Porgy and Bess article in Saturday Night magazine 2 6 1938 January 29 Harold Arlen photograph 2 7 undated Harold Arlen at the piano photograph 2 8 1939 Scrapbook of Wachman's work with John Henry, Porgy and Bess and Harold Arlen 2 9 undated Porgy and Bess tour newspaper clippings 2 10 1937-1938 Todd Duncan, George Gershwin and Rouben Mamoulian photographs 2 11 undated Sticks and Stones program 3 1 undated Jamaica program 3 2 1957 Jamaica review clipping from the Sunday News; Harold Arlen article clipping from the Daily News 3 3 1957 October 26, 1958 August 10 Porgy and Bess performance photographs 3 4 undated Harold Arlen in his study with Johnny Mercer at the piano photographs 3 5 undated Irving Berlin and Sigmund Romberg photograph 3 6 undated Jules Bledsoe photograph 3 7 1934 Ray Bolger photographs 3 8 1941 Judy Garland with Harold Arlen and Deems Taylor photographs 3 9 undated W.C. Handy photograph 3 10 undated Bob Hope and Company at Hollywood Stage Door Canteen photographs 3 11 undated Paul Robeson photograph 3 12 undated Unidentified male actor photograph 3 13 undated Nina Whitney in "At Home Abroad" with Paul Haakon, "Theatre Notes" Daily News clipping 3 14 1935 July 10 "Conversations with (and about) Jerome Kern" manuscript by Robert A. Wachsman 4 circa 1985