Finding Aid to the Sidney Coe Howard Papers: additions, 1903-1939

Processed by The Bancroft Library staff

The Bancroft Library

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA 94720-6000

Phone: (510) 642-6481

Fax: (510) 642-7589

Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu

URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/

Finding Aid to the Sidney Coe Howard Papers: additions, 1903-1939

Collection number: BANC MSS 83/82 z

The Bancroft Library

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA 94720-6000

Phone: (510) 642-6481

Fax: (510) 642-7589

Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu

URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/

Finding Aid Author(s):: Processed by The Bancroft Library staff
Finding Aid Encoded By:: GenX

Collection Summary

Collection Title: Sidney Coe Howard papers: additions

Date (inclusive): 1903-1939

Collection Number: BANC MSS 83/82 z

Creator: Howard, Sidney Coe, 1891-1939

Extent: Number of containers: 10 boxes and 3 cartons Linear feet: 8

Repository: The Bancroft Library.

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA 94720-6000

Phone: (510) 642-6481

Fax: (510) 642-7589

Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu

URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/

Abstract: Letters from Howard, written primarily to his family, including letters during World War I when he was an ambulance driver and later, a pilot; letters to Howard, mainly from family, but some from associates as well; diaries; papers regarding his war service and other personalia; manuscript of an unpublished novel and manuscripts of some poems; programs for some of his plays and films; copyright information on his plays; clippings of his articles and of articles about him and reviews of his plays and films; obituaries; papers re: his estate. Included also: letters of condolence to his wife, Polly, 1939; her correspondence re: her efforts to collect and copy his letters, 1941-1942; her correspondence and other papers re: his last play, Madam Will You Walk .

Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English

Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.

Information for Researchers

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Materials in this collection may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html .

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Sidney Coe Howard papers: additions, BANC MSS 83/82 z, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley

Related Collections

Sidney Coe Howard papers, 1903-1939, BANC MSS 70/185 z

Sidney Coe Howard papers: additions, BANC MSS 84/56 z

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog

Howard, Leopoldine Damrosch

Authors, American--20th century

Drama--20th century

Dramatists, American--20th century

Motion picture industry--California

World War, 1914-1918

Diaries

Manuscripts for publication

Poems

Theater programs

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

The additions to the Sidney C. Howard Collection were given to The Bancroft Library in December 1982 as a joint gift of his children: Mrs. Jennifer Coleman, Mrs. Sidney H. Urquhart, Miss Margaret Howard, and Mr. Walter Howard.

Processing Information

Processed by Bancroft Library staff.

Scope and Content

The additions to the Sidney C. Howard Collection include letters to and from Howard (most of them family letters); manuscript of an unpublished novel and manuscripts of a few poems; diaries; various miscellaneous files; clippings; and papers relating to his estate. Included also in the gift are Mrs. Howard's correspondence files relating to her husband and some papers about the posthumous production of his last play, Madam, Will You Walk.

Partial index of correspondents

Addressed to S. C. Howard unless otherwise noted

N.B. Letters addressed to Sidney C. Howard are in Boxes 4-7; letters addressed to Mrs. Howard are in Boxes 8-9

Anderson, Judith
- Letter of condolence to Mrs. Howard, Aug. 25, 1939
Anderson, Maxwell, 1888-1959
- 2 letters and telegrams, 1939-1941, to Mrs. Howard
Angell, Ernest [Howard's attorney]
- 6 letters and telegrams, 1928-1930. Re: Howard's divorce from Clare Eames
- 2 letters, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Anglin, Margaret, 1876-
- Letter, Jan. 25, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Ardrey, Robert
- Letter, Jan. 2, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Atkinson, Brooks
- Letter of condolence to Mrs. Howard, Sept. 3, 1939
Austin, Mary (Hunter), 1868-1934
- Letter, Aug. 19, 1916. Discusses her war work, the N.Y. theatrical scene, the coming presidential election, and other matters.
Bacon, Leonard, 1887-
- 4 letters, 1939-1941, to Mrs. Howard. Enclosure to letter, Aug. 30, 1939: copies of Howard's poems from undergraduate anthologies.
Balderston, John
- Letter, Feb. 9, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Baldwin, Roger Nash, 1884-
- 2 letters, 1939 & 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Behrman, Samuel Nathaniel
- Letter and telegram, 1941 & 1943, to Mrs. Howard.
- Also, letter from Behrman's secretary, enclosing copy of his letter to Robert Sherwood, Nov. 7, 1941. Re: production of Madam, Will You Walk.
Benet, Stephen Vincent, 1898-1943
- 2 letters, 1939 & 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Berle, Adolf
- Letter, Aug. 28, 1939, to Mrs. Howard. Also, letter of condolence written by his wife.
Blankfort, Michael, 1907-
- 2 letters, 1939 & 1941, to Mrs. Howard. Letter, Oct. 20, 1939, addressed to Barrett H. Clark, and forwarded by him to Mrs. Howard; letter, Jan. 27, 1941, to Mrs. Howard.
Bori, Lucrezia, 1887-
- Condolence note, 1939, to Mrs. Howard
Boyer, Charles
- 2 letters, [1939],re: Howard's offer of a part in Madam, Will You Walk
Brady, William S.
- Letter, Jan. 23, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Brandon, Tom
- 2 letters, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Burlingame, (William) Roger, 1889-
- Letter, July 11, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
California Shipbuilding Corporation
- 7 letters and telegrams, 1943, to Mrs. Howard. Re: launching of the tanker, S. S. Sidney Howard.
Cather, Willa Sibert, 1876-1947
- Letter, Jan. 31, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Clark, Barrett Harper, 1890-1953
- 10 letters, 1939-1942, to Mrs. Howard. Several refer to possible productions of Madam, Will You Walk.
Cobb, Humphrey, 1899-1944
- 3 letters, 1939-1941, to Mrs. Howard
Cornell, Katharine, 1898-
- Letter, Oct. 30, 1941, to Mrs. Howard, written for her by her secretary
Crawford, Cheryl
- Letter, Jan. 13, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Crews, Laura Hope
- Letter, Oct. 10, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Cromwell, John
- 3 letters, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Crothers, Rachel, 1878-1958
- Letter of condolence, Sept. 4, 1939, to Mrs. Howard
De Kruif, Paul, 1890-
- Letter, Sept. 28, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Digges, Dudley
- 4 letters, 1940-1941, to Mrs. Howard
Draper, Ruth, 1884-1956
- Letter of condolence, Sept. 3, 1939, to Mrs. Howard
Dunn, Robert W.
- 2 letters, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Eames, Emma, 1865-1949
- Letter, Jan. 19, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Ernst, Morris
- Letter, Nov. 19, 1936. Typed copy. Suggests that Howard try doing a screenplay of his forthcoming book [The Ultimate Power?]
- Letter, Dec. 1, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Farrar, John Chipman, 1896-1974
- 4 letters, 1939 & 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Faust, Frederick, 1892-1944
- 2 letters, 1918. Letter, Oct. 11, 1918, discusses death of Howard's younger brother, Bruce.
- Also included, portion of a letter written to Dixie Fish, referring to Howard's mother, with note on verso from unknown correspondent.
- Letter, Dec. 9, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Ferber, Edna, 1887-
- Letter, May 7, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Fontanne, Lynn
- Letter, Oct. 2, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Frank, Bruno, 1887-1945
- Letter, Nov. 29, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Freedman, Harold
- Letter and telegram, 1942, to Mrs. Howard. Some refer to possible productions of Madam, Will You Walk.
Gilder, Rosamond
- Letter, Oct. 6, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Gillmore, Margalo
- Letter, Oct. 24, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Golden, John, 1874-1955
- 2 letters, 1941-1942, to Mrs. Howard. Some refer to possible production of Madam, Will You Walk.
Goldwyn, Samuel, 1882-
- Letter, June 2, 1941, to Mrs. Howard.
- Also, two letters written by his secretary.
Gordon, Max, 1892-
- 3 letters, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Gordon, Ruth
- Letter, Mar. 13, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Green, Paul
- Letter of condolence, Aug. 23, 1939, to Mrs. Howard
Halline, Allan Gates
- Letter, Oct. 17, 1939. Addressed to Barrett H. Clark and forwarded by him to Mrs. Howard.
Hardwicke, Cedric, 1893-
- Letter, Dec. 1, 1939, to Mrs. Howard, stating his inability to appear in Madam, Will You Walk.
Hayes, Helen, 1900-
- Letter, Jan. 24, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Helburn, Theresa, d. 1958
- Letter, Sept. 22, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Hellman, Lillian, 1907-
- Letter, Dec. 19, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Heyward, Dorothy
- 2 letters, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Hopkins, Arthur Melancthon, 1878-
- Letter, Aug. 25, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Hornblow, Arthur, 1893-
- 3 letters, 1939 & 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Howard, Charles Prescott [brother]
- 7 letters, 1917-1936
- 8 letters, 1940-1941, to Mrs. Howard. Most of them re: estate matters.
Howard, Clare (Eames) [the first Mrs. Howard]
- 75 letters, 1921-1928 (3 folders). Letters, 1923, written from Hollywood when she was working on a film.
Howard, [Douglas] Bruce [brother]
- 6 letters, 1918 & undated
Howard, Edith [sister-in-law; Mrs. John L. Howard]
- 3 letters, 1940, to Mrs. Howard
Howard, Harmon [nephew]
- Letter, undated
Howard, Helen Louise (Coe) [mother]
- 246 letters, 1915-1934 & undated (12 folders)
Hume, Maude Crawford Izett Dick [Mrs. Samuel J. Hume]
- 2 letters, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Hume, Samuel James, 1885-
- Letter, Dec. 3, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Huston, Walter, 1884-
- Letter, Jan. 22, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Jones, Robert Edmond, 1887-
- 5 letters, 1939-1942, to Mrs. Howard. Letter, Mar. 20, 1940, refers to Howard's Franklin play and to Madam, Will You Walk.
Kaufman, George S., 1889-
- Letter, ca. Dec. 8, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Kellogg, Charlotte (Hoffman) [Mrs. Vernon Kellogg]
- 4 letters, 1939-1942, to Mrs. Howard
Kennedy, Charles
- Letter, Oct. 12, 1939, to Barrett H. Clark, re: his memorial tribute to Howard and forwarded by Clark to Mrs. Howard.
Krutch, Joseph Wood, 1893-1970
- Letter, Jan. 21, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Langner, Lawrence, 1890-
- Letter, Sept. 22, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Lord, Pauline
- Letter, Aug. 26, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Losey, Joseph
- Letter, Dec. 18, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
MacArthur, Charles
- Letter, Nov. 3, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
McClintic, Guthrie
- Letter, Oct. 11, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
McDuffie, Duncan, 1877-1951
- 9 letters & telegrams, 1917-1936 & undated
McDuffie, Jean (Howard), 1880-1955 [sister]
- 293 letters & telegrams, 1915-1938 & undated
- 14 letters, 1939-1941, to Mrs. Howard
MacLeish, Archibald, 1892-1982
- Letter, Dec. 14, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Marquand, John Phillips, 1893-
- Letter, Dec. 11, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Middleton, George
- Letter, Nov. 15, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Mielziner, Jo
- Letter, Sept. 18, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Miller, Gilbert
- 3 letters, 1940-1941, to Mrs. Howard
Mitchell, Margaret, 1900-1949
- Letter, Dec. 31, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Moran, John J.
- Letter, Mar. 4, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Myers, Richard E.
- 3 letters, 1929
Nathan, Robert, 1894-
- 2 letters, 1939 & 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Niles, Emory Hamilton, 1892-
- 2 letters, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Olney, Warren, 1870-1939
- Letter, Dec. 13, 1917
Palley, William
- Letter, Oct. 10, 1939, to Barrett H. Clark, re: his memorial tribute to Howard and forwarded by Clark to Mrs. Howard.
Pemberton, Brock, 1885-
- Letter, Dec. 12, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Perkins, Edward N.
- 14 letters, 1938-1939. Attorney, acting for Howard in purchase of property in Tyringham.
Perkins, Maxwell Evarts, 1884-1947

See Scribner's (Charles) Sons
Phelps, William Lyon, 1865-1943
- Letter of condolence to Mrs. Howard, 1939
Playwrights' Company
- 10 letters, 1939-1943, to Mrs. Howard. Many refer to possible production of Madam, Will You Walk.
  
  See also Carton 3
Rascoe, Burton, 1892-
- Postcard, [ca. Oct. 10, 1939]. Addressed to Barrett H. Clark re: his memorial tribute to Howard and forwarded by him to Mrs. Howard.
Rice, Elmer, 1892-
- Letter, Apr. 10, 1939. Comments on Madam, Will You Walk.
- 3 letters, 1939 & 1943, to Mrs. Howard, many of them referring also to the play.
Richardson, Leon Josiah, 1868-1964
- [Notes on his recollections of Howard], undated
Riggs, Lynn, 1899-
- Letter, Oct. 1, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Royle, Selena
- Letter, Oct. 20, 1941, to Barrett H. Clark, re: his memorial tribute to Howard and forwarded by him to Mrs. Howard
Schooleraft, John
- Letter, Jan. 12, 1942, to Mrs. Howard
Scribner's (Charles) Sons
- Letter, Apr. 3, 1940, to Mrs. Howard. From Maxwell Perkins, re: Madam, Will You Walk. Enclosure: copy of signed publication agreement for the play.
Selznick, David Oliver, 1902-
- 2 letters, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Sergeant, Elizabeth Shepley, 1881-1965
- 17 letters, ca. 1918. Written from France where she was correspondent for New Republic.
- Letter, June 13, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Sherwood, Robert Emmet, 1896-1955
- 4 letters & telegrams, 1939, to Mrs. Howard. Re: production of Madam, Will You Walk.
  
  See also Behrman, Samuel N.
Sillcox, Luise M.
- 2 letters, 1941, to Mrs. Howard
Sillman, Leonard
- Letter of condolence to Mrs. Howard, Aug. 24, 1939
Thompson, Dorothy, 1894-1961
- Letter, undated
Van Doren, Carl Clinton, 1885-1950
- 3 letters, 1939-1942, to Mrs. Howard
Van Druten, John, 1901-
- Letter of condolence, 1939, to Mrs. Howard
Webster, Margaret, 1905-
- Letter, undated, to Mrs. Howard
Werner, Morris Robert, 1897- [personal friend]
- 12 letters, 1939-1941, to Mrs. Howard

Container Listing

Letters and telegrams by Howard. 1903-1939

Physical Description: Boxes 1-3

Content/Description

Written primarily to his mother, Helen C. Howard, and to his sister, Jean H. McDuffie, with some, also, to other members of his family, to his first wife, Clare Eames, and to his second, Leopoldine Damrosch (Polly). There are occasional transcripts of letters to others, also. The file includes many letters written to his family when he was staying at a sanitarium in Europe for health reasons in 1910, and during World War I, 1916-1918, when he served in the Ambulance Service prior to America's entry into the War and with the Air Force Squadron thereafter.

Many of the letters were undated. Some dates were added by family members; others, in brackets, were provided by the cataloger. Letters are arranged chronologically, with letters, still undated, at the end.

box 1

Letters and telegrams. 1903 -August 1918

box 2

Letters and telegrams. Sept. 1918 -1928

box 3

Letters and telegrams. 1929 -1939, , , undated

Letters written to Howard.

Physical Description: Boxes 4-7

Content/Description

Primarily from his mother and from his sister, Jean H. McDuffie, with some, also, from his first wife, Clare Eames, and from friends and associates. Arranged alphabetically. The more important correspondents are listed in the index which follows the Key to Arrangement. Unlisted letters are at the beginning of the file in Box 4. Miscellaneous letters from friends, written to him while he was in France during World War I, have been kept together in a folder in Box 7.

box 4

Unlisted letters (one folder).

box 4

A - Howard, Helen. (1915-1917)

box 5

Howard, Helen (1918-1934) - McDuffie, Duncan (1917-[1936]).

box 6

McDuffie, Jean. (1915-1935)

box 7

McDuffie, Jean (1936-1938) - Z.

box 7

Letters from friends written while Howard was in France. 1917-1918

box 7

Unidentified correspondents.

Mrs. Howard's correspondence files.

Physical Description: Boxes 8-10

Content/Description

Most of the correspondence dates from Howard's death on Aug. 23, 1939, and includes letters and telegrams of condolence, many of them from prominent people in the theater; her letters to many of Howard's correspondents requesting copies of his letters, and the replies she received, 1941-1942; and correspondence relating to production of his last play. Letters from prominent people, and from Howard's family, are arranged alphabetically, with copies of Mrs. Howard's letters interfiled, and are listed in the index.

box 8

A - H.

box 9

J - Z.

box 9

Unlisted letters re: requests for Howard's letters, together with list of correspondents contacted (one folder).

box 9

Unlisted letters and telegrams re: Madam, Will You Walk (one folder).

box 10

Unlisted letters and telegrams of condolence (6 folders).

Diaries.

Physical Description: Carton 1

carton 1

"Journal of Travels through Europe of Sidney Howard by Himself". 1906

carton 1

First few pages describe the earthquake; remainder of volume covers travels in Europe. 1906, , , 1910

carton 1

Scattered entries; typed transcript also included. 1931

carton 1

Scattered entries; typed transcript also included. 1935

carton 1

Scattered entries; typed transcript also included. 1936

carton 1

Scattered entries; typed transcript also included. 1937

carton 1

Scattered entries; typed transcript also included. 1938

carton 1

2 volumes, each with scattered entries. 1939

carton 1

Expense book - notation of minor expenses. 1936

carton 1

Expense book - notation of minor expenses. 1937

carton 1

Address book - pages from loose leaf notebook.

carton 1

Program for Junior Farce, UC Berkeley. - "Jeanett's Way," by Howard and Frederick S. Faust. 1915

carton 1

Personalia - University of California registration cards, passports, car registration certificate, etc.

carton 1

Papers relating to his service World War I.

carton 1

Issue of Asides containing biographical sketch and bibliography. 1941

carton 2

Manuscript of unpublished novel - original title "Godhead;" changed to "Jacob Ely: The Record of an Education".

Content/Description

Draft pages (holograph and typescript) and incomplete typescript (11 folders)

carton 2

Research material for "Jacob Ely".

carton 2

Manuscript of a few poems.

carton 2

Fragments of manuscript.

carton 2

2 notebooks - [Howard's notes for "Jacob Ely"]? (2 folders).

carton 2

Miscellaneous notes in Howard's hand.

carton 2

Notes on 1939 production of Madam, Will You Walk; revised pages; etc.

carton 2

Legal agreements re: Madam, Will You Walk.

carton 2

Box office statements for Madam, Will You Walk, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., Nov. 1939.

carton 2

Copyright information re: Howard's works.

carton 2

Theatre Guild information re: Howard (in program notes and bulletin).

carton 2

Legal document in plagiarism suit involving They Knew What They Wanted.

carton 2

Programs for Howard plays and films.

carton 2

Box office statements for Marseilles, New York. Nov. 1930

carton 3

Playwrights' Producing Company. Feb.-Dec. 1940

Content/Description

One folder with miscellaneous form letters, brochure, etc. and four folders of financial reports, Feb.-Dec. 1940

carton 3

Miscellaneous papers re: Tyringham farm.

carton 3

Notebook containing Howard's notes on furniture, etc. [for Tyringham farm?].

carton 3

Clippings - articles, poems, etc. by Howard.

carton 3

Clippings - about Howard (2 folders).

carton 3

Clippings - reviews of his plays and films (3 folders).

carton 3

Clippings - reviews of 1939 production of Madam, Will You Walk.

carton 3

Clippings - obituaries.

carton 3

Clippings - re: Clare Eames.

carton 3

Miscellaneous papers of and about Clare Eames.

carton 3

Papers re: Sidney Howard's estate (4 folders).

carton 3

Miscellany.

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