Guide to the Robert C. Schnitzer papers, 1950-1980 Robert C. Schnitzer C0043

Guide to the Robert C. Schnitzer papers, 1950-1980

A Collection in
Special Collections and Archives
Collection Number C0043


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George Mason University Libraries

2006 By George Mason University Libraries. All rights reserved.

Processed by: Special Collections and Archives Staff

Repository
George Mason University. Special Collections and Archives.
Collection number
C0043
Title
Robert C. Schnitzer papers 1950-1980
URL:
http://sca.gmu.edu/finding_aids/
Physical Characteristics
6.75 linear feet (9 boxes)
Creator
Robert C. Schnitzer, 1906-
Language
English
Abstract
Included in the Robert C. Schnitzer Papers are textual materials (subject files, correspondence, memoranda) about ANTA overseas productions, photographs of ANTA theater troupe and other ANTA personnel in Europe 1951 and 1955, 1950s and 1960s promotional posters for ANTA overseas productions, newspaper clippings about ANTA performances in Europe, prompt script to the play "Skin of Our Teeth" starring Helen Hayes, and working papers and other materials about Schnitzer's work with the University of Michigan Professional Theatre Program.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Robert C. Schnitzer papers, Collection #C0043, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University.

Acquisition Information

Collection donated by Robert Schnitzer in 1995-1996.

Processing Information

Processed by Special Collections and Archives staff. EAD markup completed by Eron Ackerman and Jordan Patty in March 2009.

Biographical Information

Robert C. Schnitzer is a former actor, producer, educator, and theater administrator. As a young actor in New York City, Schnitzer appeared in or stage managed The Brothers Karamazov, Hamlet, An Enemy of the People, Richelieu, Henry V, Richard III, Caponsacchi, Macbeth, and Cyrano de Bergerac. From 1936 to 1939, Schnitzer was Delaware's State Director and Deputy National Director of the WPA's Federal Theatre Project.

Schnitzer later joined the American National Theater and Academy (ANTA) as general manager for the Experimental Theater in New York, which returned to the New York theater scene under the auspices of ANTA in 1947. The ANTA-sponsored performances managed by Mr. Schnitzer included the first American production of Hamlet to be presented at Elsinore, Denmark; the first European tour of the American Ballet Theatre in 1950; and from 1951 to 1953, three Berlin festivals that showcased American talent such as the Theatre Guild's Oklahoma, the Hall Johnson Choir, and the Julliard String Quartet.

In 1954, Mr. Schnitzer took over as general manager for the International Exchange Program through which ANTA helped promote and sponsor cultural exchanges in cooperation with the U.S. State Department. The hundreds of overseas productions arranged by Mr. Schnitzer ran the gamut from college choirs and athletes to notables such as Marian Anderson, the Dave Brubeck Quartet, and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Leonard Berstein. Many of these performers played to audiences in Berlin, Moscow, and other locations behind the Iron Curtain.

In 1960, Mr. Schnitzer became the general manager for the American Repertory Company, set up by the Theatre Guild at the request of the U.S. Government to export the best in American theater. He arranged for three plays - The Skin of Our Teeth, The Miracle Worker, and The Glass Menagerie - to tour 28 countries in Europe and South America in 1961. The company included the famous actress Helen Hayes. During the 1970s he was head of the University of Michigan's Professional Theatre Program.

Scope and Content

Included in the Robert C. Schnitzer Papers are textual materials (subject files, correspondence, memoranda) about ANTA overseas productions, photographs of ANTA theater troupe and other ANTA personnel in Europe 1951 and 1955, 1950s and 1960s promotional posters for ANTA overseas productions, newspaper clippings about ANTA performances in Europe, prompt script to the play "Skin of Our Teeth" starring Helen Hayes, and working papers and other materials about Schnitzer's work with the University of Michigan Professional Theatre Program.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged according to subject.

Related Material

Special Collections and Archives also holds many other theatre collections

Index Terms

    Persons:

  • Schnitzer, Robert C.
  • Corporate Names:

  • ANTA (Organization)
  • University of Michigan--Professional Theatre Program.
  • Subjects:

  • Theater.

Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

  • Robert C. Schnitzer, 1906-
  • Schnitzer, Robert C.

Contents List

Robert C. Schnitzer papers
  • Folder: 1 box: 1
    ANTA- State Department 1960-1980
  • Folder: 2 box: 1
    Robert Schnitzer Move From ANTA to the Theater Guild 1960
  • Folder: 3 box: 1
    '65 Germany [1965]
  • Folder: 4 box: 1
    Germany 1965 Guest Tour 1965
  • Folder: 5 box: 1
    Europe (and others) '65,'66,etc. [1965,1966]
  • Folder: 1 box: 2
    Correspondence 1950
  • Folder: 2 box: 2
    Pamphlet: Wiesbaden Germany
  • Folder: 3 box: 2
    Postcards: Europe
  • Folder: 4 box: 2
    Street Maps: Europe 1950 (Milan, Genoa, Zurich, Florence)
  • Folder: 5 box: 2
    Tourist Pamphlets (Venice, Turin, Zurich, The Hague, Amsterdam)
  • Folder: 6 box: 2
    Menu and Table Plan: 22nd International Congress, P.E.N. Club; 8/19/50 1950
  • Folder: 7 box: 2
    [Flight Report: Sabena Airlines]
  • Folder: 8 box: 2
    Work Permits 1950
  • Folder: 9 box: 2
    [Miscellaneous Items (re: Europe 1950)] [1 of 2] [1950]
  • Folder: 10 box: 2
    [Miscellaneous Items (re: Europe 1950)] [ 2 of 2] 1950
  • Folder: 11 box: 2
    Programs/Playblls: Europe 1950 1950
  • Folder: 12 box: 2
    Programs/Playbills: Europe 1950 [2 of 3] 1950
  • Folder: 13 box: 2
    Programs/Playbills: Europe 1950 [3 of 3] 1950
  • Folder: 14 box: 2
    National Theater Assembly 1951
  • Folder: 1 box: 3
    Photographs: Europe 1950 [1950]

    Youskeuitch, I., Meister, B., Kaye, N., Chapin, Lerie, N., Alouso, Schnitzer, R., Cannon

  • Folder: 2 box: 3
    Berlin 1951

    Ginder, C., Westermarm, T., Res, Breen, Doliymfle, J.

  • Folder: 3 box: 3
    Berlin 1951

    Cliou, H., Johnson, H.

  • Folder: 4 box: 3
    Berlin 1951

    Claire, L., Seldes, M., Lawrence, E., Anderson, J., McClintic, G., dal Porto, L., Breen, Res, Doliymfle, Gossner, Johnson, H.

  • Folder: 5 box: 3
    Berlin 1951

    Holm, C., McClintick, G., Anderson, J., McCloy, J.

  • Folder: 6 box: 3
    Berlin 1951

    Johnson, P., Holm, C., Asond, R., Marlo, M.,Grinder,P., Libmoll, M., Mathewson, Anderson, J.,

  • Folder: 7 box: 3
    Berlin 1951

    Schmoll, W., Johnson, P., Rawlings, J., Austin, H., Platz, Res, Enters, A.,Doliymfle, J.

  • Folder: 8 box: 3
    Judith Anderson

    Anderson, J., Res

  • Folder: 9 box: 3
    Virginia Innes- Brown

    Innes-Brown, V.,

  • Folder: 10 box: 3
    Robert W. Dowling--Virginia Innes- Brown

    Dowling, R., Inner-Brown, V.

  • Folder: 11 box: 3
    European Tour

    Cirmey and Schnitzer

  • Folder: 12 box: 3
    France

    Havoc, J., Julien, A., Dillon, Schnitzer, Cizney

  • Folder: 13 box: 3
    Hamlet

    Breen, R.

  • Folder: 15 box: 3
    McIlvaine Farewell 1956

    Farewell, I., Schnitzer, W.

  • Folder: 16 box: 3
    Miscellaneous

    Litori, Heller, Cisney, Schnitzer, Williams, C., Ilinski, J.

  • Folder: 17 box: 3
    Porgy and Bess Company
  • Folder: 18 box: 3
    South America 1956

    Dalnymple, J., Res

  • Folder: 19 box: 3
    Stratford- Summer 1957

    Daleymfle, J.

  • Folder: 20 box: 3
    Theatre Guild/ANTA--Repertory Company
  • Folder: 1 box: 4
    Soviet Arts Seminar
  • Folder: 2 box: 4
    R.C.S inspection tour South America for possible ANTA bookings
  • Folder: 3 box: 4
    Special
  • Folder: 4 box: 4
    Amrepco-Hotel, travel, "extra-curricular activities"
  • Folder: 5 box: 4
    Customs-Am Rep Co.
  • Folder: 6 box: 4
    Itinerary-Am Rep Co Latin Amer . tour
  • Folder: 7 box: 4
    Miscellaneous
  • Folder: 8 box: 4
    Heller
  • Folder: 9 box: 4
    How to be an Empresario
  • Folder: 10 box: 4
    Correspondence- Guild (Langner, Caro, etc.) and Schnitzer--tour operation
  • Folder: 1 box: 5
    Experimental Theatre
  • Folder: 2 box: 5
    Experimental Theatre
  • Folder: 3 box: 5
    Experimental Theatre
  • Folder: 4 box: 5
    Experimental Theatre
  • Folder: 5 box: 5
    Experimental Theatre
  • Folder: 6 box: 5
    Current Film Periodicals in English
  • Folder: 7 box: 5
    Misc. Get? See?
  • Folder: 8 box: 5
    Get
  • Folder: 9 box: 5
    NYU Seminars
  • Folder: 10 box: 5
    Ballet Theatre
  • Folder: 11 box: 5
    News clippings
  • Folder: 12 box: 5
    New clippings
  • Folder: 1 box: 6
    Reviews
  • Folder: 2 box: 6
    Hamlet/Denmark
  • Folder: 3 box: 6
    Hamlet/Denmark
  • Folder: 4 box: 6
    Hamlet/Denmark
  • Folder: 5 box: 6
    Hamlet/Denmark--Hamlet/Festival Production
  • Folder: 6 box: 6
    N.T.C
  • Folder: 7 box: 6
    Breen, R. misc--New Select. Serv. Card After discharge
  • Folder: 8 box: 6
    ANTA 1949-1953
  • Folder: 9 box: 6
    Berlin 1952--Anta-Ices (International Cultural Exchange
  • Folder: 10 box: 6
    Photographs

    Denwent, C., Schonceit,L., Breen, R., Callowdway, C., Schnitzer, R., Hayes, H., Anderson, J.,Holm, C., Martin, M.,Ormandy, E.

  • Folder: 1 box: 7
    The Cultural-Cooperation Program
  • Folder: 2 box: 7
    Blueprint of Summer Theater 1950 Supplement [1950]
  • Folder: 3 box: 7
    American National Ballet Theater-European Tour
  • Folder: 4 box: 7
    Berlin Arts Festival
  • Folder: 5 box: 7
    Workshop NCBI
  • Folder: 6 box: 7
    [Rough Verse in Rough Faith and Letters]
  • Folder: 7 box: 7
    [Breen: Resignation]
  • Folder: 8 box: 7
    Thirty first Annual Dinner: White House Correspondents Asso.
  • Folder: 9 box: 7
    [The Will Geev Theatricum Botanicum and others]
  • Folder: 10 box: 7
    University/ Resident Theatre Association, Inc. NY
  • Folder: 11 box: 7
    [International Exchange Program]
  • Folder: 12 box: 7
    Scrap Book
  • Folder: 13 box: 7
    Berkshire and others
  • Folder: 14 box: 7
    Barter Theatre
  • Folder: 15 box: 7
    [South America: 1956] 1956
  • Folder: 16 box: 7
    [Bikel, Theodore: Letter 9/7/95]
  • Folder: 17 box: 7
    [Barter Theatre]
  • Folder: 1 box: 8
    Newspaper Clippings: Tours 1950's-1990's
  • Folder: 2 box: 8
    [Newspaper Clippings] Ballet Theatre 1950
  • Folder: 3 box: 8
    [Newspaper Clippings] Berlin: U.S. Ballet at Festival [1950]
  • Folder: 4 box: 8
    [Newspaper Clippings] American Ballet [1950]
  • Folder: 5 box: 8
    [Newspaper Clippings] (German Language) 1950
  • Folder: 6 box: 8
    [Newspaper Clippings] (German Language: American Ballet) [1950]
  • Folder: 1 box: 9
    International Exchange Program(ANTA)Progress Reports: Volume 1 November 1954- June 1956
  • Folder: 2 box: 9
    International Exchange Program (ANTA): Progress Reports: Volume 2 July 1956- August 1957
  • Folder: 3 box: 9
    International Cultural Exchange Service (ANTA): Volume 3: Progress Reports September 1957-July 1960