Scrapbook, bulk: Undated
Scope and Contents
This scrapbook collects together ephemera reflecting many facets of Edward M. Cohen’s life, including family (with news clippings about his daughter’s work in film production); writing (with review clippings, promotional materials, cover art and other pieces pertaining to the initial publication of $250,000) and theater (with programs, photos, and promotional materials for plays Cohen directed at the Jewish Repertory Theater). Scrapbook highlights include three contact sheets of author photos, a Kirkus review clipping annotated by Cohen's publisher, and a Certificate of Excellence from Queens College (Box 3) with handmade ticket stub art on the back.
Due to the breadth of the contents, and to retain the wholeness of the Scrapbook, the Scrapbook is in its own series. Although some clippings have dates, the creation of individual scrapbook pages is unknown.
Dates
- Majority of material found in Undated
Conditions Governing Access
Reproductions may be provided to users to support research and scholarship. However, collection use is subject to all copyright laws. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron. Edward M. Cohen living trust retains copyright. Please email qc.archives@qc.cuny.edu for more information.
Conditions Governing Use
Digital Copy
A PDF scan of the scrapbook showing each page of the scrapbook as it was at accession and PDF scans of the loose materials are available for review. Digital files will be shared upon request for private study, scholarship, and research.
Researchers must first fill out a digital access form. Please email QC.archives@qc.cuny.edu for more information.
Extent
From the Collection: 11.8 Linear Feet (23 boxes: 19 Hollinger, 1 half Hollinger, 2 half cartons, 1 flat box; and 1 book tote )
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Arrangement
BOX 1, FOLDERS 1-33
Pages 1-8: $250,000
Page 9-10: Cakes with the Wine
Page 11, 13: The Complaint Department Closes at Five
Page 12: Breeding Ground
Page 14: Night Thoughts; Two Girls and a Sailor
Page 15: Typhoid Mary
Page 16: Urlicht
Page 17: The Nearest I'll Get to Heaven
Page 18: Beethoven/Karl; Zero Sum
Page 19: Dances with Words; Zero Sum
Page 20: Apple Pie
Page 21: Cakes with the Wine
Page 22: Once and for All
Page 23: Photos
Page 24: Benny Leonard and the Brooklyn Bride
Page 25: Candida
Page 26: The Cold Wind and the Warm
Page 27: When Petulia Comes; The Hotel Baltimore
Page 28: Old Times
Page 29: Empty Page
Page 30: Unlikely Heroes
Page 31: Coulda Would Shoulda
Page 32: Any Wednesday
Page 33: La Musica
Page 34: Liliom; The Children's House
BOX 2, FOLDERS 1-23
Page 35: The Loves of Shirley Abramowitz
Page 36: Me and Molly
Page 37: Elephants
Page 38-39: Taking Steam
Page 40: Festival and Conference of Jewish Playwriting
Page 41: Joy Cohen
Page 42: Shlemiel the First
Page 43: City Boy; Getting Out
Page 44: New Jewish Voices
Page 45: Jewish Repertory Theater
Page 46: I, Shaw
Page 47: Roots
Page 48: Our Own Family
Page 49: Working on a New Play
Page 50: Yard Sale
Page 51: Double Blessing, Waving Goodbye Breaking Ground
Page 52: The American Jewish Theater Event
Page 53: A Fierce Attachment
Page 54: The Sunset Gang
Page 55: King of Carpets
Page 56: Men Dancing
Loose Material: photograph contact sheets
BOX 3: FOLDERS 1-6
Loose, oversized material: Including a Certificate of Excellence in Playshop from Queens College, Department of Speech and The Speech Guild (Folder 1). An additional award (for a short fiction competition) is included in the Writing series (Box 4).
Processing Information
Original Scrapbook Condition
As received, the original scrapbook, a metal binder with plastic-sleeved, soft paper pages, did not have a cover. While the segregation of the materials on each page reflected Cohen’s organization of the scrapbook, the materials themselves were not secured to the pages in any kind of order. In some cases, this was due to old tape and other adhesives breaking down and sending the clippings adrift within a page sleeve; but in most cases, the materials were never fastened to the pages at all and the pages were serving as a file folder.
Since the plastic sleeves of each scrapbook page were open at the top and bottom, the loose materials (many of them fragile newsprint) were sliding around under the plastic and escaping from the top and bottom, causing them to become torn and crumpled, and sustain other damage. Additionally, the scrapbook pages themselves were deteriorating, leaving the materials within covered in a fine black soot. In several instances, the page sleeves were also over-stuffed, which further damaged the materials.
Scrapbook Disbinding
Due to deterioration of the original housing and resulting damage to the materials, the scrapbook was disassembled. The materials from each page were foldered together, by page, to retain as much of the author’s original order as possible.
Repository Details
Part of the Queens College (New York, N.Y.) Special Collections and Archives Repository
Queens College Library, CUNY
Benjamin Rosenthal Library RO317
65-30 Kissena Boulevard
Flushing 11367 USA us
QC.Archives@qc.cuny.edu
