archives.nypl.org -- Ruth and Augustus Goetz papers (original) (raw)

The Ruth and Augustus Goetz papers span the years 1900-1996 and consist of personal papers, including Goodman family papers, and Goetz family papers, correspondence, production materials, scripts, materials relating to other projects, photographs, clippings, ephemera, and several ledgers and scrapbooks. Because Augustus Goetz died in 1957, many of the materials pertain specifically to Ruth Goetz. The Goodman family papers date from the early decades of the century, when Ruth's father, Philip Goodman, was producing Broadway shows. Since many of Ruth and Augustus Goetz's friends and associates included working theater professionals and other writers, such as Enid Bagnold, Kitty Carlisle and Moss Hart, Lillian Hellman, and Florence and Harold Rome, the papers provide a valuable insight into the 20th century theater and literary worlds.

The papers are especially rich in scripts and contain early drafts and handwritten revisions for a number of plays by Ruth Goetz and Augustus Goetz, both produced and unproduced. Scripts by other playwrights and writers such as James M. Cain, Don DeLillo, John Guare, Tina Howe, and Vincent Lawrence are also included. Some correspondence and notes relating to the Goetzes' works come from the files of their literary agent, Leah Salisbury. Until her death in 1975, Mrs. Salisbury continued to serve as Ruth Goetz's representative. These papers offer a glimpse into the playwright/agent relationship and into the negotiation process.

Personal papers consist of datebooks, journals and address books, biographical materials, Goodman family papers, Goetz family papers, and articles, essays, and speeches by Ruth Goetz. The family papers include some writings by Philip Goodman, photographs of Philip Goodman, Ruth and Augustus Goetz and their daughter, Judith, other family and friends, and the Goetzes' home in Keller's Church, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

The correspondence series includes personal and professional letters to and from Ruth and Augustus Goetz. Since Ruth Goetz often kept clippings and other ephemera relating to many of those with whom she corresponded, these materials have been included with their correspondence.

Organization materials contain papers relating to professional associations with which Ruth Goetz was affiliated, such as The Authors Guild and The Authors League of America, The Dramatists Guild, The Dramatists Guild Fund, the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, New Dramatists, the Writers Guild of America West, and Young Playwrights Inc., as well as two institutions to which she donated materials-New York Public Library and the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research.

The production series consists largely of scripts, correspondence, contracts, royalty statements, some production materials and ephemera relating to the Goetzes' produced plays and films: Franklin Street, The Heiress, The Hidden River, The Immoralist, Madly in Love, One Man Show, Play on Love (Comme au Theatre), Stage Struck (Motion picture), Sweet Love Remember'd, and Washington Square, an earlier and unsuccessful version of The Heiress. Because of its huge success, The Heiress is the most thoroughly documented of the productions and includes materials on productions of the play throughout the world, as well as adaptations to musicals, an opera, film, television and radio.

Other projects contain writings and background materials for script ideas, television show proposals, play fragments, and a China travel journal. The projects are mostly by Ruth Goetz, but there are also several by Augustus Goetz. The series includes A Class of One, an unpublished memoir by Ruth Goetz.

Unproduced and other scripts encompass playscripts by Ruth and Augustus Goetz which were never produced as well as plays, poetry, one book proposal and a published book by other authors.

The scrapbooks and ledgers series consists of two scrapbooks mostly of clippings, probably belonging to Ruth Goetz and Philip Goodman and financial ledgers of Ruth and Augustus Goetz.

The Ruth and Augustus Goetz papers are arranged in eight series: