USO Camp Shows designs and drawings

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Collection Data

Description: Original drawings of color painter's elevations, set designs, elevations, other technical drawings, and sketches for USO Camp Shows productions that played nationally and internationally during the 1940s. Although the majority of the designs and elevations are by Bradford Ashworth and Paul Morrison, other designers represented include Ralph Alswang, Howard Bay, Frederick Fox, Carl Kent, Arthur Knorr, Bruno Main, Raymond Sovey, Miles White and Edward E. Wolf. Perry Watkins, the first African-American set designer on Broadway, also designed a number of Camp Shows productions. Girl crazy, Junior miss, Panama Hattie, Porgy and Bess, and Shuffle along are especially well-documented and include production-related papers, such as property lists and memoranda.
Names: Alswang, Ralph (Artist); Ashworth, Bradford, 1892-1951 (Artist); Fox, Frederick B (Artist); Kent, Carl (Artist); Knorr, Arthur, 1898-1966 (Artist); Main, Bruno (Artist); Morrison, Paul, 1906-1980 (Artist); Sovey, Raymond, -1966 (Artist); Watkins, Perry (Artist); White, Miles, 1914-2000 (Artist); Wolf, Edward E (Artist)
Dates / Origin: Date Created: 1942 - 1946
Library locations: Billy Rose Theatre Division; Shelf locator: *T-Vim 2013-154
Topics: Camp Shows, Inc
Genres: Blueprints; Elevations; Set design drawings; technical drawings
Notes: Most of the designs have United Scenic Artists stamp; many are covered with cellophane.; Biographical/historical: The USO (United Service Organizations, Inc.) was formed in 1941 by Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt, as the outgrowth of several organizations wishing to support the military troops as the U.S. entered World War II. During its initial years of operation (1941-1947), the Camp Shows brought entertainment to United States and Allied service men overseas, at home, in hospitals, and in occupied territories. Theater productions as well as entertainment featuring Hollywood personalities and novelty performers entertained servicemen all over the world.; Related materials may be found in the USO Camp Shows Publicity Records, 1941-1955, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Billy Rose Theatre Division.
Physical Description: Extent: 8 boxes (ca. 440 drawings) :some col. ;51 x 76 cm or smaller.; Extent: Approximately 238 architectural drawings :blueprints ;45 x 62 cm or smaller.
Type of Resource: Still image
Identifiers: RLIN/OCLC: 869897195; NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b20030614; MSS Unit ID: 22923; Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): df69bca0-3cf7-0136-6d34-6fda715a5596