Spencer Berger Collection on film, theater, and music
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of material created and accumulated by Spencer Berger, stemming from his avocational interest in film, theater, and music, and from his particular research and collecting activities focused on actors John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore, and Ethel Barrymore and musicians Ted Lewis and Leopold Stokowski. Material includes correspondence; photographs, including movie stills and autographed photographs of John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore, Ethel Barrymore, and others; playbills, clippings, and other printed material; notes; scrapbooks; and other papers.
Dates
- 1876-2000
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Boxes 24-25 (35mm film): Restricted Fragile Material. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Conditions Governing Use
The Spencer Berger Collection on Film, Theater, and Music is the physical property of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, consult the appropriate curator.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Spencer Berger,1992-1996, and Eric H. Berger, 2007.
Arrangement
Organized into four groupings: October 1992 Acquisition, December 1995 Acquisition, December 1996 Acquisition, and November 2007 Acquisition.
Extent
15.55 Linear Feet ((27 boxes) + 2 broadside folders, 2 art)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Abstract
The collection consists of material created and accumulated by Spencer Berger, stemming from his avocational interest in film, theater, and music, and from his particular research and collecting activities focused on actors John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore, and Ethel Barrymore and musicians Ted Lewis and Leopold Stokowski. Material includes correspondence; photographs, including movie stills and autographed photographs of John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore, Ethel Barrymore, and others; playbills, clippings, and other printed material; notes; scrapbooks; and other papers.
Spencer Berger (1917-2002)
Spencer Merriam Berger was a business executive and film historian. He was born on May 6, 1917 in New Haven, Connecticut, and graduated from Yale University in 1940. He served as president and chairman of the board of the former Berger Brothers Company of New Haven, which made women's and surgical corsets. He was a leading authority on the actors John, Lionel, and Ethel Barrymore, and an enthusiast of Ted Lewis and Leopold Stokowski.
Processing Information
This collection has received a basic level of processing, including rehousing and in some instances minimal organization. Various acquisitions associated with the collection have not been merged and organized as a whole. Each acquisition is described separately in the contents list below according to month and year of acquisition. In 2013, the collection was renamed from Spencer Berger Papers to Spencer Berger Collection on Film, Theater, and Music.
As a rule, descriptive information found in the Collection Contents section is drawn in large part from information supplied with the collection and from an initial survey of the contents. Folder titles appearing in the contents list below are often based on those provided by the creator or previous custodian. Titles have not been verified against the contents of the folders in all cases. Otherwise, folder titles are supplied by staff during processing.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
Former call numbers: Uncat Za Ms 246, Uncat Za Ms 468, Uncat Za Ms 511, and Uncat MSS 993.
- Title
- Guide to the Spencer Berger Collection on Film, Theater, and Music
- Status
- Under Revision
- Author
- by Beinecke staff
- Date
- 2008
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Repository
Location
121 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Opening Hours
Access Information
The Beinecke Library is open to all Yale University students and faculty, and visiting researchers whose work requires use of its special collections. You will need to bring appropriate photo ID the first time you register. Beinecke is a non-circulating, closed stack library. Paging is done by library staff during business hours. You can request collection material online at least two business days in advance of your visit, using the request links in Archives at Yale. For more information, please see Planning Your Research Visit and consult the Reading Room Policies prior to visiting the library.