James Madison University Libraries Special Collections
Thomas H. Arthur Papers
Arthur, Thomas H.
Arthur, Thomas H.
SC 0088
2.7 cubic feet
9 boxes (including 1 four-flap enclosure)
1953-2018
The Thomas H. Arthur Papers, 1953-2018, consist of eight boxes (2.42 cubic feet) of personal correspondence, manuscripts, theater programs, photographs, and notes written by Dr. Thomas H. Arthur, JMU faculty member, and pertaining to actor Melvyn Douglas.
French, Spanish, Italian, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Hebrew, Mandarin Chinese, Afrikaans
Access Restrictions
Collection is open to research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.
Use Restrictions
The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Thomas H. Arthur Papers, 1953-2018, SC 0088, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.
Acquisition Information
Thomas H. Arthur made an initial donation of materials to Special Collections in 1987. Arthur donated additional materials, primarily theater programs, in March 2018. Arthur made an additional donation of Festival of the Arts posters in July 2021.
Processing Information
In order to streamline the process of applying collection numbers, Special Collections staff completed a large-scale renumbering campaign in the spring of 2017. This collection was previously cataloged as SC 2023. This collection was reprocessed in 2019 to incorporate Thomas Arthur's March 2018 donation of theater programs.
Bio/Historical Note
Thomas H. Arthur joined the staff of James Madison University in 1973, teaching both theater and speech as part of the Department of Communication Arts. He was instrumental in making theater at JMU into a college department. After the Department of Theatre and Dance was formed in 1986 as part of the College of Arts and Letters, Arthur would serve as the department head from 1987-1989. As a professor, he arranged semester abroad trips to London to expose students to British culture as well as professional theater productions. He continued to teach and direct productions at JMU as part of the faculty until his retirement in 2007.
Arthur was a personal friend of actor Melvyn Douglas and his family, and wrote his doctoral thesis about Douglas's involvement in politics. In 1971, Arthur also collaborated with Douglas, at Douglas' request, to write his autobiography, See You at the Movies: The Autobiography of Melvyn Douglas.
Melvyn Douglas was born Melvyn Hesselberg, on April 5, 1901 in Macon, Georgia. He began his theatrical career in 1917, and adopted the name 'Douglas' some time prior to his movie debut. During his career he was a star of the screen, stage, and television. He was the first male actor to win a Tony Award, an Emmy Award, and an Oscar. In addition to acting, Douglas served in both world wars and was active in politics. In 1940 he became the first actor to serve as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. He married in 1931 and died in New York City on August 4, 1981. A portion of this collection includes letters and notes relating to Dr. Arthur's book, See You at the Movies: The Autobiography of Melvyn Douglas (Lanham, Md. University Press of America, 1986).
Scope and Content
The Thomas H. Arthur Papers, 1953-2018, consist of eight boxes (2.42 cubic feet). The collection is arranged into two series, with two subseries each: 1. Theater Programs and Printed Materials, 1.1 Playbills, 1.2 Theater Print Materials, 2. Scholarship and Teaching, 2.1 Melvyn Douglas Research, 2.2 Study Abroad Semester Materials. The largest part of the collection comprises the playbills and theater print materials from both domestic and international theaters. The collection also includes Arthur's research into the life of actor Melvyn Douglas, including photographs, handwritten notes, and correspondence provided by Douglas and his family to inform Arthur's research.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into two series and arranged further into subseries. Each series is arranged chronologically except Series 1.1 Playbills which is arranged alphabetically by theater production.
- Theater Programs and Printed Materials, 1953-2018
- Scholarship and Teaching, 1970-2014
Related Material
Wisconsin Historical Society, Melvyn Douglas, Melvyn Douglas Papers, 1892-1983.
School of Theatre and Dance Records, 1930-2011 (bulk 1981-1993), UA 0045, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.
Bibliography
James Madison University. The School of Theatre and Dance. http://www.jmu.edu/theatre/pdf/backstages07.pdf. Accessed October 2019.
James Madison University. Bluestone. Harrisonburg, VA: 1988. James Madison University Special Collections.
Playbills
Programs (documents)
Letters (correspondence)
Photographs
Printed Ephemera
Itineraries
Interviews
Actors -- United States -- Biography
Actors -- United States -- Correspondence
Actors -- United States -- Interviews
Theater -- United States -- Biography
Motion picture actors and actresses -- United States -- Biography
Television actors and actresses -- United States -- Biography
Theaters -- Illinois
Theaters -- Indiana
Theaters -- Wisconsin
Motion picture actors and actresses
Television actors and actresses
Theater
Arthur, Thomas H.
Douglas, Melvyn -- Contributions in politics
Orpheum Theater (Madison, Wis.)
Fischer's Majestic Theatre (Madison, Wis.)
Rialto Theatre (Sioux City, Iowa)
Playmongers (Chicago, Ill.)
New Grand Theatre (Evansville, Ind.)
Douglas, Melvyn
Theater Programs and Printed Materials11953-2018Scope and ContentSeries 1: Theater Programs and Printed Materials, 1953-2018, is separated into two subseries: theater programs and printed materials related to many of the shows represented in the playbills. The theater programs document the many plays and musicals that Arthur attended, with the majority playing in London and on Broadway and spanning more than 60 years. Playbills of note include programs from award-winning shows such as Hamilton, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Lion King, My Fair Lady, and Cats, programs from productions that feature actors including Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart, Catherine Tate, Judi Dench, Viola Davis, and Gary Oldman, and programs from many versions of classic Shakespeare plays, such as Twelfth Night and Hamlet. The theater print material subseries comprises other theater-related pamphlets and programs, most of which are either souvenir brochures or pamphlets that include calendars for a particular season.
Playbills1.11953-20182 Pianos, 4 Hands - American Theatre College Festival XXX1981-2018112 Pianos, 4 Hands19999 Parts of Desire200621st Annual Humana Festival of New American Plays1997The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee200640 Years On198442nd Street198384 Charing Cross Road1981Absolute Hell1995Accidental Death of an Anarchist1981Ain't Misbehavin1985Ajax1986Aladdin2016Alice2003All My Sons1981All My Sons2018Amadeus1981The American College Theatre Festival XVI1984The American College Theatre Festival XXVI1994The American College Theatre Festival XXX1998Angels in America - Avenue Q1962-201512Angels in America1994Anna in the Tropics2004Annie1981Annie2013Animal Farm1986Antony and Cleopatra2008Anything Goes2003Arcadia1994The Archbishop's Ceiling1986Arms and the Man1981Art1996Art2000-2001As You Like It1962As You Like It1981-1982The Audience2015August: Osage County2008Avenue Q2004Ballroom - Big River1961-200313Ballroom1978Barefoot in the Park1965ΒΑΤΡΑΧΟΙ2002-2003The Bay at Nice and Wrecked Eggs1986The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B1982Beatlemania1978The Beauty Queen of Leenane1998As Bees in Honey Drown1997Bells are Ringing1961Benefactors1984Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1986Billy Bishop Goes to War - By George...It's Gershwin1963-2010, undated14Billy Bishop Goes to War1982The BlacksundatedBlackbird2006Blood Brothers1988Bloody Poetry1984Blue Man Group "Tubes"1992Blue Surge2001Bobrauschenbergamerica2009-2010Bookworms2010BouncersundatedThe Boyfriend1984Breaking the Code1986Breaking the Silence1984Brigadoon1963Brothers Karamazov1981By George...It's Gershwin1987La Cage Aux Folles - Children of a Lesser God1978-1999, undated15La Cage Aux Folles1986Canterbury TalesundatedCan't Pay? Won't Pay!1981Carmen1996-1997Carmen Jones1991Cats1999The Caucasian Chalk Circle1997Champagne Charlie1984Chapter Two1978The Cherry Orchard1997Chicago1999Children of a Lesser God1980Chinese State Circus - Coriolanus1984-2006, undated21Chinese State Circus1995-1996Chopin Recital with Maciej PoliszewskiundatedA Chorus of Disapproval1986City of Angels1991The Clean House2006Closer1997Cloud Nine1997The Color Wheel1995Company1996The Complete Works of William Shakespeare1992Copenhagen1999Coriolanus1984Coriolanus1996Corpse! - Dylan1964-2011, undated22Corpse!1984Cosi' Fan Tutte`undatedThe Count of Monte Cristo2004The Country ClubundatedThe Country WifeundatedCowgirls1996The Cripple of Inishman1997-1998Curse of the Starving Class1979Cyrano1995Cyrano de Bergerac1997Dance of Love and Death1981Dancing at Lughnasa2011Dangerous CornerundatedDavid Mamet: "Bobby Gould in Hell" ReadingundatedA Day at the Opera, A Night at the Races1984Dial M for Murder1983-1984Dialogues Des Carmelites1999-2000Les Dindes Galantes2006Don Giovanni1984Don Juan1981Doonesbury1983Driving Miss Daisy1988The Drowsy Chaperone2006Dylan1964East of Eden - Evita1981-201823East of Eden2014-2015Eastern Standard1988Edinburgh Military Tattoo1981Educating Rita1981Eleemosynary1993English Chamber Orchestra Concert Series1984English Chamber Orchestra Concert Series1997Equus2017Evita1980Evita1981Fair Maid - Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune1975-201624The Fair Maid of the West1987Falstaff and Hal1986A Few Good Men1994Finian's Rainbow2016First Monday in October1975Follies2001Follow the Orange and Blue Road1998The Fool1981Fool for Love1983Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune1988Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune1992Galileo - De La Guarda1981-2014, undated25Galileo1986A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder2014Gianni Scicchi and Pagliacci2004Gibraltar2013The Glass Menagerie1995The Glass Menagerie2007The Glass Menagerie2010The Goat (or Who is Sylvia?)2002Godot-Ra VarvaundatedGood People2011The Gospel at Colonus1990Grease2000The Green Bird2000Groucho at Large1981De La GuardaundatedHalf a Sixpence - Henry IV1962-201631Half a Sixpence1966Hametz1995Hamilton2016Hamlet1981Hamlet1992Hamlet1988Hamlet1997Hamlet Variations2004Handel Opera1984Happy New Year1979The Hard Problem2016Harvey2015Heartbreak House2017Hedwig and the Angry Inch1999The Heidi Chronicles1989Henry IV1962Henry IV2004Henry IV - Italian American Reconciliation1975-2011, undated32Henry IV1994Henry VIII2002Herr Puntila Und Sein Knecht Matti1975High SpiritsundatedThe Hired Man1984Hogan's GoatundatedThe Homecoming1997The House of Blue Leaves1986The Hypochondriac1981An Ideal Husband1996An Iliad2011I'm Not Rappaport1986An Inspector CallsundatedIntimate Exchanges1985Italian American RconciliationundatedJack: A Night on the Town - Little Hotel on the Side1981-2015, undated33Jack: A Night on the Town with John Barrymore1994Jelly's Last Jam1992Joyce2007Judith: A Parting from the Body2010The Kingfisher1981King Hedley II2001The King and I2015King Richard III (The Big Dick)undatedKiss Me, KateundatedKiss of the Spider Woman1994Lady in the Dark1997The Last Nights of Ballyhoo1997Les Miserables1985A Letter of Resignation1997The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby1982The Life of Henry the Fift1997The Light in the Piazza2005The Lion King2014A Little Bit Like You2003The Little Dog Laughed2006A Little Hotel on the Side1984Little Me - Love and Understanding1983-200834Little Me1984The Little Mermaid2008Little Shop of Horrors1983Long Day's Journey into Night2003Loot1984Love's Labor's Lost1987Love's Labour's Lost1994Love and Understanding1997The Lucky Chance1984Macbeth - Mary Poppins1965-2012, undated35Macbeth1965Macbeth1989Madame Melville2000A Madhouse in Goa1989The Madness of George III1992Macbeth2004Madame Butterfly1984Madame Butterfly1988The Magic Flute1997The Magistrate1986Making it HappenundatedMalfi1995Mamma Mia2001Ma Rainey's Black Bottom1985Ma Rainey's Black BottomundatedMarat1997Marcel Marceau1965Maria Callas: Master Class1996The Marriage of Figaro1991Mary Poppins2012Measure for Measure - The Mystery of Edwin Drood1959-2011, undated41Measure for MeasureundatedMedea2000Merchant of Venice1962The Merry Widow1980The Merry Wives of Windsor1997Metamorpheses2002Metamorpheses2010Of Mice and Men1999The Midnight Eucharist1984A Midsummer Night's Dream1985Million Dollar Quartet2011Misalliance1995Misery1992Monteith and Rand1978Much Ado About Nothing1981Mutabilitie1997My Children! My Africa!undatedMy Fair Lady1959My Fair Lady1981My Fair Lady2002My Giddy Aunt1968The Mystery of Edwin Drood1986National Black Arts Festival - Nunsense1960-2014, undated42National Black Arts Festival1992National Symphony Orchestra: All Beethoven1980Newsies2013A New Way to Pay Old Debts1984New York Philharmonic Young People's Concert1958New York Philharmonic Young People's Concert1960New York Philharmonic Young People's Concert1960'night, Mother1983Nine2003No Frost 17undatedNoises Off1984Noises Off2004No Man's Land and Waiting for Godot2014Nothing Sacred1989NunsenseundatedOedipus - Outrage1962-2013, undated43OedipusundatedOklahoma!2002Old TimesundatedOld Wicked Songs1996Oliver!1963Oliver!1964On the Razzle1981Once on this Island1991The O'Neill Plays1988One Mo' Time1981On the Twentieth Century1978On Your Toes1984The Oresteia1981Orson's Shadow2005Othello1962Othello1979The Other Place2013O'Toole Reading1996Our Lady of 121st Street2003Outrage2011Passion Play - Punch Henry's Jazz Funeral1962-2016, undated44Passion Play1984Pebuzop Tarkastaja1989People Show1981Pericles2005Peter Pan2016The Petition1986Phedra1984Photo FinishundatedThe Piano Lesson1990The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado1981The Pixie Led1989Playland1994PlaylandundatedThe Pope's Wedding and Saved1984The Premise1962Present Laughter1981Present Laughter1996The Prince's Play1996The Prisoner of Second Avenue2010Private Eyes1970Private Eyes2002Punch Henry's Jazz Funeral1981Quartermaine's Terms - Russian Classical Ballet1962-2004, undated45Quartermaine's Terms1982The Queen and the Rebels1982The Real Thing1984Red CrossundatedRent1998Restoration1981Richard II1962Richard II1987Richard III1962The Rise and Fall of Little Voice1992Rough Crossing1984Rules for Good Manners in the Modern World2004The Russian Classical BalletundatedSadler's Wells Royal Ballet - Shirley Valentine1962-2005, undated51Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet1984Saint Oedipus2005Salome1989Sarafina1989The Scarlet Pimpernel2002The School for Scandal1962The School for Scandal1984The School for Wives1997The Seagull1997A Servant to Two MastersundatedSeven Guitars1996Sex and Longing1996Shadowlands1989She Stoops to Conquer1984Shirley Valentine1989Shoemaker's Holiday - Strip Show1962-2017, undated52The Shoemaker's Holiday1981Shopping and Fucking1997Shouting in the Evening1997Side Man1999The Silver Whistle1962-1963Simon Boccanegra1981Six Characters in Search of an Author1966Six Characters in Search of an Author1987Six Degrees of Separation1991Skylight1997Souvenir2017Speed-The-Plow1989Spring Awakening2008Stage Kiss2014Stanley1996Steaming1981Steaming1982Stepping Out1984A Streetcar Named Desire2017Strip ShowundatedThe Sum of Us - Sweet Charity1986-200953The Sum of Us1991The Sum of Us1992Sunset Boulevard1996Superior Donuts2009Swan Lake2002Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street2006Sweet Charity1986Taking a Chance on Love - Thin Wall1961-2005, undated54Taking a Chance on Love2000The Tale of the Allergist's Wife2005Talking Heads2003廁所的故事 (The Tale of the Toilet)undatedTantalus2000The Tempest1961The Tempest2001Texts for NothingundatedTheatre of Nations1986Theatrical Garden Party1984They're Playing Our Song1980Things We Do for Love1998Thin WallundatedA Thousand Clowns - Two Trains Running1962-201655A Thousand Clowns1962Three Birds Alighting on a Field1992Three Men on a Horse1987The Threepenny Opera2002Timon of Athens2004Tiny AliceundatedToday, I am a Fountain Pen1985Tons of Money1986Tony n' Tina's Wedding1988Topdog/Underdog2002The Torch-Bearers2000Torch Song Trilogy1985Translations1981The Triumph of Love2004TRU2016True West1983Twelfth Night or What You Will1991Twelfe Night, or What You Will/The Tragedie of King Richard the Third2014The Two Noble Kingsmen2002Two Rooms1998Two Trains Running1991Under Milk Wood - Volpone1981-2004, undated61Under Milk Wood1995Undoing Salk2004Urinetown: The Musical2001Veterans Day1989Village Wooing and 1933, a Portrait of the YearundatedVivaldi and Bach by Candlelight1997Volpone1995Wait Until Dark - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?1962-2011, undated62Wait Until DarkundatedWaiting for Godot1997The Warsaw Ballet undatedA Walk in the Woods1988WarHorse2012The Way of the World1984The Wedding2010West Shore Concerts: The Cleveland Orchestra1962When We Dead Awaken1990The Whipping Man2011Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?1962Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?1981Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?2006Wicked - You Never Can Tell1978-2004, undated63Wicked2004Wild Honey1984Wild Oats1995The Will Rogers Follies: A Life in Rome1991Wit1999The WitchesundatedThe Wiz1978The Woman in Black1989Woman in Mind1986Wonderful Town!1986Year of the RoosterundatedYou Never Can Tell1987Print Theater Materials1962-2005ArrangementDue to being an oversized item, the Beijing Opera at the Liyuan Theater souvenir brochure was housed in a separate four-flap container.
Printed Materials, (Folder 1 of 3)1962-199664Printed Materials, (Folder 2 of 3)1996-2015, undated65Printed Materials, (Folder 3 of 3)undated71The Beijing Opera at the Liyuan Theaterundated8Scholarship and Teaching21970-2014Scope and ContentSeries 2: Scholarship and Teaching, 1979-2014, is separated into two-subseries: materials relating to Arthur's research on Melvyn Douglas and material from semesters abroad in London and Italy. The former consists of correspondence, notes and manuscripts, theater programs, and photographs related to Arthur's research for his dissertation abd biography on Melvyn Douglas. Some items of interest include a letter sent February 10, 1972 from actor Robert Redford to Melvyn Douglas, Douglas' handwritten notes for Arthur's book, theater programs that detail Melvyn Douglas's early performances in various theaters throughout the Midwest, and photographs of Melvyn Douglas (or family members of Douglas) that Thomas H. Arthur used in his biography of Douglas. The semester abroad sub-series consists of materials from Arthur's study abroad class. Much of the sub-series comprises museum guides and hotel brochures. Some items of interest include photographs taken by a student while on the trip (with some correspondence written on the back dated 1984), a photograph of Thomas Arthur and three other guests at the Mansion House in London, and an itinerary with dinner programs for the students. Three posters from the 1979 Fine Arts Week and a list of Festival of the Arts topics and guests (1974-1992) compiled by Arthur are included.
Melvyn Douglas Research2.11970-1982Correspondence1970-197472Correspondence1975-197873Correspondence1979-198274Programs from Early Performances (Folder 1 of 6)197975Programs from Early Performances (Folder 2 of 6)197976Programs from Early Performances (Folder 3 of 6)197977Programs from Early Performances (Folder 4 of 6)197978Programs from Early Performances (Folder 5 of 6)197979Programs from Early Performances (Folder 6 of 6)1979710Arthur's manuscripts, Part 1undatedEnglish.711Arthur's manuscripts, Part 2undatedEnglish.712Copy of Douglas' outline on actingundatedEnglish.713Douglas' handwritten notes for biographyundatedEnglish.714Photographs (Folder 1 of 3)undated715Photographs (Folder 2 of 3)undated716Photographs (Folder 3 of 3)undated717Study Abroad Semester and Festival of the Arts Materials2.21979-2014London and Italy Ephemera1979-2014718Teaching Materials and Itineraries1984719Photographs and Postcards1984, undated720"A Window on the East" Fine Arts Week posters1979OV 11Festival of the Arts Topics and Guests, 1974-1992circa 1992721