Research Catalog

Title

Eileen Burns papers, 1928-1994.

Author

Burns, Eileen, 1914-1995.

Supplementary Content

Finding Aid

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

8 lin. ft. (17 boxes).

Summary

The papers of Eileen Burns document her personal life, as well as her acting and writing career from the late 1920s to the early 1990s.

Subject

• Actresses

Access (note)

• Collection is open to the public. Library policy on photography and photocopying will apply. Advance notice may be required.

Source (note)

• Estate of Eileen Burns

Biography (note)

• Eileen Burns was a stage actress, a radio performer, a writer and, later in her life, a teacher.

Processing Action (note)

• Cataloged

Call Number

*T-Mss 1995-020

OCLC

NYPW03-A274

Author

Burns, Eileen, 1914-1995.

Title

Eileen Burns papers, 1928-1994.

Restricted Access

Collection is open to the public. Library policy on photography and photocopying will apply. Advance notice may be required.

Biography

Eileen Burns was a stage actress, a radio performer, a writer and, later in her life, a teacher. She trained for the stage with Benno Schneider and Geraldine Page, and made her stage debut as a walk-on in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG in 1934 at the Music Box Theatre in New York City. Her subsequent stage appearances included The WOMEN (1936), DAUGHTERS OF ATREUS (1936), The FABULOUS INVALID (1938), THE AMERICAN WAY (1939), NATIVE SON (1942), CHRISTOPHER BLAKE (1946), MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA (1972), DÉCLASSÉE (1981) and GRANDMA PRAY FOR ME (1988). Eileen Burns also toured the United States in 1974 with a production of SABRINA FAIR. For ALBEE DIRECTS ALBEE, she toured the United States in 1975 and then the Far East from 1976-1978. She also toured in BELL, BOOK, AND CANDLE and LIGHT UP THE SKY. Over the course of her acting career, Eileen Burns worked under the following names: Isis Brinn, Ann Cushing and, finally, Eileen Burns.

Besides stage acting, Eileen Burns pursued writing and radio careers. Her published writings include THE RESISTANCE PLAY for FAMILY HOUR on CBS radio in 1963, and her work as a contributor to OPERA NEWS from 1966-1967. Her radio appearances include work on the series DESCENT OF THE GODS and ONE OF THE FINEST. She earned a B.A. from the City University of New York in 1980 and a M.A. from Hunter College in 1984 and taught English in New York City. During World War II she served with the American Red Cross in England and France and was awarded battle medals. She died on April 18, 1995.

Connect to:

Request Access to Theatre Division Special Collections material

Finding Aid

Research Call Number

*T-Mss 1995-020