One-of-a-kind collection of approximately 325 signed and 250 unsigned candid photos, most approximately 3.25 x 4.5 (a few larger or smaller), most attached with corner tabs to the pages of a 14 x 11.5 album, early 1940s. The album represents the devoted efforts of an amateur photographer and collector named Martin, a resident of Roxbury, Massachusetts, who proudly pasted his own photo to the inside cover and titled his project “Celebraties [sic] of Stage, Screen, and Radio.” Martin evidently captured most of his “celebraties” during stage engagements in the Boston area; several of the photos are of the performances themselves. Many of the pages are captioned with the theater and the name of the production, providing valuable documentation and in many cases enabling one to pinpoint the date with some precision. A number of these photos, both signed and unsigned, are notable for capturing a number of stars at the height of their careers—or right at their first flush of success. Several celebrities are represented multiple times; a handful of the photos are inscribed. The unsigned photos include a wide range of entertainers of the period, including such familiar faces (to name a very few) as Abbott and Costello (including several photos of the pair performing onstage), Gene Autry, Ray Bolger, Glenn Miller and his orchestra, Dinah Shore, Vivian Vance, and scores of others. The more prominent signers, many represented by multiple examples, include: Larry Adler (2), Kirk Alyn (3), Brian Aherne (4; one with Joan Fontaine), Mischa Auer, Tex Benecke, Joe Besser (2), Ben Blue, Eddie Bracken, Joe E. Brown, Judy Canova, Joan Carroll (early), Imogene Coca, Helen Craig, Hume Cronyn, Billy Daniels, Dixie Dunbar (2), Katherine Dunham, James Dunn (3; 1945 Oscar winner), Buddy Ebsen, Maurice Evans (2), Nanette Fabray, Betty Furness (3), Betty Garrett (5), Luella Gear (2), Sterling Hayden (4), Rex Ingram, Lois January, Danny Kaye (8; a few with others, including Eve Arden and Nanette Fabray), Pert Kelton (3), Judson Laird, Jessie Royce Landis, Francis Lederer (25), Fredric March (10), Ethel Merman (2), Ann Miller, Glenn Miller, Marguerite Namara (2), Conrad Nagel (3), Alan Napier (2), Virginia O’Brien (3), Alan Reed (2; future voice of Fred Flintstone), Flora Robson (8), Peggy Ryan (9; a few with others), Erich von Stroheim, Frankie Thomas (later TV’s “Tom Corbett”), Arthur Treacher (5), Ethel Waters (2; 1 with face colored), Shelley Winters (5, very early; one as chorus member of Meet the People, signed with four others), Fay Wray (5), Keenan Wynn (9), and Henny Youngman. The album is worn and the covers detached. Most of the photos themselves range from about very good to very fine. As might be expected, many of the images bear the vicissitudes of amateur photography—over- or underexposure, focus problems, etc.—though nearly all of the subjects are clearly recognizable, and most of the photos are clear and distinct. A handful of photos bear faults such as small tears, creases, or dings; most are quite well preserved. The quality of the signatures exhibits a typical range from poor (due to problems with ink flow or adhesion, brushing, or indistinct contrast against dark backgrounds) to crisp and crystal clear. R&R COA.
