Guide to the Collection on Trudi Schoop
Processed by Audrey Pearson; machine-readable finding aid created by Audrey Pearson
Special Collections and Archives
The UCI Libraries
P.O. Box 19557
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, California 92623-9557
Phone: (949) 824-3947
Fax: (949) 824-2472
Email: spcoll@uci.edu
URL: http://special.lib.uci.edu
© 2008
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Collection on Trudi Schoop
Date: circa 1905-1940, 1999-2007,
Date (bulk): bulk circa 1931-1939
Collection Number: MS-P071
Extent:
1.7 linear feet
(3 boxes and 3 oversized folders)
Languages: The collection is in German, French, Dutch, English, Finnish, Swedish, Spanish, and Italian.
Repository:
University of California, Irvine. Library. Special Collections and Archives.
Irvine, California 92623-9557
Abstract: The collection documents the life and career of comic dancer Trudi Schoop and contains photographs, programs, correspondence,
newspaper clippings, and other ephemera. The majority of materials represent the activities of the Trudi Schoop Comic Ballet
from 1931 to 1939. The collection also contains correspondence and photographs of Schoop's manager, Alfred Fischer, and other
artists he managed. There is no information within the collection regarding Schoop's later career as a dance therapist.
Important Information for Researchers
Access
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Property rights reside with the University of California. Intellectual property rights are retained by the creators of the
records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.
Preferred Citation
Collection on Trudi Schoop. MS-P071. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.
Acquisition Information
Acquired, 2007.
Processing History
Processed by Audrey Pearson, 2008.
Biography
Trudi Schoop (1903-1999) was a Swiss-born dancer and dance troupe leader who specialized in comic stage productions and was
often likened to Charlie Chaplin. Later in life, Schoop was a pioneer in using dance therapy to treat mental illness.
When Schoop was 17 she decided to embark on a career as a dancer. With no formal training, she convinced her father to rent
a dance hall and hire a pianist for her show. Overall, the performance was a success despite the fact that the audience often
laughed unexpectedly at serious points during the show. After her first performance, Schoop's father sent her to study classical
ballet in Vienna and modern dance in Zürich. In 1926 she opened a dance school in Zürich and in 1931 she organized the Trudi
Schoop Comic Ballet. Schoop's brother, Paul Schoop, composed the music for many of the company's acts. The troupe toured
widely throughout Europe and the United States until the outbreak of World War II, during which Schoop performed in Switzerland
for anti-Fascist cabarets. Touring resumed following the end of the war.
Schoop ended her career as a performer in 1947 when she moved to Los Angeles. There she began to work with patients suffering
from schizophrenia and was a pioneer in developing the field of dance therapy. Schoop died in 1999.
Biography/Organization History
Chronology
| 1903 October 9 |
Trudi Schoop born in Zürich. |
| 1920 December 14 |
Performs first dance recital at the Zürich Pfauentheater. |
| 1926 |
Opens school in Zürich. |
| 1931 |
Forms the Trudi Schoop Comic Ballet. |
| 1932 |
Trudi Schoop Comic Ballet awarded second place at a choreography competition in Paris. |
| 1937-1939 |
Tours Europe and the United States. |
| 1939 |
Disbands company. |
| 1946 |
Reassembles company. |
| 1947 |
Tours United States and Canada. |
| 1947 |
Settles in Los Angeles, California. |
| 1999 July 14 |
Dies in Van Nuys, California. |
Bibliography
Chujoy, Anatole, and P. W. Manchester, ed.
The Dance Encyclopedia. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967.
Clarke, Mary, and David Vaughan, ed.
The Encyclopedia of Dance & Ballet. New York: Putnam, 1977.
Merz, Richard. "Schoop, Trudi." In
The International Encyclopedia of Dance, edited by Selma Jean Cohen. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. http://www.oxford- dance.com/entry?entry=t171.e1562.
(accessed 31 January 2008).
Collection Scope and Content Summary
This collection comprises photographs, programs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and other ephemera documenting the life
and career of comic dancer Trudi Schoop. The collection also contains correspondence and photographs of Schoop's manager,
Alfred Fischer, and other artists he managed. The majority of materials represent the activities of the Trudi Schoop Comic
Ballet from 1931 to 1939. There is no information within the collection regarding Schoop's later career as a dance therapist.
Collection Arrangement
This collection is arranged in four series.
- Series 1. Photographs, circa 1905 - circa 1939. 0.7 linear feet
- Series 2. Trudi Schoop biographical information, circa 1931 - circa 1939, 2006-2007. 0.05 linear feet
- Series 3. Trudi Schoop Comic Ballet records, 1931-1940, 1999. 0.45 linear feet
- Series 4. Programs, 1934-1939. 0.5 linear feet
Separation Note
Duplicate programs were removed and added to the following collection:
- Dance Program and Ephemera Collection. MS-P26. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Schoop, Trudi -- Archives.
Fischer, Alfred -- Archives.
Trudi Schoop Comic Ballet -- Archives.
Dance -- Archives.
Genres and Formats of Materials
Photographic prints -- 20th century.
Souvenir programs -- 20th century.
Dance programs -- 20th century.
Broadsides -- 20th century.
Occupations
Dancers.
Women comedians.
Choreographers.
Contributors
Fischer, Alfred.
Collection Contents
Series 1.
Photographs
circa 1905 - circa 1939, bulk 1931- 1939
Physical Description:
0.7 linear feet
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series comprises photographic prints and photographic negatives of Trudi Schoop, her company, her family, and other artists
managed by Alfred Fischer. Prints of some negatives are not available.
Arrangement
Alphabetical by subject
Restrictions
Photographic negatives are restricted.
Box : Folder 1 : 1
Artists managed by Alfred Fischer
undated
Physical Description: 23 black-and-white photographic prints
Scope and Content Note
Includes photographs of actors Lisa Czobel, Sylvia von Rodenberg, Ernst Deutsch, Albert Bassermann, Else Bassermann, Tilla
Durieux, and Alexander Moissi.
Box : Folder 1 : 2, 568-H-4
Schoop family
circa 1905- circa1920
Physical Description: 54 black-and-white photographic prints, 26 photographic negatives
Access Information
Photographic negatives are restricted.
Scope and Content Note
Includes photographs of Schoop as a child with her parents and brother, and a photograph of Schoop acting as Gretchen in "Faust."
Box : Folder 1 : 3-5, 568-H-4
Trudi Schoop: commercial portraits by Mannell London and others
circa 1930-circa 1939
Physical Description: 76 black-and-white photographic prints, 2 photographic negatives
Access Information
Photographic negatives are restricted.
Trudi Schoop Comic Ballet
Box : Folder 1 : 6
Candid photographs
circa 1920-circa 1939
Physical Description: 28 black-and-white photographic prints
Scope and Content Note
Includes photographs of Trudi Schoop with Alfred Fischer in St. Moritz, Switzerland; Trudi Schoop dancers in casual attire;
and Trudi Schoop with brother Paul Schoop.
Box : Folder 1 : 7-10
Portraits by Margot Meyer, Vandamm Studio, Kurt Kahle, and Anna Riwkin
circa 1931-circa 1939
Physical Description: 139 black-and-white photographic prints
Scope and Content Note
Includes portraits of dancers Elisabeth Lesse, Helga Weigert, Max Fickel, Meta Krahn, Niels Björn Larsen, Werner Herrmann,
Didi Lederer, Jeanette Dublow, Hanna Berger, Gitta Wallerstein, Ellen Liy, and Otto Ulbricht, and musical director and composer
Lothan Perl.
Box : Folder 2 : 1-2
Alles aus Liebe [
All for Love]
circa 1931- circa1939
Physical Description: 64 black-and-white photographic prints
Scope and Content Note
Photographed by Kurt Kahle.
Box : Folder 2 : 3-4
Die Blonde Marie [
Blond Marie]
circa 1931-circa 1939
Physical Description: 49 black-and-white photographic prints
Scope and Content Note
Photographed by Anna Riwkin, Kurt Kahle, and Heinz Guggenbühl. Includes three photographs of the cast with Shirley Temple.
Box : Folder 2 : 5
Fridolin Unterwegs [
Fridolin on the Road]
circa 1931-circa 1939
Physical Description: 12 black-and-white photographs
Box : Folder 2 : 6-8
Unidentified productions
circa 1931-circa 1939
Physical Description: 56 black-and-white photographic prints and 3 contact sheets
Scope and Content Note
Photographed by Dora Horovitz, Anna Riwkin, Kurt Kahle.
Box : Folder 2 : 9
Miscellaneous unidentified photographs
Series 2.
Trudi Schoop biographical information
circa 1931 - circa 1939,
2006-2007
Physical Description:
0.05 linear feet
Arrangement
Alphabetical by format
Box : Folder 2 : 10
Biographical information
2006-2007,
undated
Box : Folder 2 : 11
Offprint: "Warum denn tanzen,"
Schweizer Spiegel
circa 1931-circa 1939
Series 3.
Trudi Schoop Comic Ballet records
1931-1940, 1999, bulk 1933-1940
Physical Description:
0.45 linear feet
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series comprises clippings, correspondence, contracts, and other company records of the Trudi Schoop Comic Ballet and
manager Alfred Fischer, including some files on other artists Fischer managed.
Arrangement
Alphabetical by format
Restrictions
Access to fragile original clippings is restricted. Researchers must use photocopies.
Box : Folder 2 : 12, 3 : 1-2, 568-H-2
Clippings
1931-1938,
1999,
undated
Access Information
Fragile original clippings are restricted.
Scope and Content Note
Clippings were gathered by a variety of press clipping services.
Box : Folder 3 : 3, FB-30 : 7
Contracts, touring lists, and other materials
1935-1940,
undated
Box : Folder 3 : 4
Personal
1933-1940,
undated
Scope and Content Note
Includes letters from actresses Lucie Mannheim and Luise Rainer.
Box : Folder 3 : 5-6
Trudi Schoop Comic Ballet
1933-1939,
undated
Box : Folder 3 : 7
Other artists managed
1933-1940,
undated
Box : Folder 3 : 8
Miscellaneous correspondence and financial documentation
Box : Folder 3 : 10
Miscellaneous correspondence and ephemera
1936,
undated
Series 4.
Programs and broadsides
1934-1939
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series comprises broadsides, announcements, and event and souvenir programs for Trudi Schoop Comic Ballet performances.
Arrangement
Alphabetical by format
Box : Folder 3 : 12, FB-30 : 8, XOS1
Broadsides and announcements
1938,
undated
Box : Folder 3 : 13
Event programs
1934-1939,
undated
Box : Folder 3 : 14
Souvenir programs
circa 1935-1939
