Scope and Contents
The Isabel Leighton Papers contain writings, correspondence, personal papers, audiovisual material, photographs, and printed material that document her career as an actress, playwright, journalist, screenwriter, and civic activist, promoting public measures to improve mental health. Writings include typescript drafts, many with minor revisions, for works including "The Sapphire Ring," "Katja," and "Mercenary Mary." Correspondence, while not extensive, includes files on theatrical projects such as "Spring Again," and files relating to her work as a naval correspondent in Asia during the Second World War. The scrapbooks document Leighton's theatrical performances in the 1930s, journalism in the 1940s, and broadcast production in the 1950s and 1960s. Photographs largely feature Leighton, though also include images of colleagues, acquaintances, and family members.
Dates
- 1890 - 1984
- Majority of material found within 1922 - 1984
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Box 30 (Record Album Storage) and boxes 34-36 (16mm film): Restricted fragile material. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Boxes 27-29, 31 (Record Album Storage): Use of originals is restricted. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Box 30 (Record Album Storage) and boxes 34-36 (16mm film): Restricted fragile material. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Boxes 27-29, 31 (Record Album Storage): Use of originals is restricted. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Conditions Governing Use
The Isabel Leighton Papers is the physical property of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, consult the appropriate curator.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Bequest of Isabel Leighton, 1996.
Arrangement
Organized into seven series: I. Writings, 1922-1980. II. Correspondence, 1931-1982. III. Photographs, circa 1890-1962. IV. Personal and Financial Papers, 1923-1984. V. Printed Material, 1922-1978. VI. Collages and Scrapbooks, 1922-1965. VII. Audiovisual Material, 1943-1964.
Extent
11.51 Linear Feet ((35 boxes) + 1 art object)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Overview
The Isabel Leighton Papers contain writings, correspondence, personal papers, audiovisual material, photographs, and printed material that document her career as an actress, playwright, journalist, screenwriter, and civic activist, promoting public measures to improve mental health. Writings include typescript drafts, many with minor revisions, for works including "The Sapphire Ring," "Katja," and "Mercenary Mary." Correspondence, while not extensive, includes files on theatrical projects such as "Spring Again," and files relating to her work as a naval correspondent in Asia during the Second World War. The scrapbooks document Leighton's theatrical performances in the 1930s, journalism in the 1940s, and broadcast production in the 1950s and 1960s. Photographs largely feature Leighton, though also include images of colleagues, acquaintances, and family members.
Isabel Leighton (1901-1995)
Isabel Leighton, American actress, author, foreign correspondent, and civic activist, was born July 17, 1901 and died April 22, 1995. During her lengthy and diverse career she authored novels, plays, and magazine articles, was an associate editor of Vogue magazine, served as a naval correspondent in Asia during the Second World War, and promoted mental health through public outreach and education. Leighton was married twice: to Frederic A. Willis, and to Arthur Hugh Bunker (Yale 1915, d. 1963).
Processing Information
Former call number: Uncat Za Ms 487.
Collections are processed to a variety of levels, depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived research value, the availability of staff, competing priorities, and whether or not further accruals are expected. The library attempts to provide a basic level of preservation and access for all collections, and does more extensive processing of higher priority collections as time and resources permit.
This collection received a basic level of processing in 2013, including rehousing and minimal organization. Information included in the Description of Papers note and Collection Contents section is drawn from information supplied with the collection and from an initial survey of the contents. Folder titles appearing in the contents list below are often based on those provided by the creator or previous custodian. Titles have not been verified against the contents of the folders in all cases. Otherwise, folder titles are supplied by staff during initial processing.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
Collections are processed to a variety of levels, depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived research value, the availability of staff, competing priorities, and whether or not further accruals are expected. The library attempts to provide a basic level of preservation and access for all collections, and does more extensive processing of higher priority collections as time and resources permit.
This collection received a basic level of processing in 2013, including rehousing and minimal organization. Information included in the Description of Papers note and Collection Contents section is drawn from information supplied with the collection and from an initial survey of the contents. Folder titles appearing in the contents list below are often based on those provided by the creator or previous custodian. Titles have not been verified against the contents of the folders in all cases. Otherwise, folder titles are supplied by staff during initial processing.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
- Actors -- United States
- Actors -- United States -- 20th Century
- Audiotapes -- United States -- 20th Century
- Audiovisual materials
- Authors -- United States -- 20th century
- Authors, American -- 20th Century -- Archives
- Journalists -- United States
- Journalists -- United States -- 20th Century
- Leighton, Isabel
- Mental health -- United States
- Motion pictures (visual works) -- United States -- 20th Century
- Photographs -- United States -- 20th Century
- Radio plays -- Production and direction
- Scrapbooks -- United States -- 20th Century
- Scripts (documents) -- United States -- 20th Century
- Television -- Production and direction
- Television scripts -- United States -- 20th Century
- Theater -- United States
- War correspondents -- United States
- War correspondents -- United States -- 20th Century
- Women war correspondents -- United States
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Journalists
Creator
- Title
- Isabel Leighton Papers
- Author
- Beinecke staff
- Date
- 2013
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Repository
Location
121 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Opening Hours
Access Information
The Beinecke Library is open to all Yale University students and faculty, and visiting researchers whose work requires use of its special collections. You will need to bring appropriate photo ID the first time you register. Beinecke is a non-circulating, closed stack library. Paging is done by library staff during business hours. You can request collection material online at least two business days in advance of your visit, using the request links in Archives at Yale. For more information, please see Planning Your Research Visit and consult the Reading Room Policies prior to visiting the library.