Lucy Kroll A Register of Her Papers in the Library of Congress Prepared by Donna Ellis with the assistance of Loren Bledsoe, Joseph K. Brooks, Joanna C. Dubus, Melinda K. Friend, Alys Glaze, Harry G. Heiss, Laura J. Kells, Sherralyn McCoy, Brian McGuire, John R. Monagle, Daniel Oleksiw, Kathryn M. Sukites, Lena H. Wiley, and Chanté R. Wilson Manuscript Division, Library of Congress Washington, D.C. 2002 Contact information: http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/mss/address.html Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Manuscript Division, 2006 Finding aid URL: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms006016 Collection Summary Title: Papers of Lucy Kroll Span Dates: 1908-1998 Bulk Dates: (bulk 1950-1990) ID No.: MSS78576 Creator: Kroll, Lucy Extent: 308,350 items; 881 containers plus 15 oversize; 356 linear feet Language: Collection material in English Repository: Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Abstract: Literary and talent agent. Contracts, correspondence, financial records, notes, photographs, printed matter, and scripts relating to the Lucy Kroll Agency which managed the careers of numerous clients in the literary and entertainment fields. Selected Search Terms The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein. Names: Kroll, Lucy Braithwaite, E. R. (Edward Ricardo) Davis, Ossie Dee, Ruby Donehue, Vincent J., d. 1966 Fields, Dorothy, 1905-1974 Foote, Horton Gish, Lillian, 1893-1993 Glass, Joanna M. Graham, Martha Hagen, Uta, 1919- Hayes, Helen, 1900-1993 Jones, James Earl Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth Petrie, Daniel Petrie, Dorothea G. Sandburg, Carl, 1878-1967 Stanley, Kim Teichmann, Howard Weaver, Fritz, 1926- Kroll family Lucy Kroll Agency Subjects: Literary agents Theatrical agents Occupations: Literary agents Talent agents Papers of Lucy Kroll 2 Administrative Information Provenance: The papers of Lucy Kroll, literary and talent agent, were given to the Library of Congress by Kroll in 1969. Additions were given by her between 1977 and 1995. A bequest of further material was made in 1997. Processing History: The Lucy Kroll Papers are described in Library of Congress Information Bulletin, vol. 29, no. 5 (5 February 1970) and in Library of Congress Acquisitions: Manuscript Division, 1994-1995, pp. 93, 116, 132. Transfers: Items have been transferred from the Manuscript Division to other custodial divisions of the Library. Sound and video recordings have been transferred to the Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division. Some posters have been transferred to the Prints and Photographs Division. All transfers are identified in these divisions as part of the Lucy Kroll Papers. Copyright Status: Copyright in the unpublished writings of Lucy Kroll in these papers and in other collections in the custody of the Library of Congress is reserved. Consult a reference librarian in the Manuscript Division for further information. Restrictions: Restrictions apply governing the use, photoduplication, or publication of items in this collection. Consult a reference librarian in the Manuscript Division for information concerning these restrictions. Preferred Citation: Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Container number, Lucy Kroll Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Biographical Note Date Event 1909, July 3 Born, Brooklyn, N.Y. 1933 B.A., Hunter College, New York, N.Y. 1935 M.A., School for the Stage, New York, N.Y. Cofounder, American Actors Company, New York, N.Y. 1939 Married Nathan Kroll (divorced 1974) 1940-1944 Story analyst, Warner Brothers Studio Cofounder, Hollywood Theatre Alliance and Hollywood Music Alliance, Hollywood, Calif. 1944 Instructor and faculty advisor, Hunter College, New York, N.Y. 1945 Agent, Sam Jaffe Agency, New York, N.Y., branch 1947 Established Lucy Kroll Agency, New York, N.Y. 1985 Member, Hall of Fame, Hunter College, New York, N.Y. Papers of Lucy Kroll 3 1993 Received Living Legacy Award, Women's International Center, San Diego, Calif. 1994 Sold Lucy Kroll Agency to Barbara Hogenson 1997, Mar. 14 Died, Glendale, Mass. Scope and Content Note The papers of Lucy Kroll (1909-1997) span the years 1908-1998, with the bulk of the material dating from 1950 to 1990. The papers are organized in the following series: Client File, Miscellany, Office File, and Oversize. The Client File forms the largest part of the papers. The Lucy Kroll Agency managed the careers of numerous clients in the fields of dance, journalism, literature, motion pictures, music, poetry, psychology, science, sociology, television, and theater. The amount of material for each client is uneven. It ranges from one folder to eighty-two boxes depending on the client's success and longevity with the agency. Therefore, not all types of material are found in every client's file. Typical material includes contracts, referred to as representation agreements, between the client and the Lucy Kroll Agency as well as work contracts between the clients and their employers; incoming and outgoing correspondence between the agency, the clients, and employers; and notes written primarily by Lucy Kroll during negotiations on behalf of her clients. Many files contain financial records such as royalty statements or box office receipts. Also present is publicity material in the form of photographs, playbills, and press clippings. Files of the theatrical clients often include scripts of plays they were considering or in which they appeared. Files of other clients might include various forms of their writings, such as typescripts or printing proofs. Some clients' files contain material called submissions, a process by which the agency submits an actor's name in response to a general casting call by a producer. The Client File documents the association between Lucy Kroll and her clients. In most cases it went beyond a business arrangement and developed into a deep friendship and mentoring relationship. Kroll often handled the personal affairs of her clients, including financial support and medical care. Notable clients included E. R. (Edward Ricardo) Braithwaite, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, Vincent J. Donehue, Lillian Gish, Joanna M. Glass, Martha Graham, Uta Hagen, Helen Hayes, Dorothy Fields (estate of), Horton Foote, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, James Earl Jones, Daniel and Dorothea G. Petrie, Carl Sandburg, Kim Stanley, Howard Teichmann, and Fritz Weaver. The Miscellany series contains family papers, material for Kroll's unfinished memoirs, and scripts. The family papers include correspondence with family and personal friends, drama school notes, and household papers. The memoirs section consists entirely of tributes from friends and colleagues which Kroll intended to incorporate into her memoirs. The scripts do not have an identifiable association with any of her clients but may have been under consideration for various projects. The Office File documents the operations of the Lucy Kroll Agency. Included are daily appointment books, material relating to national and international business trips, financial records, notes, and items relating to prospective clients and projects. Incoming and outgoing correspondence records negotiations with other literary and talent agencies, as well as with publishers, studios, theaters, producers, and various professionals in the literary and entertainment fields. The “deal memoranda file” served the office staff as a quick reference source for the terms of each client's contracts. A Christmas cards and gifts section documents the many “extras” that Kroll extended to clients she considered especially important. Organization of the Papers The collection is arranged in four series: • Client File, 1916-1998, n.d. • Miscellany, 1908-1997, n.d. • Office File, 1938-1996, n.d. • Oversize, 1948-1988, n.d. Papers of Lucy Kroll 4 Description of Series Container Series BOX 1-736 Client File, 1916-1998, n.d. Contracts, correspondence, financial records, notes, photographs, printed material, and scripts. Arranged alphabetically by name of client and therein alphabetically by title of work or type of material and chronologically therein. BOX 736-758 Miscellany, 1908-1997, n.d. Address books, awards, correspondence between family members and friends, personal financial records, notes, photographs, printed material, and scripts. Arranged alphabetically by type of material and chronologically therein. BOX 759-881 Office File, 1938-1996, n.d. Account books, appointment books, client fact sheets and lists, commissions, correspondence, deal memoranda, expense accounts, notes, and tax records. Arranged alphabetically by type of material and chronologically therein. BOX OV 1-OV 15 Oversize, 1948-1988, n.d. Awards, posters, photographs, and printed matter. Arranged and described according to the series, containers, and folders from which the items were removed. Papers of Lucy Kroll 5 Container List Container Contents BOX 1-736 Client File, 1916-1998, n.d. Contracts, correspondence, financial records, notes, photographs, printed material, and scripts. Arranged alphabetically by name of client and therein alphabetically by title of work or type of material and chronologically therein. BOX 1 Aannestad, Elling, 1974, n.d. Abrahams, Evelyn, 1988, n.d. Adamic, Louis, 1956-1957, n.d. Adamo, Jane, 1986 Adams, Armenta, 1960-1961, n.d. Adato, Michelle, 1985, n.d. Adato, Perry Miller,