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Christopher Morley Correspondence

A description of the collection at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: LMD
Date: 10 November 2009

Biographical History

Christopher Morley (1890-1957) was an American author and editor. He was one of the founders of the Saturday Review of Literature and worked as a contributing editor to the publication from 1924 to 1940. He was a prolific writer of novels, essays, and poetry, his most successful work being the best-selling 1939 novel Kitty Foyle. He was also famous for his popular "Bowling Green" column in the New York Evening Post and the Saturday Review.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Christopher Morley Correspondence consists of letters and one manuscript.

Correspondence contains letters to Morley's publisher, Harcourt Brace and to various friends, editors, and fellow authors including Morley Kennerley, Bennet Cerf, Frank Henry, A.N. Hosking, and Mrs. Joseph R. Hatch. Topics discussed include Robert Louis Stevenson, William Saroyan, various writing projects, and lecture appearances. There are also some letters concerning Christopher Morley's brothers John and Frank.

One letter, dated 21 May 1929, was sent to Morley by Philip S. Clarke, a Brooklyn lawyer. It is also addressed to Cleon Throckmorton, a theatrical scenic designer. In 1929, Morley and Throckmorton were both involved in the reopening of the old Rialto Theater of Hoboken, New York. The letter discusses Morley and Throckmorton's shares of stock, likely referring to the company the two helped form to lease the theater and finance its theatrical productions.

In another, written by Morley on 7 May 1940 and addressed to "Paul," Morley discusses the Ampersand Club, a social organization devoted to the appreciation of books and book production. Likely this letter was sent to Paul Hillestad, who was secretary of the club in 1940. Morley discusses proofs for a book in the letter, possibly referring to Friends, Romans..., the text of an address by Morley which the Ampersand Club had published in 1940.

Writings contains one handwritten manuscript, untitled, about a book salesman named Frank Hurley.

Arrangement of the Collection

Letters are in chronological order.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

Special Collections Research Center holds two books written by Christopher Morley about the Rialto Theater project: Seacoast of Bohemia and Born in a Beer Garden.

Subject Headings

Persons

Cerf, Bennett, 1898-1971.
Morley, Christopher, 1890-1957.
Throckmorton, Cleon, 1897-1965.

Corporate Bodies

Old Rialto Theatre (Hoboken, N.J.)

Subjects

Ampersand Club.

Genres and Forms

Correspondence.
Manuscripts for publication.

Occupations

Authors.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Christopher Morley Correspondence,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Letters of 21 May 1929 and 7 May 1940, unknown provenenance.

All other letters and manuscript, purchased, 2014.

Table of Contents

Correspondence

Writings

Inventory