Beschreibung:

Miller, Marilyn (1898—1936). Marilyn Miller Scrapbooks Documenting Her Broadway Career. 1890s—1916. Collection of six large scrapbooks kept by the Miller family, documenting the genesis of the show business career of this Broadway superstar of the 1910-1920s. The first scrapbook, measuring 10 x 15”, spans the years 1891-95, and documents the stage career of Guy Miller, a/k/a Caro Miller, who was to become Marilyn’s stepfather. It contains over 90 pages with many hundreds of clippings, programs, posters, playbills, admission tickets, vaudeville and minstrelsy advertising and related material. The second scrapbook, 9.5 x 12”, spans August, 1905 to September, 1907, with 150 pages filled with clippings, programs, letterheads, and assorted advertising ephemera documenting the beginning of Marilyn’s stage career as a major attraction in The Columbians, the Millers’ vaudeville troupe. The third scrapbook, 10.5 x 12.5,” spans the years 1912-14, 76 pages with hundreds of items documenting the troupe’s tour of England, and the beginning of Marilyn Miller as an individually recognized artist, and chockfull of clippings, complete multipage English programs, including an onboard ship performance, playbills, posters and miscellaneous related material. The fourth scrapbook, 11 x 16,” spans the years 1914-15, with 220 pages, evidencing the tremendous success with which her career met, particularly as “star of the Winter Garden,” and more specifically with “The Passing Show of 1914” and “The Passing Show of 1915.” There are 22 large size sepia tone photographs, many different full spread magazine and sheet music covers with Marilyn Miller on them, telegrams, reviews and clippings, and hundreds of other items. The fifth scrapbook, 11 x 16,” spans the years 1915-1916, with 170 pages, covers her period of success with “The Passing Show of 1915.” There are 14 large size sepia tone photographs, lithographed and embossed “Marilyn” brand cigar box labels and band, full spread magazine covers with Marilyn Miller on them, and also programs, telegrams, reviews and clippings and hundreds of other items, many associated with her tour of the U.S. with the “Passing Show of 1915.” The sixth and final scrapbook, 11 x 16,” 150 pages, is titled on its cover “Press Book of Marilyn Miller. Show of Wonders from Oct. 16 to Jan. 1, 1918.” Tipped in is an 11 x 14” watercolor as well as 11 lobby size photos, sheet music and magazine covers, news headlines, and others, all featuring Miller, as well as telegrams from colleagues and friends, correspondence to her, many different product endorsement ads including for “Marilyn Miller” sweaters, other fashions, “Pathfinder” automobiles, and many others. Altogether an irreplaceable archive of Broadway history. Most items are pasted down, although there are many items loose in the pages. The earliest binder shows evidence of use, with the spine nearly gone. However, all contents are good to very good, with no items appearing to have been extracted. Altogether over 850 pages with many thousands of items. Marilyn Miller was one of the most popular American stage musical actresses of the 1920s, and the most highly paid female Broadway entertainers of the period. Her stepfather, Caro Miller, mother and eldest sister formed a vaudeville act called the Columbian Trio, which Marilyn joined as “Mlle. Sugarplum” when she was four, making her stage debut in August, 1903. She toured within the United States and Europe with this troupe, which eventually became “the Five Columbians.” Her dancing attracted the attention of manager-producer Lee Shubert, who invited her to perform at the Winter Garden in New York City. She debuted there in “The Passing Show of 1914.” In 1918 Miller came under the management of Florenz Ziegfeld, for whom she appeared in “Fancy Free” and the “Ziegfeld Follies of 1918.” In 1920 she starred in” Sally,” which ran for three years and in which she was a sensation, especially singing “Look for the Silver Lining” and