Richard Leavitt Collection of Tennessee Williams
This collection, compiled by Richard Leavitt, contains photographs and memorabilia related to Tennessee Williams. The material spans from Williams's childhood to his rise to prominence on the American stage, and on to the later, experimental stages of his career. Included are Leavitt's collected photographs, reviews, publicity, magazine articles, and newspaper articles. Also included is memorabilia gathered by Leavitt including play programs, advertisements, and private drawings by Williams himself.
Dates
- circa 1785-1999
- Majority of material found within 1915-1999
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
6 Linear Feet (8 boxes [2 record, 3 half, 1 quarter, 2 flat])
Abstract
This collection, compiled by Richard Leavitt, contains photographs and memorabilia related to Tennessee Williams. The material spans from Williams's childhood to his rise to prominence on the American stage, and on to the later, experimental stages of his career. Included are Leavitt's collected photographs, reviews, publicity, magazine articles, and newspaper articles. Also included is memorabilia gathered by Leavitt including play programs, advertisements, and private drawings by Williams himself.
Biographical/Historical Note
Tennessee Williams was born in 1911 in Columbus, Mississippi. He began his writing career as a poet but changed to playwriting after witnessing a production of Ibsen's Ghosts in 1937. Williams wrote some of the most important American dramas of the 20th century, winning two Pulitzer Prizes and four American Drama Critic Awards for best play. Many of his dramas were adapted into films, and Williams also wrote screenplays alongside occasional short stories and novels. He died in New York City in 1983.
Richard Freeman Leavitt authored The World of Tennessee Williams in 1978 and Tennessee Williams and the South in 2002 with Kenneth Holditch.
Arrangement
Collection consists of eight boxes and is divided into seven series: I. Photographs (numbered and arranged in order as devised by the collection's creator); II. Magazines and Magazine Articles; III. Newspaper Articles and Clippings; IV. Reviews, Playbills and Programs; V. Advertisements, Publicity, etc.; VI. Materials on Lyle Leverich's Tom: The Unknown Tennessee Williams; and VII. Other Tennessee Williams Material.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository