Frederick O'Neal photograph collection

Home

Search Browse About

Items Collections Divisions

Digital Collections Using Images Using Data

About Filters

Collection Data

Description: The collection documents Frederick O'Neal's career as an actor, labor official and activist, from the 1940s to the 1980s, consisting of studio portraits and candid shots of O'Neal; portraits of relatives; group portraits showing O'Neal with actors, labor officials, political and civic figures, and award recipients; studio portraits of other actors, playwrights and celebrities; publicity photographs and stills from theatrical, motion picture and television productions; and views from social gatherings, meetings, conferences, ceremonies and a memorial service. Depictions of O'Neal's personal life are limited; his acting career before 1940 is not depicted.The Personal series is limited in scope, consisting of candid shots of O'Neal at the beach (1961), relatives (ca. 1980s) and friends (n.d.); and studio portraits of relatives.The Acting career series depicts O'Neal's activities and performances with the American Negro Theatre (ANT) (1940-1948), and his later performances in theater, film and television (1949-1970), consisting of publicity photographs from theatrical productions; stills and publicity photographs from film productions; group portraits and candid shots of fellow actors and ANT administrators; views of a rehearsal for a television special; and views of drama classes. Also included are studio portraits of O'Neal, probably used for publicity purposes; and publicity photographs from ANT productions not featuring O'Neal.Of note are ANT productions featuring O'Neal, including "Anna Lucasta" (U.S. productions, 1944-1945 and the English tour productions, 1947-1948), "On Striver's Row (1940-1941 and 1946), and "Henri Christophe" (1945); the Lyceum Theatre production of "Take a Giant Step" (1953); film stills from "Something of Value" (1957), "Anna Lucasta" (1959) and "Free, White and 21" (1963); and views of the rehearsal for a performance of "God's Trombones" for the CBS television program "The Fred Waring Show" (early 1950s). Among the performers featured with O'Neal include Rosetta LeNoire, Frank Silvera, Hilda Simms, Earle Hyman, John Proctor, Louis Gossett, Jr., Jane White, Leigh Whipper, Jeanne Crain, Rex Ingram and ANT co-founder Abram Hill.The Labor activities series depicts O'Neal in his capacity as labor leader for the Actors' Equity Association and the Associated Actors and Artistes of America (AAAA) from the mid-1960s to the 1980s, consisting of group portraits and views showing O'Neal with other labor leaders and civil rights activists; views of labor conferences and conventions, award presentations, dinners, union meetings and press conferences; and several head shots, with attached résumés, of actors and actresses applying for membership in the AAAA. Of note are views from the Federacíon Interamericana de Trabajadores del Espectaculo 8th Congress, in San Jose, Costa Rica (1977), and a meeting of African American labor and civil rights leaders with Israeli labor and political leaders in Israel (1979).The Organizational and civic activities series depicts O'Neal's participation in non-labor related events, from the mid-1960s to the 1980s, consisting of group portraits and views showing O'Neal with civic leaders; and views of dinners and receptions, presentation ceremonies, speeches and meetings. Of note are views of various Catholic Interracial Council of New York awards dinners (1978-1979), and views of a memorial service for A. Philip Randolph at Avery Fisher Hall, New York (1979).The Miscellaneous series consists of a group of images, entitled "The American Theatre," depicting theatrical performances and various playwrights; studio portraits, many inscribed, from acting colleagues, celebrities and prominent figures; publicity photographs from a college production of "My Fair Lady" (n.d.); and portraits of actor Ira Aldridge.Among other individuals depicted with O'Neal include labor leaders Lane Kirkland, Harry Van Arsdale and George Meany; civil rights activists William E. Pollard, Bayard Rustin and Ronald Brown; and New York State and City political figures Hugh Carey, Robert F. Wagner, Jr. and David Dinkins.
Names: O'Neal, Frederick, 1905-1992 (Collector); Allen, James L. (James Latimer), 1907-1977 (Photographer); Bakchy, Boris (Photographer); Ben-Ness, Al (Photographer); Mitchell, Bill (Photographer); Rogers, Houston (Photographer); Tucker, Lorenzo (Photographer); Younger, Cy (Photographer); Archer Associates (New York, N.Y.) (Photographer); Graphic House (New York, N.Y.) (Photographer); Images Unlimited (Photographer); M. Smith (New York, N.Y.) (Photographer); Payé Photo Agnero (Abidjan, Côte d' Ivoire) (Photographer)
Dates / Origin: Date Created: 1940 - 1986 (Approximate)
Library locations: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division; Shelf locator: Sc Photo Frederick O'Neal Collection
Topics: O'Neal, Frederick, 1905-1992; American Negro Theatre; AFL-CIO; Actors' Equity Association; Associated Actors and Artistes of America; Catholic Interracial Council (New York, N.Y.); Federación Interamericana de Trabajadores del Espectaculo. Congress, (8th :1977 :San Jose, Costa Rica); African American actors; African Americans in the performing arts; African American motion picture actors and actresses; African American labor leaders; African American civil rights workers; African Americans; Congresses and conventions; Rites and ceremonies; Banquets -- New York (State) -- New York (N.Y.); Theatrical productions -- United States; Feature films -- United States; Television programs -- United States -- 1950-1959
Genres: Photographs; Portrait photographs; Group portraits; Film stills; Postcards; Portraits
Notes: Content: Title taken from Frederick O'Neal Papers.; Content: Collection contains work by James Latimer Allen, Archer Associates, Al Ben-Ness, Graphic House, Bill Mitchell, Houston Rogers, Morgan Smith and Lorenzo Tucker, among others.; Content: Some photographs bear photographer's, photography studio's or photo agency's hand stamp on verso; some items bear photographer's or photography studio's name on recto; some items bear photographer's blind stamp; some items bear photographer's signature on recto.; Content: Some items bear printed or handwritten captions on verso; some items bear printed captions on recto. A group of studio portraits has typewritten or printed résumés attached to verso or recto. Some items bear inscriptions. Some items are mounted; some items are mounted on a scrapbook page. Some items are duplicates.; Biographical/historical: Frederick O'Neal, 1905-1992, was an actor, labor leader and lecturer, who helped to establish the American Negro Theatre in Harlem, in 1940. He appeared in many ANT productions, most notably "Anna Lucasta," which moved to Broadway in 1944. Aside from theatrical prformances with both ANT and other theatrical companies, O'Neal also performed on film and television from the late 1940s to the 1960s. O'Neal was a college lecturer, and was active as a labor leader, serving as President of the Actors' Equity Association, 1964-1973, and International President of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America, 1970-1988.; Content: Forms part of the Frederick O'Neal Papers, 1941-1973.
Physical Description: Extent: 704 items (2.3 cubic ft., 9 boxes).; Extent: 501 photographic prints : gelatin silver, black and white ; 21 x 26 cm and smaller.; Extent: 13 photographic prints : gelatin silver, black and white ; 36 x 51 cm and smaller.; Extent: 23 photographic prints : color ; 28 x 36 cm and smaller.; Extent: 11 photomechanical prints : black and white, some color ; 28 x 36 cm and smaller.; Extent: 4 photographic prints : dye diffusion transfer, color, one black and white ; 11 x 9 cm.; Extent: 10 negatives : gelatin silver, black and white ; 26 x 21 cm and smaller.; Extent: 5 postcards : photomechanical, color ; 9 x 14 cm.; Extent: 137 slides : color ; 5 x 5 cm.; Organized into five series: I. Personal; II. Acting career; III. Labor activities; IV. Organizational and civic activities; V. Miscellaneous.
Type of Resource: Still image
Identifiers: RLIN/OCLC: 1313967251; NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b22769639; Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): fbc145d0-12df-013c-4e7a-0242ac110002

2 results found

The New York Public Library

Digital Collections

Frederick O'Neal photograph collection

Collection Data

topic

name

collection

place

genre

division

type

Date Range