Purchase, October 2010.
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MSS 099, F879, Emlyn Williams letters to Katharine Cornell and Nancy Hamilton, Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Newark, Delaware.
Processed and encoded by Anita Wellner, May 2011.
(George) Emlyn Williams was an actor and playwright best known for his stage thrillers, his autobiographical play
Born November 26, 1905, in Mostyn, Flintshire, Wales, Williams was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, completing a M.A. in 1927. In the same year Williams began a long and distinguished career in the theatre, making his professional acting debut in the play
Overall, Emlyn Williams produced dozens of plays, several of which later appeared in book form. In addition, he wrote a number of screenplays, authored the novel
In 1955, Williams began performing as Dylan Thomas after reading the poet's works at a benefit for the latter's widow and children. His Dylan Thomas performance did not involve impersonating the writer, but consisted of readings from such works as
Actress, producer, and manager Katharine Cornell was one of several actresses dubbed "First Lady of the American Theater."
Born February 16, 1893, in Berlin, Germany, Cornell had her acting debut while understudying at the Washington Square Players in New York in November 1916 at the age of twenty-three.
One day after she married Guthrie McClintic on September 8, 1921, Cornell began rehearsals as Sydney Fairfield in
In 1931, Cornell and her husband Guthrie McClintic founded the Cornell-McClintic Corporation and began producing plays. Cornell, directed by McClintic, began a new career as the last great actress/manager in the American theater. Over twenty-nine years, a span exceeded only by the Theatre Guild and the Shuberts, Cornell and McClintic mounted twenty-four productions in New York City and revived "the road" through nationwide tours.
Guthrie McClintic died on October 29, 1961, and Cornell never returned to work. She died on June 9, 1974, at her home on Martha's Vineyard.
Lyricist, actress, scriptwriter, and playwright Nancy Hamilton, was one of the first women to succeed as a lyricist.
Born July 27, 1908, in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, Hamilton was the author of an Academy Award-winning documentary on the life of Helen Keller,
Hamilton died on February 18, 1985, in New York, NY.
Welsh dramatist Emlyn Williams wrote these letters to two friends, actress Katharine Cornell and lyricist Nancy Hamilton.
The first of the six of the letters which Emlyn Williams wrote to Katharine Cornell was a note of thanks for a message she sent to the cast of a play with which Williams was associated. The envelope is addressed to Cornell in care of Nancy Hamilton, suggesting a connection between Cornell and Hamilton.
Following the first somewhat formal letter, Williams's letters were warm and characterized by an obvious friendship between Williams, Cornell, and their spouses. Addressing the actress as "Kit," Williams encouraged Cornell to consider starring in a revival of
In his letters, Williams conveyed his enthusiasm, and his wife's, for the weekend visits made to Cornell's country home, spoke of future visits, and thanked Cornell for gifts. Williams also offered his critical advice regarding a play in which Cornell considered acting.
The three letters written by Williams to Nancy Hamilton express a long family friendship. Williams wrote of health concerns, his own and Hamilton's, of family news, and of a novel on which he had worked for fifteen months.
The letters are arranged in chronological order.
This item forms part of MSS 099 Miscellaneous Literary and Historical Manuscripts.
The letter regards the motion picture rights to
Includes a clipping.