W. Clyde Fitch (AC 1886) Collection, 1867-1986 (bulk 1883-1909)
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Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Finding aid created in XMetal 2.0. Finding aid encoded by Sarah Sorscher 2002-02-04
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
W. Clyde Fitch Collection
Creation of W. Clyde Fitch Collection
Time of Creation of W. Clyde Fitch Collection
6 archives boxes, 3 records storage boxes, 3 oversize pamphlet binders
Fitch, Clyde, 1865-1909
Biographical History for: W. Clyde Fitch Collection
Historical Note W. Clyde Fitch (AC 1886) was a prolific and highly successful American playwright best known for plays of social satire and character study. Notable for having four of his plays running concurrently on Broadway, he went on to write and produce, in a twenty-year period, thirty-six original plays, twenty-one adaptations, and five dramatizations of novels. His name alone was enough to draw large audiences, and his works were produced throughout the United States and in Europe as well. He was the first American dramatist to be regularly produced abroad. The critic and scholar William Lyon Phelps wrote in 1921, "when [Fitch] began to write, American drama scarcely existed; when he died it was reality.... He did more for American drama than any other man in our history." William Clyde Fitch was born in Elmira, New York on May 2, 1865. He spent part of his childhood in Schenectady, New York, and attended the Holderness School, Plymouth, New Hampshire, before attending Amherst College. At Amherst he was known among his classmates as "Billy" (after his given name William, which he later dropped) and was active in dramatic productions; his literary publications in college were mainly verse, including his Grove Oration speech in 1886. His first successful play, Beau Brummel (1890), was written especially for the actor Richard Mansfield. Subsequent plays of that period were largely melodramas and historical works that were less successful than his comedies of the early 1900s, including The Climbers (1901), Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines (1901), The Girl with the Green Eyes (1902), The Truth (1907) and The City (1909). However, the popularity of his works on the stage barely exceeded his own lifetime. Fitch was an avid collector of books, antiques and art, with which he filled his home at 113 East 40th St., New York City (a residence that, for a time, was one of New York's most famous salons), as well as at his other homes at Katonah, New York; and Greenwich, Connecticut. The "Clyde Fitch Memorial Room" in Converse Hall at Amherst College was a gift to the College from Fitch's mother. It contained many of the furnishings and most of the books that were in his study in New York City. Clyde Fitch died on September 4, 1909, one week after an operation for appendicitis in Châlons-sur-Marne, France, at age 44.
Scope and Contents of the Collection Correspondence, annotated play scripts, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, articles and photographs documenting the literary career, works, and personal life of Clyde Fitch (1865-1909), American dramatist and graduate of Amherst College in the Class of 1886. Correspondents include Robert Browning, Richard Harding Davis, William Dean Howells and William Lyon Phelps.
Theater--United States--19th century--Sources.
lcsh
Theater--United States--20th century--Sources.
Fitch, Clyde, 1865-1909.
lcnaf
Browning, Robert, 1812-1889.
Davis, Richard Harding, 1864-1916.
Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920.
Phelps, William Lyon, 1865-1943.
Amherst College. Class of 1886. Fitch.
series
Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1890-1986
Bibliography of works by and about Clyde Fitch 1912
Death notices and obituaries 1909-1910
Articles 1909-1944
Articles 1904-1947
American Heritage article by Peter Andrews, "More Sock and Less Buskin," pp. 48-57 April 1972
Clippings ca. 1901-1972
Program for Amherst College production of Last of the Dandies 1986
Clyde Fitch Room - Amherst College - articles and misc. 1918-1968
Clyde Fitch Room - correspondence 1913-1971
Clyde Fitch Room, Amherst College - Photographs 1960s
Books from the library of Clyde Fitch n.d.
Pocket mirror given to Martha Genning Stearns by Clyde Fitch c. 1890s
Series 2: Scrapbooks and Clippings, 1883-1920
Amherst College dramatic productions 1883-1886
Scrapbooks and clippings c. 1886-1920
Beau Brummel 1890
Playbills, notices 1890-1907
The Knighting of the Twins, and Ten Other Tales - inscribed to the author by the illustrator (Virginia Gerson). Among the loose items inserted in the volume are letters from William I. Fletcher, John F. Genung, Jonathan Sturges, Ruth and Grace [Fitch, his sisters], E. Hepworth Dixon, Allan Eastman Cross, and Anna L. Dawes 1891-1892
Scrapbook 1891-1893
Scrapbook - mostly playbills ca. 1890s
Scrapbook (pages disbound and placed in individual folders) - Part 1 1898-1899
Scrapbook - Part 2 1898-1899
Royalties record book (blank) n.d.
Series 3: Correspondence, 1882-1909
Outgoing unidentified 1894-1905, n.d.
Amherst College - related 1882-1890, n.d.
Arbucher, Gertrude n.d.
Baker, Amy n.d.
Browning, Robert 1888 Jul 2
C[happie?] n.d.
Chase, E. Olcott 1887-1909, n.d.
Chase, Mrs. 1897, 1903, n.d.
Cody 1894, n.d.
Corbin, John and Amy 1903, n.d.
Davis, Richard Harding n.d.
D'Urban, [William] 1889 Oct 9
Eaton, W. P. 1905
Fitch, Mrs. [Alice] (mother of Clyde Fitch) n.d.
Fitch, Winchester 1906-1909, n.d.
French, [Samuel] [1907?] Sep 22
Frohman, Charles. Re: Ethel [Barrymore] 1901, n.d.
Fyles, Franklin [1896]
Gale-Haynes, Mrs. M. 1892
[Gerson?], Ms. Virginia 1902 Jun 2
Gottschalk, Ferdinand 1905 May
Greene [?] Nov 15
Grey Fiske, Harrison 1890
Haskell, Ernest 1904 Jan 16
Hovey n.d.
Howells, William Dean and Mildred 1903 n.d.
Kimball 1895, n.d.
Lapham, Mr. [ALS inserted in Barbara Frietchie, the Frederick Girl (New York: Life Publishing Co., 1900)] Arch-SpecColl PS1677 .B3 1900 c.3 1905 Nov 1
Low n.d.
McLean, Mrs. 1899 Oct 18
Martin, Dr. [?] Mar 1
Miller, J. DeWitt 1892-1907
Mosher, Florence 1895-1898
Nelson and McLean 1899, 1903
"Oscar" ca. 1907
Pater, Walter, with photograph [?] Jan 4
Phelps, William Lyon 1906-1909
Pond, Major 1897
Russell, Sol Smith (includes photograph of Russell) 1893-1899
Shipman, Louis 1897-1899, n.d.
Smith, Miss 1903 Nov 8
Smith, T. (reproduction of postcard) 1903
Webster n.d.
Wharton, Edith [?] Dec 26
Williams 1900 Feb 4
Series 4: Writings, 1879-1910
The American Duchess Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .A5 1893 [1893?]
April Weather Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .A7 1895 [1895?]
The Bachelor n.d.
The Bachelor Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .B2 1909 [1909?]
Barbara Frietchie, the Frederick Girl . New York: Life Publishing Co., [1900]. 5 copies. AC/Arch-SpecColl PS1677 .B3 1900 1900
* Copy 2 contains the signatures of the cast of the 1902 Castle Square Theatre production on front flyleaves; ownership stamp of Rex Smith.
* Copy 3 has inserted an ALS from Fitch to "Mr. Lapham" ([2] p.; Greenwich, Conn., Nov. 1, 1905); a cut signature of Julia Marlowe is mounted on her portrait.
Being a Tutor (with watercolor illustrations by the author) n.d.
The Bird in the Cage: A Comedy in Four Acts . Adapted from the German of von Wildenbruch. Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .B6 1903 [1903?]
The Blue Mouse: a Dramatic Composition in Three Acts . Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .B7 1908 [1908?]
Bohemia : Based on La vie de Bohème, by Theodore Barrière and Henri Murger. Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .B8 1896 [1896?]
Brother Jacques Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .B85 1904 [1904?]
Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines n.d.
Captain Jinks by Frank Mandel and Lawrence Schwab n.d.
The City 1909
The City (2 c.) 1901
The Convent ("Un petit poème par Clyde Fitch") 1884
The Coronet of the Duchess Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .C65 1904 [1904?]
Cousin Billy: A Farcical Comedy in Three Acts Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .C7 1905 [1905?]
The Flirt (photocopy) n.d.
Frederic LeMaitre , Comedy in one act n.d.
The Girl and The Judge 1901
The Girl Who Has Everything n.d.
The Girl Who Has Everything . Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .G3 1906 [1906?]
The Girl with the Green Eyes 1902
Girls: a Farcical Comedy in Three Acts . Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .G5 1908 [1908?]
Glad of It! Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .G6 1903 [1903?]
Gossip: A Play in Four Acts . By Clyde Fitch & Leo Dietrichstein. Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .G7 1895 [1895?]
Granny: A Play in Four Acts . Adapted from the French of Georges Mittchel [i.e. Mitchell]. Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .G8 1904 [1904?]
The Happy Marriage , Comedy in three acts n.d.
The Happy Marriage Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .H15 1909 [1909?]
The Head of the Family Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .H4 1898 [1898?]
Her Sisters Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .H5 1907 [1907?]
His Grace de Grammont Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .H6 1894 [1894?]
The Honour of the Family: A Piece in Four Acts from the French of Balzac . Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .H8 1908 [1908?]
House of Mirth Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .H85 1906 [1906?]
The Infant Prodigy: A Musical Comedy in Three Acts. Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .I5 1905 [1905?]
Last of the Dandies Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .L2 1901 [1901?]
Lover's Lane - A Pastoral Comedy (previous titles: The Minister; The Parson) 1901
Lover's Lane n.d.
Major Andre [1895?]
Major Andre: A Comedy in Four Acts . Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .M2 1903 [1903]
The Marriage Game: A Comedy in Three Acts . Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .M3 1901 [1901?]
The Marriage Game 1901 Aug
May Blossoms to My Father n.d.
A Modern Match Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .M6 1892 [1892]
The Moth and the Flame: A Dramatic Composition in Thhree Acts n.d.
Nathan Hale, A play in four acts 1897
"The Play and the Public" (a talk based originally on an article published in The Smart Set magazine) n.d.
Sapho: A New Play in Four Acts . Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .S2 1900 [1900?]
The Social Swim 1893
The Social Swim Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .S5 1893 [1893?]
"Two Letters and Two Telegrams." In: Some Correspondence and Six Conversations ca. 1895
The Straight Road (2 c.) 1906
The Straight Road: A Play in Four Acts . Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .S7 1907 [1907?]
The Superfluous Husband: A Play in Three Acts by Clyde Fitch & Leo Dietrichstein. Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .S9 1897 [1897?]
The Toast of the Town: A Comedy in Four Acts Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .T4 1905 [1905?]
Toddles Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .T5 1905 [1905?]
The Way of the World: A New and Original Modern Play in Five Acts Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .W3 1901 [1901?]
The Way of the World: A New and Original Modern Play in Five Acts 1901 Mar
Wolfville Reproduced from typescript. AC/Arch-SpColl File PS1677 .W6 1905 [1905?]
Amherst College class notes c. 1883-1886
Amherst College publications 1886-1910
Poems for Easter and Thanksgiving 1887, n.d.
Poems (notebook) 1889
"Dialogue in the shape of two letters..." 1894-1895?
"Two Letters and a Postal Card" - holograph ms. n.d.
Childhood writings: "The Rising Sun" and "The Shooting Star" (holograph "magazines") 1879
The Thunder Bolt (Holderness School, Plymouth, N.H.) - 2 issues 1882 Feb-Mar
Series 5: Pictures and Photographs, 1867-1909
Portraits
Portraits - childhood 1867-1875
Portrait photographs - Amherst College 1883-1886
Portrait photograph and reproduction of oil portrait drawn from it n.d.
Cross reference note regarding two oil portraits of Clyde Fitch by Vittorio Guaccimanni (1889) and William Merritt Chase (n.d.) n.d.
Portrait photographs 1893-1901, n.d.
Caricature by Max Beerbohm (newspaper clipping) n.d.
Caricature by Ernest Haskell 1901
Portraits on postcards ca. 1901
Other Pictures
Photograph of Clyde Fitch tomb, Woodlawn Cemetery, New York, New York n.d.
Photographs and postcards, miscellaneous (includes portraits of William Dean Howells, Robert Browning, and Sir Henry Irving; also scenes from various plays) n.d.
2 glass plate negatives of holograph pages with watercolor illustrations (probably "Being A Tutor": see Series 4, box 5, folder 2) n.d.
Engravings of Major André, Alfred Orsay, M. Blessington n.d.
Theatrical photographs from Clyde Fitch plays
Unbound theatrical photographs from Her Sister n.d.
Unbound theatrical photographs from Girls n.d.
Scrapbook (NOTE: extremely fragile) n.d.
Oversized theatrical photographs: unidentified play (includes autographed photograph of actress Mary Gordon Lennox) n.d.
Vol. 1: Bohemia; Nathan Hale; The Moth and The Flame; Barbara Frietchie n.d.
Vol. 2: The Cowboy and the Lady; The Climbers n.d.
Vol. 3: Captain Jinks; Lover's Lane; The Way of the World n.d.
Vol. 4: The Girl and the Judge; The Stubbornness of Geraldine; The Girl with the Green Eyes; The Frisky Mrs. Johnson; Her Own Way n.d.
Vol. 5: Major André; Glad of It!; Coronet of the Duchess; Granny; Cousin Billy n.d.
Vol. 6: The Woman in the Case; Her Great Match; His Grace de Grammont n.d.
Vol. 7: Wolfville n.d.
Theatrical photographs - miscellaneous duplicates n.d.
Series 6: Personal Affairs, 1903-1907
Autograph book 1903-1904
Address book n.d.
Putnam A. Bates, Consulting Electrical Engineer: "General Specifications covering a new electrical generating and storage plant ... for the residence of Mr. Clyde Fitch, Katonah, New York" 1907 Sep
Paper spoon (party favor?) 1891 Sep 2
Invitation card "To meet Monsieur Boldini" [pre-1897]