This collection consists primarily of manuscripts for Steely's plays, operas, melodramas, and books, posters for some of his shows, and scrapbooks containing clippings of newspaper articles he wrote for the The Inter Ocean and clippings documenting various of his productions. Also included is a set of sheet music (some written by Steely and his partner Frederic Chapin) and materials showing Steely's work as Ringling Brothers' advance press agent.
Identification:
MSS-195
Language:
Material in English
Repository:
Arizona State University Library. Rare Books and Manuscripts P.O. Box 871006 Tempe, AZ 85287-1006 Phone: (480) 965-4932 E-Mail: archives@asu.edu Questions? Ask An Archivist!
Biographical Note
Guy Floyd Steely was born in Watseka, Illinois in about 1871. He married Winnifred Darrough and the couple had one son, John Darrough (1903-1991). At various times in his life, Steely lived in Oak Park, Illinois (a Chicago suburb) and in New York City. He wrote human interest stories for The Inter Ocean in Chicago from 1896 to 1900 and worked for Ringling Brothers Circus as an advance press agent during his summers. Steely also wrote numerous plays and lyrics for musicals, several of which were produced at Chicago's Dearborn Theater, and a novel, Wally: a Story of the West (1911). Two of his plays, The Storks and The Forbidden Land, were also produced in New York. Steely died in Cleveland, Ohio on April 22, 1913 after an operation to treat appendicitis and is buried in Watseka, Illinois.
Scope and Content Note
This collection consists primarily of manuscripts for Steely's plays, operas, melodramas, and books, posters for some of his shows, and scrapbooks containing clippings of newspaper articles he wrote for the The Inter Ocean and clippings documenting various of his productions. Also included is a set of sheet music (some written by Steely and his partner Frederic Chapin) and materials showing Steely's work as Ringling Brothers' advance press agent.
Series I: Biographical and Miscellaneous contains a photograph of Steely, two church programs, an ink drawing, newspaper articles discussing Steely's involvement with Ringling Brothers Circus, a letter from Ringling Brothers to Steely, and a book entitled The Lives of Noted Criminals.
Series II: Plays includes materials documenting Steely's dramas, comedies, farces, musicals, comic operas, and his own form: the storyette. Among these materials are original manuscripts, drafts, notes, promptbooks, sides, programs, research, and scene designs. These items date from 1901 to 1913.
Series III: Books houses manuscripts for an untitled work, Closet of Society, Scenario of the Twenty-Four-Hour Man (both handwritten notes and a complete manuscript), and Wally: A Story of the West (marked "original MS").
Series IV: Sheet Music consists primarily of pieces by other composers but includes six pieces by Steely: "Dancing with My Dinah," "My Little Lhassa Maid," "Good Night," "The Will-o'-the-Wisp," "When a Maiden Goes A-Fishing," and "My Dreamland Maid". Frederic Chapin composed the music to all six pieces. Also included are advertisements for Steely and Chapin's work clipped from unknown sources.
Series V: Scrapbooks houses four scrapbooks. Two of these scrapbooks contain clippings of Guy Steely's human interest stories published in The Inter Ocean from June 18, 1895 to April 22, 1901. The other two scrapbooks contain clippings regarding his plays. One is entirely devoted to The Forbidden Land; the other includes clippings for Hunting for Hawkins, The Grafter, The Storks, and The Forbidden Land.
Series VI: Posters consists of five items. Four advertise Hunting for Hawkins, including one 7' by 9'4" marquee poster. The fifth poster announces Steely's The Storks: A Music Fantasy.
Arrangement
This collection consists of nine boxes divided into six series:
To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Wurzburger Reading Room at Hayden Library (rm. 138) on the Tempe campus are available Monday through Friday. Check the ASU Library Hours page for current availability.
Copyright
Arizona State University does not own the copyright to this collection. We recognize that it is incumbent upon the researcher to procure permission to publish information from this collection from the owner of the copyright.
Access Terms
Personal Name(s)
Chapin, Frederic.
Steely, Guy F.
Subject(s)
Dramatists, American -- Biography.
Musical theater -- United States -- History -- Sources.
Written on cover page: "Note. This manuscript is but the first draft, intended merely to tell the story in scenic sequence and convey an idea of its possibilities for scenery and costumes".
Advertisement for the Compositions of Frederic Chapin: The Talented Western Composer–Songs and Instrumental numbers from the new music comedy The Storks; lyrics by Guy F. Steely. New York: M. Witmark & Sons,
undated
The Twenty Four Hour Man: handwritten notes by chapter,
undated
6
5
Scenario of the Twenty-Four-Hour Man: (Being the Story of Dick Pennycorn’s Adventures with a Circus), by Guy F. Steely: typescript carbon copy, novella length,
undated
Front of envelope originally housing Wally: A Story of the West
Marked "Original MS".
6
7
Wally: A Story of the West by Guy Steely: typescript with revisions,
undated
"335 pages, approximately 100,000 words." Originally housed in an envelope addressed "Mrs. Guy Steely, Watseka, ILL," with the return address "from Guy Steely, Providence, R.I." bearing the label "original MS of Wally"; postage dated June 15, 1911.
Barrow, Percy J. "Rose in the Bud," Music by Dorothy Forster. New York: Chappel & Company Ltd.,
1908
7
2
Baum, L. Frank. "The Doll and the Jumping Jack," from The Woggle Bug. Music by Frederic Chapin. New York: M. Witmark & Sons,
1905
7
3
Bingham, G. Clifton. "Love's Old Sweet Song." Music by J. L. Molloy. New York: T.B. Harms & Company,
undated
7
4
Burnham, C.S. "The Moon's Lullaby." Boston: Oliver Ditson Company,
1901
7
5
Chamberlain, C.H. "Illinois." Arranged by The Imperial Quartet of Chicago. Chicago: The Clayton F. Summy Co,
undated
7
6
Chaminade, C. "La Lisonjera: The Flatterer." Revised and fingered by William Scharfenberg. New York: G. Schirmer,
1893
7
7
Chaminade, C. "Scarf-Dance (Der Scharpentanz)." Revised and fingered by William Scharfenberg. New York: G. Schirmer,
undated
7
8
Chapman, Frederick. "Two Songs by Frederick Chapman: The Blue Bell and The Cave of Sleep". Boston: Oliver Ditson Company (Pages 1 and 51899)
7
9
Johnson, Herbert. "Face to Face." Boston: Waldo Music Company,
1902
7
10
Mattullath, Alice. "The Old Refrain: Vienesse Popular Song." Music by Fritz Kreisler. New York: Carl Fischer,
1921
7
11
Proctor, Adelaide A. "The Lost Chord." Music by Arthur Sullivan. Beaux Arts Edition. Philadelphia: Eclipse Publishing Company,
undated
7
12
Rexford, Eben E. "Silver Threads Among the Gold." Music by H.P. Danks. New York,
1912
7
13
Roberts, F. E. "G.A.R. Song." Chicago: F. E. Roberts,
1912
7
14
Root, Arabella. "Bonnie Sweet Bessie, The Maid of O'Dundee." Music by J.L. Gilbert. Boston: White Smith Music Publishing Company,
1878
7
15
Rubinstein, Anton. "Thou Art Like Unto a Flower (Du bist wie eine Blume)." Translated by Natalia Macfarren. New York: G. Schirmer,
undated
7
16
Steely, Guy. "Dancing with My Dinah" (from the opera The Storks). Music by Frederic Chapin. Four O'clock: A Monthly Magazine of Original Writings 65,
1902 July (2 Copies)
7
17
Steely, Guy F. "My Little Lhassa Maid" (from the opera The Forbidden Land). Music by Frederic Chapin. New York: M. Witmark & Sons,
1904
7
18
Steely, Guy F. "Good Night." Music by Frederic Chapin. New York: M. Witmark & Sons,
1903
7
19
Steely, Guy F. "The Will-o'-the-Wisp." Music by Frederic Chapin. New York: M. Witmark & Sons,
1903
7
20
Steely, Guy F. "When A Maiden Goes A-Fishing." Music by Frederic Chapin. New York: M. Witmark & Sons,
1903
7
21
Steely, Guy F. "My Dreamland Maid." Music by Frederic Chapin. New York: M. Witmark & Sons,
1903
7
22
Stults, R. M. "The Sweetest Story Ever Told (Tell Me, Do You Love Me)." Boston: Oliver Ditson Company,
1892
7
23
Trifet’s Budget of Music No. 34, N.p.,
undated (Pages 43-46, 75-76, 123-124, 171-174, 189-190, 241-146, 251-154)
7
24
Weatherly, Fred E., M.A. "Nancy Lee." Music by Stephen Adams. Old Song Series. Chicago: The Sunday Record Herald,
1903 March 8
7
25
Wilson, G. D. "Tripping Thro' the Meadows: Polka Rondo." Boston: Louis P. Goullaud,
1871
7
26
Advertisement for "Compositions of Eben H. Bailey." Boston: White, Smith & Company,
undated
Clipped from an unknown book of sheet music (page eleven on opposite side).
7
27
Advertisement for "Vocal and Instrumental Numbers: From our Successful Productions." New York: M. Witmark & Sons,
undated
