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Grace Moore Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS-3666

  • Staff Only

The Grace Moore Papers detail Moore’s career as an opera singer and actress from Tennessee. Correspondence, notes, photographs, concert programs, movie and play scripts, along with newspaper clippings, fan club publications, vinyl performance records and a series of scrapbooks that follow the life, career, and death of Grace Moore are included. Performance posters and a series of sheet music used, performed, and signed by Grace Moore are also included, along with a group of letters written by famous composers and assembled by Miss Moore.

Series I. Correspondence, 1916-1981 This series includes personal correspondence (Sub-series A) with letters to Ben Bower, and Helen Ruth Matthews, Grace Moore’s Secretary, along with telegrams to her husband and friends. This series also consists of business correspondence (Sub-series B) regarding Moore's finances and her dealings with the Metropolitan Musical Bureau, Inc. Handwritten notes and telephone messages (Sub-series C) are also included. The fan mail grouping (Sub-series D) is comprised of messages held for personal responses, photograph requests, and responses from Moore.

Series II. Photographs, 1930-1939 This series consists of photographs of Moore from her performances and movie sets such as “One Night of Love,” “King Steps Out,” and “I’ll Take Romance.” Signed photographs of Moore along with photographs from various movies in which Moore did not act are also included.

Series III. Programs, 1928-1954 This series consists of programs featuring Moore (Sub-series A) including her debut concert, and programs honoring Moore (Sub-series B).

Series IV. Scripts, 1934-1940 This series consists of bound scripts from movies, radio shows, and plays. Many of these scripts include revisions and handwritten notes. Series V. Newspaper Clippings, circa 1947-1948, 1980-1989 This series consists of newspaper clippings that span the life and death of Moore and includes articles related to her personal life, performances, death, as well as articles about her hometown, induction to the Hall of Fame, biographies, and family.

Series VI. Fan Club Publications, 1936-1947 This series consists of fan club newsletters titled “Fan Club News” which cover Moore’s career and death.

Series VII. Scrapbooks, 1924-1953 This series consists of a collection of scrapbooks from multiple sources, including scrapbooks that have been taken out of their original binding from 1930-1940 compiled by her secretary Helen Ruth, along with 18 scrapbooks still in their original binding covering Moore’s life and career. These scrapbooks include newspaper clippings, photographs, programs, letters, telegrams, correspondence and various ephemera.

Series VIII. Sheet Music, 1838-1958 This series consists of five sheet music boxes. It includes individual sheets of music (Sub-series A) arranged by date as well as sheet music personalized and annotated by Moore and various composers (Sub-series B), including music signed by Moore, and sheet music signed by composers addressed to Moore. Compilations and collections of music arranged by title (Sub-series C), handwritten sheet music (Sub-series D), and materials related to music (Sub-series E) consisting of letters by composers, and the singing method of Manuel Gracia, are also included.

Series IX. Promotional Material, 1949 This series consists of re-releases of promotional movie posters and large performance posters.

Series X. Vinyl Records, undated This includes eight vinyl records of Moore’s performances and souvenir albums.

Dates

  • 1838-1989
  • Majority of material found within 1930-1947

Conditions Governing Access

Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.

Conditions Governing Use

The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.

Extent

13 Linear Feet

Abstract

The Grace Moore Papers detail Moore’s career as an opera singer and actress from Tennessee. Correspondence, notes, photographs, concert programs, movie and play scripts, along with newspaper clippings, fan club publications, vinyl performance records and a series of scrapbooks that follow the life, career, and death of Grace Moore are included. Performance posters and a series of sheet music used, performed, and signed by Grace Moore are also included, along with a group of letters written by famous composers and assembled by Miss Moore.

Biographical/Historical Note

Nicknamed the "Tennessee Nightingale," opera singer Grace Moore was born December 5, 1898 or 1901, in Slabtown, Tennessee, and raised in Jellico, Tennessee. She studied singing and music theory at Ward-Belmont College in Nashville and later in Washington, D.C. Around 1920, Moore moved to New York and debuted in 1928 at the Metropolitan Opera in La Boheme. She later starred in a number of musical motion pictures, including New Moon (1930), Jenny Lind (1931), One Night of Love (1934), Love Me Forever (1935), and I'll Take Romance (1937). She was nominated for an Academy Award after her performance in One Night of Love. She toured Europe and sang at the Met several times.

In 1931, Moore married Spanish actor Valentin Parera in Cannes, France. On January 26, 1947, the plane Moore was riding crashed and exploded during takeoff in Copenhagen, Denmark. Her body was flown to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and buried.

Arrangement

This collection consists of 27 boxes divided into 10 series.

Series I. Correspondence, 1916-1981 A. General Correspondence, 1916-1981, undated B. Business Correspondence, 1930-1936, undated C. Handwritten Notes and Phone Messages, undated D. Fan Mail, 1934-1935, undated

Series II. Photographs, 1930-1939

Series III. Programs, 1928-1954 A. Programs Featuring Grace Moore, 1928-1954, undated B. Programs Honoring Grace Moore, 1935 May 17, 1937 December 1

Series IV. Scripts, 1934-1940

Series V. Newspaper Clippings, circa 1947-1948, 1980-1989

Series VI. Fan Club Publications, 1936-1947

Series VII. Scrapbooks, 1924-1953

Series VIII. Sheet Music, 1838-1958 A. Individual Sheets of Music, 1867-1958, undated B. Sheet Music Personalized by Grace Moore and Various Compsers, 1920-1944, undated C. Compilations, Albums, and Collections of Sheet Music, 1838-1954, undated D. Miscellaneous Sheet Music, 1930, 1938, undated E. Material Related to Music, 1861-1913, undated Series IX. Promotional Material, 1949, undated

Series X. Vinyl Records, undated

Previous Citation

Portions of this collection were previously listed as MS.0047, MS.1025, MS.1111, MS.2341, and MS.2008.

Acquisition Note

This collection is property of the University of Tennessee Libraries, Knoxville, Special Collections. Part of the Grace Moore Collection was donated to Special Collections by Miss Mae Walker in 1986.

Repository Details

Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository

Contact:
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Knoxville TN 37996 USA
865-974-4480