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Overview of the Collection | |
Creator: | Derr, Richard, 1917-1992 |
Title: | Richard Derr Papers |
Inclusive Dates: | 1929-1983 |
Quantity: | 8 Boxes (3.0 Linear Feet) |
Abstract: | This collection contains memorabilia, programs, scripts, photographs, and books documenting Richard Derr's acting career. These items date from 1929 to about 1983. |
Identification: | MS SC PA-8 |
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! |
Richard LeMar Derr (1917-1992) was an actor whose career spanned stage, film, and television. During World War II, Derr spent three years with the Air Transport Command as a navigator. After graduating from Norristown High School (Pennsylvania) in 1933, Derr worked as a bank clerk while pursuing his theatre interests with "The Dramateurs," a Norristown amateur little theatre group. He then appeared at the Hedgerow Theatre, a repertory theatre in nearby Moylan, Pennsylvania. His acting career blossomed after appearing with Joe E. Brown in Elmer the Great. In 1948, Derr played John in a touring production of John Loves Mary. He made his Broadway debut as Lt. Henderson in The Traitor, receiving a Theatre World Award in 1948/49 for this performance. He also appeared in numerous other stage productions, including Grand Tour (1951); Dial 'M' for Murder (1952); Plain and Fancy (1955); Maybe Tuesday (1958); Mister Roberts (1959); and Invitation to a March (1960).
Derr's film career developed simultaneously. He screen debut was in 20th Century Fox's Man at Large (1941). He was the lead actor in When Worlds Collide (1951) and also appeared in Secret Heart (1946); Joan of Arc (1948); Guilty of Treason (1949); Terror is a Man (1959); The Drowning Pool (1957); and others.
Among the many television programs that Derr has appeared on are F.B.I., Marcus Welby, M.D., Barnaby Jones, Philco Theatre, Studio One, and Circle Theatre. Derr, who also held a real estate broker's license, was an associate of the Beverly Hills Realty Company and a member of the Beverly Hills Realty Board.
This collection contains memorabilia, programs, scripts, photographs, and books documenting Richard Derr's acting career. These items date from 1929 to about 1983.
Series I: Personal includes personal and biographical information. Of particular interest are materials showing Derr's high school days in Norristown, Pennsylvania and programs from "The Dramateurs," an amateur little theatre group.
Series II: Professional contains programs, scripts, and "acting editions" showing Derr's professional acting career in theatre, film, and television. Many of these items contain notations because Derr performed in these plays or films.
Series III: Photographs consists of 397 photographs of Richard Derr, many of which are promotional portraits taken during different phases of his acting career. Also included are scenes from various plays and films that Derr appeared in (arranged alphabetically by title).
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.
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.
Thirty-six pieces of sheet music have been interfiled with music from the Gene Blakely Collection:
Books, other acting editions (books written in play form), and a video cassette titled "When Worlds Collide" are catalogued separately.
[Identification of item], Richard Derr Papers, MS SC PA-8, Arizona State University Library.
Richard Derr's estate donated these papers to Special Collections in August of 1992 (Accession #2003-03019).
Series I: Personal | |||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||
1 | 1 | Biographical Information | |||||||||
1 | 2 | Passport and Health Record | |||||||||
1 | 3 | School Work, English Paper, Sentence Diagraming | |||||||||
1 | 4 | Stewart Junior, 1929-1930 | |||||||||
Derr was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper of Stewart Junior High, Norristown Pennsylvania. | |||||||||||
1 | 5 | High School Theatrical Productions, Norristown High School and A.D. Eisenhower High School, 1933 | |||||||||
1 | 6 | Hi-Eye, 1932-1933 | |||||||||
Norristown High School newspaper. Richard Derr served as business manager in 1932 and reporter in 1933. | |||||||||||
1 | 7 | High School Speeches | |||||||||
Typescript of a Hi-Y Club (YMCA) speech by Derr on "clean sports" at Calvary Baptist Church (1931 November 15). Also typed notes of words said at a National Honor Society program. Derr was President of that organization and served as class Vice-President. | |||||||||||
1 | 8 | Commencement Programs and Invitation, Norristown High School, 1933 | |||||||||
Derr graduated from high school at the age of 16. | |||||||||||
1 | 9 | NHS Emblem | |||||||||
1 | 10 | Newspaper Clippings from Norristown, Pa., 1931-1933 | |||||||||
1 | 11 | The Dramateurs Programs, 1937-1938 | |||||||||
After graduating from high school in 1933, Richard Derr held a banking position of clerk at a Norristown bank. He studied with the American Institute of Banking, completing a 4 year course in 3 years. For 3 years, Derr acted with "The Dramateurs", a Norristown amateur theatrical group, doing the standard "little theatre" plays of the period. He then joined the Jasper Deeter's Hedgerow Theatre, a repertory theatre nearby. | |||||||||||
1 | 12 | "Town Hall Tonight" and "He Ain't Done Right by Nell" Programs, 1942 February 14 | |||||||||
1 | 13 | Miscellaneous: Speed Read Course of Lessons | |||||||||
1 | 14 | Miscellaneous: 150th Anniversary of the Founding of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 1934 | |||||||||
1 | 15 | Miscellaneous | |||||||||
Church service program; "The Future as Revealed in Cards". | |||||||||||
1 | 16 | American Institute of Banking, Philadelphia Chapter. Publications, 1934; 1938 | |||||||||
In May of 1934, Richard Derr of Norristown-Penn Trust received a "pre-standard" certificate resulting from his studies. He was among three students who tied for first place with the highest averages, earning a $15.00 prize. Mentioned in the 1938 publication was the performance of Richard Derr and "The Dramateurs", p. 182. | |||||||||||
Series II: Professional | |||||||||||
Sub-Series A: General | |||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||
1 | 17 | The Actor's Prayer | |||||||||
1 | 18 | "The Drowning Pool/Ryan's the Name", 1974 | |||||||||
Room list, call sheet, general location information, and shooting schedule. | |||||||||||
1 | 19 | "Firefox" Call Sheet and Script, 1981 | |||||||||
1 | 20 | Mister Roberts, Warwick Musical Theatre Souvenir Program | |||||||||
1 | 21 | Plain and Fancy Souvenir Book | |||||||||
1 | 22 | "When Worlds Collide" | |||||||||
Cover letter dated 30 November 1950, Notes on back. Newsclip "Barbara Rush Feminine Lead in Worlds Collide." | |||||||||||
1 | 23 | "Epitaph for George Dillon," Theatre Program, Capri Theatre Inc., Atlantic Beach, Long Island, NY, 1959 July 21-26 | |||||||||
Sub-Series B: Scripts | |||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||
2 | 1 | Darling-Darling by Anita Loos, 1954 July 21 (Typescript Carbon with Notations) | |||||||||
2 | 2 | Dial 'M' for Murder by Frederick Knot (Typescript with Notations) | |||||||||
2 | 3 | The Drowning Pool, screenplay by Tracy Keenan Wynn, 1974 September 16 (Final Pages Shooting Script with Revision) | |||||||||
2 | 4 | The Grand Tour by Elmer Rice, 1951 (Typescript with Notations) | |||||||||
2 | 5 | Invitation to a March, 1960 (Typescript with Notations) | |||||||||
2 | 6 | A Phoenix Too Frequent by Christopher Fry (Typescript) | |||||||||
2 | 7 | Plain and Fancy, 1955 (Typescript with Notations) | |||||||||
Book by Joseph Stein and Will Glickman, music by Albert Hague, lyrics by Arnold Horwitt. On verso: "Congratulations- a great script- And thanks for holding it together so perfectly." Joe Stein. | |||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||
3 | 1 | Terror Is a Man, 1959 (Film Script with Notations) | |||||||||
Title on script: "Beast from the Isle of Night". | |||||||||||
3 | 2 | The Traitor (Typescript with Notations) | |||||||||
3 | 3 | The Traitor (Typescript Carbon) | |||||||||
3 | 4 | WKRP in Cincinnati, 1981 December 11 (#1020; First Draft, Typescript) | |||||||||
3 | 5 | WKRP in Cincinnati, 1981 December 14 (#1020; Typescript) | |||||||||
3 | 6 | WKRP in Cincinnati, 1981 December 16 (#1020; Final Shooting Script; Typescript) | |||||||||
Sub-Series C: Acting Editions | |||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||
4 | 1 | Affairs of State, A Comedy in Three Acts, by Louis Verneuil. New York: Samuel French, 1952 | |||||||||
4 | 2 | Dream Girl, Comedy in Two Acts by Elmer Rice. New York: Dramatists Play Service, 1946 | |||||||||
4 | 3 | Epitaph for George Dillon, A Play in Three Acts by John Osbourne and Anthony Creighton. New York: Criterion Books, 1958 | |||||||||
4 | 4 | Happy Birthday, A Play in Two Acts, by Anita Loos. New York: Samuel French, 1947 | |||||||||
4 | 5 | John Loves Mary, Comedy in Three Acts, by Norman Krasna. New York: Dramatists Play Service, Inc., 1947 | |||||||||
4 | 6 | Laura, Play in Three Acts by Vera Caspary and George Sklar. New York: Dramatists Play Service, 1948 | |||||||||
4 | 7 | Mister Roberts, A Play by Thomas Heggen and Joshua Logan. New York: Random House, 1948 | |||||||||
4 | 8 | The Philadelphia Story, A Comedy in Three Acts by Philip Barry. New York: Samuel French, 1942 | |||||||||
4 | 9 | Plain and Fancy: A Musical Comedy by Joseph Stein and Will Glickman. New York: Random House, 1953 | |||||||||
Has personal note to Derr from Stein and pictures of him in the cast. | |||||||||||
Series III: Photographs | |||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||
5 | 1 | Early Portraits (Small; 3 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 2 | Hedgerow Studio Portrait, circa 1938-1940 (2 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 3 | Portrait in Uniform, circa 1941 (4 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 4 | Photograph in Uniform (by Forbes) (1 Item) | |||||||||
5 | 5 | Portrait in Uniform, ATC on Hat, circa 1942-1943 (2 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 6 | Portrait (Small; 1 Item) | |||||||||
5 | 7 | Portraits (Plaid Shirt and Suit Coat) (2 Item) | |||||||||
5 | 8 | Portraits (Striped T-shirt) (3 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 9 | Portraits (Checked Shirt) (5 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 10 | Portrait (Printed Tie and Striped Suit Coat) (1 Item) | |||||||||
5 | 11 | Portrait (Printed Tie and Striped Suit Coat) (3 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 12 | Portraits (Solid Tie, Striped Shirt, and Checked Jacket) (2 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 13 | Portraits (Solid Tie, Striped Shirt, and Jacket) (2 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 14 | Sitting on Stairway Marked "GYM" (2 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 15 | Portraits by Bloom (Chicago) (3 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 16 | Portrait by Bloom (Chicago) (1 Item) | |||||||||
5 | 17 | Portrait by Clarence Bull, 1946 (1 Item) | |||||||||
Promotional photo #4887 for Secret Heart. | |||||||||||
5 | 18 | Portrait by Clarence Bull, 1946 (1 Item) | |||||||||
Promotional photo #4890 for Secret Heart. | |||||||||||
5 | 19 | Portrait by Clarence Bull, 1946 (1 Item) | |||||||||
Promotional photo #4888 for Secret Heart. | |||||||||||
5 | 20 | Portrait (with Moustache and Dark Suit), circa 1946-1947 (4 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 21 | Portraits (with Moustache, Dark Suit, and Paisley Tie), circa 1946-1947 (4 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 22 | Portraits, MGM, by Clarence S. Bull (Seated in Chair), circa 1947-1948 (2 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 23 | Portrait, MGM, by Clarence S. Bull, circa 1947-1948 (1 Item) | |||||||||
5 | 24 | Portraits by G. Maillard Kesslere, circa 1951 (4 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 25 | Portraits by Maurice Seymour (3 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 26 | Portraits by Maurice Seymour(Tweed Jacket and Dark Tie), circa 1958 (2 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 27 | Portraits (Tweed Jacket and Dark Tie), circa 1958 (3 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 28 | Portraits by Maurice Seymour (Tweed Jacket and Dark Tie), circa 1958 (3 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 29 | Portraits by G. Maillard Kesslere, NYC (Dark Suit Jacket) (3 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 30 | Portraits by Talbot on Broadway (Dark Suit and Paisley Tie) (2 Negatives; 5 Items) | |||||||||
Similar to promotion photos for Invitation to a March (1960) and Maybe Tuesday (1958). | |||||||||||
5 | 31 | Portraits by Talbot (Dark Suit and Paisley Tie), circa 1958, 1960 (2 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 32 | Portraits by Talbot (Wool Jacket and Dark Tie) (1 Negative; 2 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 33 | Portraits by Talbot (Wool Jacket and Dark Tie), circa 1960 (1 Negative; 5 Items) | |||||||||
Similar to promotion photos for Invitation to a March (1960) and Maybe Tuesday (1958). | |||||||||||
5 | 34 | Portraits, Promotion for Maybe Tuesday (1958) and Invitation to a March (1960), 1958, 1960 (4 Items) | |||||||||
Credit: Friedman-Abeles, NY. | |||||||||||
5 | 35 | Portraits, Friedman-Abeles, NY, circa 1960 (4.5" x 6.5"; 4 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 36 | Portraits (Dark Suit Coat and Striped Tie) (1 Negative; 4 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 37 | Portraits (Proofs; 5 Pages) | |||||||||
5 | 38 | Portraits (1 Negative; 4 Items) | |||||||||
5 | 39 | Portraits (1 Negative; Items) | |||||||||
5 | 40 | Portraits (Dark Turtleneck Sweater) (Proofs; 6 Pages) | |||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||
6 | 1 | Portrait (Dark Turtleneck and Brick Background) (1 Item) | |||||||||
6 | 2 | Portraits (Dark Turtleneck and Brick Background) (5 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 3 | Portrait (Dark Turtleneck) (1 Item) | |||||||||
6 | 4 | Portraits (Dark Turtleneck) (1 Negative; 4 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 5 | Portraits (Dark Turtleneck) (1 Negative; 5 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 6 | Photograph, Interior Apartment (4" x 3.25"; 1 Item) | |||||||||
6 | 7 | Portraits (Sweater) (1 Negative; 3 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 8 | Portraits (Wool Suit and Print Tie) (1 Negative; 5 Items) | |||||||||
Credit: Alexander Bender, NY. | |||||||||||
6 | 9 | Portraits (Wool Suit and Print Tie) (4 Items) | |||||||||
Credit: Alexander Bender, NY. | |||||||||||
6 | 10 | Portraits (Striped Jacket and Dark Tie) (4 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 11 | Portraits by the Barskin Agency, Los Angeles (Wool Jacket and Dark Tie), circa 1966 (6 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 12 | Portraits by the Barskin Agency, Los Angeles (Dark Suit Jacket), circa 1966 (1 Negative; 5 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 13 | Portraits by the Barskin Agency, Los Angeles (With Glasses) (1 Negative; 4 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 14 | Portraits with Small Photograph Inset by the Barskin Agency, Los Angeles, circa 1966 (4 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 15 | Portraits (Striped Tie and Glasses), circa 1983 (4 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 16 | Portraits (Leather Jacket), circa 1983 (3 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 17 | Portraits, circa 1983 (6 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 18 | Portraits by Don Schwartz and Associates, Los Angeles (Collage with Assorted Poses), circa 1983 (4 Items | |||||||||
6 | 19 | Portraits by Norah Sanders Agency, Los Angeles (Assorted Poses), circa 1982 (Resume on Back; 8 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 20 | Portraits by William Morris Agency, Inc., Beverly Hills, California (Assorted Poses) and Resume, circa 1983 (5 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 21 | Printed Resume, Len Kaplan Agency, Los Angeles | |||||||||
6 | 22 | Printed Resume with Corrections, Brooke-Dunn-Oliver Talent Agency, circa 1983 | |||||||||
6 | 23 | Castle in the Desert. Cast includes Charlie Chan (2 items) | |||||||||
6 | 24 | Commandos Strike at Dawn, 1942 (3 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 25 | Darling, Darling with Gypsy Rose Lee (5" x 7"; 1 Item) | |||||||||
6 | 26 | Dial 'M' for Murder with Maurice Evans (5" x 7"; 1 Item) | |||||||||
6 | 27 | Dream Girl toured with Judy Holliday, 1951 (1 Item) | |||||||||
6 | 28 | Free as a Bird at the Grist Mill Playhouse (Toured with Edie Adams). Includes world premiere program, circa 1961 (3 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 29 | A Gentleman at Heart with Cesar Romero, Carole Landis, and Milton Berle (1 Item) | |||||||||
6 | 30 | Grand Tour with Beatrice Straight, 1951 (6 Items) | |||||||||
6 | 31 | Guilty of Treason with Bonita Granuille, 1950 (1 Item) | |||||||||
6 | 32 | Invitation to a March with Celeste Holme, James MacArthur, and Jane Fonda, 1960 (8 Items) | |||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||
7 | 1 | Joan of Arc with Ingrid Bergman, 1948 (3 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 2 | John Loves Mary, H.A. Hartwell Studio, Chicago. Jan Sterling, 1948 (4 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 3 | John Loves Mary, Harry A. Atwell Studio, Chicago (11 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 4 | Man at Large (3 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 5 | Man Who Wouldn't Die (1 Item) | |||||||||
7 | 6 | Maybe Tuesday Playbill and Clippings, 1958 | |||||||||
7 | 7 | Maybe Tuesday with Patricia Smith. Bob Golby Photograph, NY, 1958 (5" x 7"; 5 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 8 | Maybe Tuesday with Patricia Smith. Friedman-Abeles Photo, NY, 1958 (1 Item) | |||||||||
7 | 9 | Mr. Roberts, 1959 Summer (5 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 10 | Plain and Fancy with Shirl Conway, 1955-1956 (4 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 11 | Secret Heart with Claudette Colbert, 1946 (1 Item) | |||||||||
7 | 12 | Secret Mission (1 Item) | |||||||||
7 | 13 | Miscellaneous Unidentified Locations (19 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 14 | Miscellaneous Productions, Friedman-Abeles photos, NY (4 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 15 | Terror is the Man, 1959 (5" x 4"; 20 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 16 | Terror is the Man, 1959 (5" x 4"; 20 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 17 | Terror is the Man, 1959 (5" x 4"; 10 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 18 | Terror is the Man, 1959 (10 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 19 | Terror is the Man, 1959 (16 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 20 | Terror is the Man, 1959 (Mostly 5" x 7"; 6 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 21 | Terror is the Man (2.5" x 3.75"; 23 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 22 | When Worlds Collide, 1951 (1 Item) | |||||||||
7 | 23 | When Worlds Collide, 1951 (1 Item) | |||||||||
7 | 24 | Miscellaneous Productions (6 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 25 | Miscellaneous Productions (3 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 26 | Portrait, Frank Gehrecke (2 Items) | |||||||||
7 | 27 | Photograph, Ballet Dancer Ricky Starr (1 Item) | |||||||||
7 | 28 | Portrait, Unidentified Male (1 Item) |
Series IV: Oversized Materials | |||||||||||
Box | |||||||||||
8 | Plaque. "Theatre World selects Richard Derr as one of the promising personalities of the 1948-49 season" | ||||||||||
8 | Star Trek Calendar. "The Stars Pick Their Favorite Episodes", 1987 | ||||||||||
8 | Layout and Promotional Photographs for Norah Sanders Agency, Los Angeles |