Thomas H. Arthur Papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
James Madison University
Second Floor Room 203, MSC 1704
Carrier Library
James Madison University
880 Madison Drive
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Tiffany Cole
Phone: (540) 568-3444
Phone: (540) 568-3612
Fax: (540) 568-3405
Restrictions:

Collection is open to research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Preferred citation:

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Thomas H. Arthur Papers, 1953-2018, SC 0088, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.

Summary

Extent:
2.7 cubic feet 9 boxes (including 1 four-flap enclosure)
Creator:
Arthur, Thomas H. and Arthur, Thomas H.
Abstract:
The Thomas H. Arthur Papers, 1953-2018, consist of eight boxes (2.42 cubic feet) of personal correspondence, manuscripts, theater programs, photographs, and notes written by Dr. Thomas H. Arthur, JMU faculty member, and pertaining to actor Melvyn Douglas.
Language:
French, Spanish, Italian, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Hebrew, Mandarin Chinese, Afrikaans
Preferred citation:

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Thomas H. Arthur Papers, 1953-2018, SC 0088, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.

Background

Scope and content:

The Thomas H. Arthur Papers, 1953-2018, consist of eight boxes (2.42 cubic feet). The collection is arranged into two series, with two subseries each: 1. Theater Programs and Printed Materials, 1.1 Playbills, 1.2 Theater Print Materials, 2. Scholarship and Teaching, 2.1 Melvyn Douglas Research, 2.2 Study Abroad Semester Materials. The largest part of the collection comprises the playbills and theater print materials from both domestic and international theaters. The collection also includes Arthur's research into the life of actor Melvyn Douglas, including photographs, handwritten notes, and correspondence provided by Douglas and his family to inform Arthur's research.

Series 1: Theater Programs and Printed Materials, 1953-2018, is separated into two subseries: theater programs and printed materials related to many of the shows represented in the playbills. The theater programs document the many plays and musicals that Arthur attended, with the majority playing in London and on Broadway and spanning more than 60 years. Playbills of note include programs from award-winning shows such as Hamilton, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Lion King, My Fair Lady, and Cats, programs from productions that feature actors including Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart, Catherine Tate, Judi Dench, Viola Davis, and Gary Oldman, and programs from many versions of classic Shakespeare plays, such as Twelfth Night and Hamlet. The theater print material subseries comprises other theater-related pamphlets and programs, most of which are either souvenir brochures or pamphlets that include calendars for a particular season.

Series 2: Scholarship and Teaching, 1979-2014, is separated into two-subseries: materials relating to Arthur's research on Melvyn Douglas and material from semesters abroad in London and Italy. The former consists of correspondence, notes and manuscripts, theater programs, and photographs related to Arthur's research for his dissertation abd biography on Melvyn Douglas. Some items of interest include a letter sent February 10, 1972 from actor Robert Redford to Melvyn Douglas, Douglas' handwritten notes for Arthur's book, theater programs that detail Melvyn Douglas's early performances in various theaters throughout the Midwest, and photographs of Melvyn Douglas (or family members of Douglas) that Thomas H. Arthur used in his biography of Douglas. The semester abroad sub-series consists of materials from Arthur's study abroad class. Much of the sub-series comprises museum guides and hotel brochures. Some items of interest include photographs taken by a student while on the trip (with some correspondence written on the back dated 1984), a photograph of Thomas Arthur and three other guests at the Mansion House in London, and an itinerary with dinner programs for the students. Three posters from the 1979 Fine Arts Week and a list of Festival of the Arts topics and guests (1974-1992) compiled by Arthur are included.

Biographical / historical:

Thomas H. Arthur joined the staff of James Madison University in 1973, teaching both theater and speech as part of the Department of Communication Arts. He was instrumental in making theater at JMU into a college department. After the Department of Theatre and Dance was formed in 1986 as part of the College of Arts and Letters, Arthur would serve as the department head from 1987-1989. As a professor, he arranged semester abroad trips to London to expose students to British culture as well as professional theater productions. He continued to teach and direct productions at JMU as part of the faculty until his retirement in 2007.

Arthur was a personal friend of actor Melvyn Douglas and his family, and wrote his doctoral thesis about Douglas's involvement in politics. In 1971, Arthur also collaborated with Douglas, at Douglas' request, to write his autobiography, See You at the Movies: The Autobiography of Melvyn Douglas.

Melvyn Douglas was born Melvyn Hesselberg, on April 5, 1901 in Macon, Georgia. He began his theatrical career in 1917, and adopted the name 'Douglas' some time prior to his movie debut. During his career he was a star of the screen, stage, and television. He was the first male actor to win a Tony Award, an Emmy Award, and an Oscar. In addition to acting, Douglas served in both world wars and was active in politics. In 1940 he became the first actor to serve as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. He married in 1931 and died in New York City on August 4, 1981. A portion of this collection includes letters and notes relating to Dr. Arthur's book, See You at the Movies: The Autobiography of Melvyn Douglas (Lanham, Md. University Press of America, 1986).

Acquisition information:
Thomas H. Arthur made an initial donation of materials to Special Collections in 1987. Arthur donated additional materials, primarily theater programs, in March 2018. Arthur made an additional donation of Festival of the Arts posters in July 2021.
Processing information:

In order to streamline the process of applying collection numbers, Special Collections staff completed a large-scale renumbering campaign in the spring of 2017. This collection was previously cataloged as SC 2023. This collection was reprocessed in 2019 to incorporate Thomas Arthur's March 2018 donation of theater programs.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into two series and arranged further into subseries. Each series is arranged chronologically except Series 1.1 Playbills which is arranged alphabetically by theater production.

  1. Theater Programs and Printed Materials, 1953-2018
  2. Scholarship and Teaching, 1970-2014

Due to being an oversized item, the Beijing Opera at the Liyuan Theater souvenir brochure was housed in a separate four-flap container.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard