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Donald J. McCann Papers

An inventory of his papers at the Syracuse University Archives


Finding aid created by: Hadiya Lee
Date: 2024



Biography

Donald J. McCann (1922-2004) was a World War II veteran and attended Syracuse University under the GI Bill, graduating with a bachelor's degree from the College of Liberal Arts in 1949. He was born in Oswego, New York. In the mid-1950’s he joined the Oswego Players and directed numerous plays for the organization. McCann also participated in the radio drama group, the Four Bell Playhouse, that he formed with several Syracuse University alumni. McCann helped write, act, direct, and produce original scripts for the Four Bell Playhouse.


Scope and Content Note

The Donald J. McCann Papers contain phonograph records and sound recordings of rehearsals and programs put on by the Four Bell Playhouse. The collection also includes correspondence, photographs, publications, and other printed materials related to the Four Bell Playhouse.

The Audio Recordings series is comprised of radio plays, dramatic readings of current affairs commentary, and comedy skits put on by the Four Bell Playhouse. The series also includes radio broadcasts from WAER, WSYR, WTED, WFB, and WKSY.

Please note that the rest of the collection is unprocessed, and not open to researchers.


Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.

Access to audiovisual media requires advance notice to produce a listening copy. Damaged recordings are restricted and not available for research.

Only media has been processed. Unprocessed materials are closed to researchers.

Use Restrictions:

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


Related Material

Entries for Donald J. McCann can be found in the Syracuse University Commencement Reference Collection and the Syracuse University Directories dated 1945/46-1949/50.

Additional audio recordings from WAER and WSYR can be found in the WAER Collection and the WSYR Collection.


Selected Search Terms

Names

McCann, Donald J.
Syracuse University -- Alumni and alumnae.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.
WAER (Radio station : Syracuse, N.Y.)
WSYR-TV (Television station : Syracuse, N.Y.)

Subjects

Drama.
Radio plays.
Radio.
Veterans.
Actors.
Dramatists.
Higher education.
Producers and directors.

Types of Material

Correspondence.
Lacquer discs.
Phonograph records.
Photographs.
Publications (documents)
Sound recordings.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Donald J. McCann Papers,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Posthumous gift of Donald J. McCann in 2005.

Processing Information

Only media has been processed in this collection. The remainder of the collection is unprocessed, and not open to researchers.

Media was placed in acid-free boxes.


Arrangement

Audio recordings are arranged in alphabetical order, with numbered recordings listed in numerical order.


Table of Contents

Audio recordings


Inventory