Biographical note

Scope and contents

I. Series One -- Personal

Boxes 1 -- 9

II. Series Two -- Professional Material

Boxes 10 -- 13

Oversized Materials

1988 Addendum

Boxes 14 -- 29

Oversized Scrapbook

Howard Richardson was born on December 2, 1917. He received his B.A. from the University of North Carolina in 1938 and his M.A. in 1940. He attended the University of Iowa from 1940 -- 1942, until entering the army in 1943. During his time as a graduate student at Iowa, Richardson wrote his most famous play, “Dark of the Moon.” It opened on Broadway in 1945 and ran for two seasons. Richardson did not return to the University of Iowa until 1960, when he finally completed his doctorate. Howard Richardson authored or co-authored nearly fifty plays in the course of his career. He taught playwrighting briefly at the University of Oregon, the College of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas, the University of California at Northridge, and other schools, usually for periods of one to two years. “Dark of the Moon” remained Richardson’s greatest success and was widely produced by regional and community theaters and school groups. Howard Richardson died in New York City in 1985.

The papers of Howard Richardson document the playwright’s life and career. It consists of thirteen linear feet of manuscripts dating from 1923 to 1987. Given to the University of Iowa over a period of years, the collection is arranged in two sections. The first grouping was given the Libraries by Howard Richardson and his mother, Mrs. Frank Howard Richardson in the years 1973 --1975. This section includes correspondence and personal materials relating to his youth and early career, such as schoolwork, family letters, photographs, and college papers. Manuscripts of plays, playbills, and clippings document his early literary efforts. The second grouping titled “1988 Addendum” was given to the University of Iowa Libraries as part of Richardson’s estate, in 1987. It is made up of subject files arranged chronologically within an alphabetical sequence. These files contain more correspondence, dating from 1939 to 1987, and includes legal papers dealing with Richardson’s estate. This section contains lectures, reading lists, income tax returns, and videotapes as well as manuscripts of plays, playbills, photographs, and set designs. His play, “Dark of the Moon” is well documented in both parts of the collection with photographs of productions, music, clippings, manuscripts, etc.

 Box 1

Correspondence:

1923 -- 1932.

1933.

1934.

1935.

1936.

1937.

1938.

1939.

1940.

1941.

1942.

Jan. -- June 1943.

Correspondence (cont.):

Jul. -- Dec. 1943.

1944.

1945.

1945 (Frances Goforth - Mrs. Clara Richardson).

1946.

1947.

1948.

1949.

1950.

1951.

1952.

1953.

1954.

1955.

1956.

1957.

1958.

1959.

1960.

1961.

1962.

1963.

1964.

1965.

1966.

1967.

1968.

1969.

1970.

1971.

1972.

1973.

1974.

Undated.

1975.

Letters concerning Howard Richardson written to or by his mother.

Family letters unrelated or peripherally related to Howard Richardson, unsorted. (2 folders)

Parents. (Information supplied by Mrs. Clara Richardson)

Birth certificate and post card of birthplace.

Letters concerning Howard’s birth and childhood.

Childhood drawings and art work.

Drawings, poem, and written description of steamship voyage (1926).

Childhood poems.

“Paintings.”

Childhood performances.

Schoolwork--Childhood.

Miscellaneous childhood items.

Drawings--Adolescence.

Drawing of Howard as a young man.

Magic act.

Magic act--catalogues. (2 folders)

Poems and stories--Adolescence (identification uncertain).

Plans for a house.

Schoolwork--Adolescence.

Diaries:

1929 and 1933 and a childhood budget.

Diaries (cont.):

1935 and 1936.

1937 and 1938.

Declamation speeches.

College work:

Notes and notebooks.

Course-related material.

College papers. Including drafts and assignments. (2 folders)

Make-up and royalty booklets.

Roles.

Commencement program and graduate recital--Mars Hill (1936).

University of North Carolina. Bills and grades, 1936 -- 1938.

Commencement invitation and commencement program, University of North Carolina, 1938.

“Song Hits.” Magazine, 1938.

Calendar, 1939--University of North Carolina.

Commencement program, University of North Carolina, 1940.

Aid application, University of Iowa, 1940.

Miscellaneous (adolescent and college years).

European trip, 1938 -- 1939:

Paraphernalia.

Memorabilia. (2 folders)

Perspective problems.

Set designs. [See also Oversized Material]

Army memorabilia.

The Carolina Playmakers, 1958.

Resume, 1961.

Abbe Theatre School.

Travel tours.

Symposium in support of a dramatic art building, University of North Carolina, 1969.

Mont Chateau Writers’ Conference, 1969.

Miscellaneous adult items.

Unused stationery.

 Photographs:

Childhood and youth, 1917 -- 1933.

Adolescence and college, 1934 -- 1946.

1947 -- ?

Degrees:

National Rifle Association junior diploma--Marksman, First Class, 1933.

Mars Hill College diplomas:

1936.

Associate in Arts, 1936.

University of North Carolina Bachelor of Arts, 1938.

Ecole Pratique de Langue Francaise. Certificat D’Inscription, 1939.

University of North Carolina Master of Arts, 1940.

 Box 10

 Manuscripts:

“Near a Spring.” An early work.

“Barbara Allen.” Later titles: “Night Song” and “Dark of the Moon.”

French play. (Its relation to Howard Richardson uncertain.)

 Note: the date appended to each file is the date of first performance of the play.

 Playbills:

“The Late Mrs. J.B. Pottsenbottle,” 1935.

“Top Hats and Tenements,” 1936.

“Hidden Heart,” 1938.

“Where There’s a Will,” 1940.

“The Smiling Unicorn,” 1941. Includes photographs.

“Barbara Allen,” 1942. (Later entitled “Dark of the Moon.”)

“Dark of the Moon”:

1944. (2 folders)

1945:

Photographs.

Memorabilia.

1967. Poster.

“Catch on the Wing,” 1947. With photographs of Millicent Coleman.

“Widow’s Walk,” 1948.

“Design for a Stained Glass Window,” 1950.

“Sodom, Tennessee,” 1950.

Photographs. “The Cat in the Cage”, 1954.

“Protective Custody,” 1956.

“Madame Thirteen,” 1959.

“God’s Little Acre,” 1961.

“Desire in Disarray,” 1962.

“The Laundry,” 1963.

“The Maze,” 1964. (A revised version of “The Laundry.”)

Chekhov’s “The Three Sisters,” 1964. (Adapted by Howard Richardson.)

“Doris Delay,” 1969.

Howard Richardson’s Dramatic Performances, 1935-1940--Playbills.

Miscellaneous Playbills and Programs (unrelated to Howard Richardson).

“Brink of Brimstone,” 1973.

“Ark of Safety,” 1975.

Clippings:

1935.

1936.

1937.

1938.

1939.

1940.

1942.

1943.

1944.

1945. (6 folders)

 Box 13

Clippings (cont.):

1945. (cont.) (7 folders)

1946.

1947.

1948.

1949.

1950.

1951.

1952.

1953.

1954.

1956.

1957.

1958.

1959.

1960.

1961.

1962.

1963.

1964.

1965.

1966.

1967.

1968.

1969.

1970.

1971.

1972.

1973.

1974.

1975.

Undated.

Life Magazine, September 11, 1944. Contains an article about “Dark of the Moon” production in Boston. This article brought the play to the attention of Broadway producers, after Mr. Richardson had previously and unsuccessfully attempted to have the play produced on Broadway.

Photograph of an unknown actress.

Set Designs. Executed as an undergraduate and graduate. (See also Box 6)

 Box 14

American College Theatre Festival, 1976 -- 1981.

American Theatre Association, 1977 -- 1980.

"The Ark of Safety" by Howard Richardson and Frances Goforth. Correspondence, clippings, music, playbills, etc., 1955, 1974 -- 1981.

Audio tapes (3). Howard Richardson, 1973. Interviews, etc.

Biographical materials. Howard Richardson--resumés, transcripts, interviews, clippings, etc., 1936, 1959 -- 1980.

Blair, Elliot S. Correspondence, 1982 -- 1985.

"Brimstone" by Howard Richardson and William Berney. Correspondence, lyrics, clippings, etc., 1953 -- 1954, 1961 -- 1962, 1972 -- 1980. Including a letter from Rod McKuen. (also titled: "Sodom, Tennessee")

"Bulletins from a Temporary Plant" by Armand Gatti and translated by Howard Richardson. Correspondence, interview with Gatti, and play translation, 1965 -- 1972.

The Carolina Playmakers. Playbills, 1934 -- 1940.

"Catch on the Wing" by Howard Richardson and Frances Goforth. Playbill and clippings, 1947.

Christopher Mann, Ltd. Business correspondence, 1973 -- 1982.

Childhood art work.

Christian Writers' Conference, 1966, 1971 -- 1982.

Contests, 1978 -- 1984, playwriting.

Contracts, 1978 -- 1982, for production of plays.

Correspondence:

1939 -- 1956.

1960 -- 1966. Including a letter from Charlton Heston.

1967 -- 1969.

1970 -- 1975. Including a letter from Alden Nash.

1976.

1977. Including a letter from Charlton Heston.

1978.

Correspondence (cont.):

1979. Including a letter from John M. Thomason.

January -- June 1980.

July -- December 1980.

January -- April 1981.

May -- December 1981. Including a letter from Ronald Reagan.

1982.

1983.

Correspondence (cont.):

1984 -- 1987.

Undated.

Correspondence and legal agreements:

1947 -- 1957.

1958 -- 1961 and undated.

"Dark of the Moon" by Howard Richardson and William Berney:

Asolo Theater Festival production. Correspondence and clippings, 1983.

Broadway revivals. Correspondence, 1968 -- 1981.

Film and film rights. Correspondence, 1977 -- 1983. (Frances Goforth co- authored the screenplay.)

Manuscript. Miscellaneous pages with script changes and notes, 1971.

"Dark of the Moon" (cont.):

Music and lyrics.

Music, opera, and ballet. Correspondence, 1975 -- 1984.

Nashville, Tennessee production. Correspondence, playbill, etc., 1981.

Newspaper clippings, 1940 -- 1983.

Opera version given in Brazil. Correspondence, 1981 -- 1982.

Paste-ups.

Photographs. (2 folders)

Playbills, programs, advertising, etc., 1944 -- 1977.

"Dark of the Moon" (cont.):

Playbills, programs, advertising, etc. (cont.):

1978 -- 1981.

1982 -- 1983 and undated.

Scenery. Postcards of N. Carolina setting.

Various productions. Correspondence, 1962, 1971 -- 1980.

Deaf Theatre, 1968 -- 1983.

Dearborn, Elwyn. Correspondence, 1977 -- 1984.

"Design for a Stained Glass Window" by Howard Richardson and William Berney. Correspondence, clippings and playbills, 1950 -- 1978.

Diary. Howard Richardson, August 1933.

Dills, Robert. Correspondence regarding a swindle, 1980 -- 1983.

"Doris de Lay" by Howard Richardson and Elwyn Dearborn. Correspondence, music, miscellaneous pages of script, etc., 1969 -- 1980.

"Drama vs. English Departments in the Teaching of Playwriting" by Howard Richardson. Article in The Dramatists Guild Quarterly, vol. 12, #1, pp. 20 -- 26.

Dramatic Theory and Eighteenth Century Criticism. Reading lists, course outlines, notes, etc., n.d.

Eighteenth Century British Drama. Richardson's class notes, essays, exams, etc., from the State University of Iowa, 1960.

English Drama and Drama of Greece and Rome. Course outlines, quizzes, notes, etc., 1962 -- 1964. (May have been taught by Richardson.)

Essays by Howard Richardson. Most of them were for State University of Iowa course work, 1960.

"Evening Star" by Howard Richardson and Frances Goforth:

Correspondence:

1974 -- 1977.

1978. Including letters from Garson Kanin.

1979 -- 1980.

1981 -- 1984 and undated.

"Evening Star" (cont.):

Playbills, clippings, miscellaneous pages of script, etc., 1977 -- 1980.

Gerber, Ella. Correspondence, 1976 -- 1982.

"Glory for Me" by Howard Richardson and E.G. Kasakoff. Playbills, clippings, etc., 1959, 1977.

"God's Little Acre" by Erskine Caldwell as adapted by Howard Richardson and Frances Goforth. Correspondence, 1954 -- 1981.

Goforth, Frances. Correspondence, 1978 -- 1982.

Harris, Jay. Correspondence, 1978 -- 1982.

History of Theatre I. Course outlines, exams, reading lists, etc., 1963 -- 1964. (Taught by Richardson.)

Income tax returns, 1980.

Latin American Playwriting Project, 1964 -- 1967.

"The Laundry" by David Guerdon as translated by Howard Richardson:

Correspondence, 1962 -- 1979 and undated.

Playbills, clippings, publicity, etc., 1963 -- 1975.

Lectures on Greek drama, etc., n.d.

The MacDowell Colony, 1975 -- 1979.

Mountview Theatre School, 1979 -- 1983.

Newspaper clippings. Regarding various Richardson productions, etc., 1951 -- 1965.

Orton Dyslexia Society, 1975 -- 1982.

Photographs:

Howard Richardson.

Richardson family.

Miscellaneous identified people.

Unidentified people.

"Play With a Dead Body" by Howard Richardson and William Berney. (earlier title: "Birds of Prey"):

Correspondence:

1954 -- 1973.

1974 -- 1983 and undated.

Playbills. Miscellaneous plays involving Richardson, 1935 -- 1941, 1962.

Playwriting newsletters and related correspondence, 1976 -- 1978.

Poetry and lyrics, n.d.

Problems in Producing the New Play. Seminar taught by Richardson at the University of Oregon, 1963 -- 1964.

"Protective Custody" by Howard Richardson and William Berney. Correspondence, 1955 -- 1962, 1971 -- 1983.

Religious drama, 1977 -- 1980.

Robbins, Jerome. Correspondence, 1981 -- 1982.

Royalty payments. Samuel French, Inc., 1969 -- 1984.

"Set for Life" by Howard Richardson and Frances Goforth. Correspondence, clippings, etc., 1972 -- 1984.

Suggested plot lines and miscellaneous pages of manuscript by Howard Richardson and Ella Gerber, n.d.

Teaching applications, 1965 -- 1974.

"A Thread of Scarlet" by Howard Richardson and E.G. Kasakoff:

Correspondence, 1976 -- 1982.

Encompass Theatre's production, 1978.

Juneau, Alaska production, 1975 -- 1977.

Revisions and music, n.d.

Theatre Tulsa production, 1976 -- 1978.

"The Three Sisters" by Anton Chekhov as adapted by Howard Richardson:

Miscellaneous pages of manuscript, 1964.

Script, with blocking assignments, 1964.

"We Open in London" by Howard Richardson. Article in Dramatists Bulletin, vol. 2, #6 (March 1962) p. 4.

Videotape guide, n.d. (Guides to tapes concerning Howard Richardson)

Videotape guide (cards), n.d.

Videotapes:

A -- F.

 Videotapes (cont.):

G. (including duplicate)

H. (including duplicate)

I -- J.

Videotapes (cont.):

"Howard Richardson, a personal look." (4 tapes)

Videotapes (cont.):

"A Husband for Tama," May 7, 1973.

Unidentified tapes. (2)

Scrapbook material from Richardson’s European visit, 1938 -- 1939. Including correspondence, photographs, postcards, brochures, maps, theater programs, tickets, invitations, etc. (2 folders)

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