Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Argentinita, 1898-1945.
2. Clark, Edward T., 1898-1960.
3. Dolin, Anton, 1904-1983.
4. Graff, Grace Cornell.
5. Graff, Kurt.
6. La Meri, 1898-1988.
7. Laubin, Gladys.
8. Laubin, Reginald.
9. Limón, José.
10. Mahoney, Arthur.
11. Mara, Thalia.
12. Markova, Alicia, Dame, 1910-2004.
13. Mumaw, Barton, 1912-
14. Nijinska, Bronislava, 1891-1972.
15. Pilates, Joseph H. (Joseph Hubertus)
16. St. Denis, Ruth, 1880-1968.
17. Shawn, Ted, 1891-1972.
18. Terry, Walter.
19. Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers.
20. Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.

Description

1. 8 linear feet (16 boxes)

Summary

1. The Fern Helscher papers are comprised of correspondence, diaries, photographs, and travel materials that document her life from 1933 to 1971.

Subject

1. Mumaw, Barton, 1912-
2. Concert agents
3. Press agents
4. Correspondence
5. Terry, Walter > Photographs
6. Dolin, Anton, 1904-1983 > Photographs
7. Travel documents
8. Diaries
9. Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
10. Markova, Alicia, Dame, 1910-2004 > Photographs
11. Mumaw, Barton, 1912- > Photographs
12. Modern dance > Marketing
13. Women executives > United States
14. Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers
15. Concert agents > United States
16. Helscher, Fern
17. Press agents > United States
18. Dance companies > Management
19. Arts administrators > United States
20. Nijinska, Bronislava, 1891-1972 > Photographs
21. Shawn, Ted, 1891-1972 > Photographs
22. Clark, Edward T., 1898-1960
23. Photographs
24. St. Denis, Ruth, 1880-1968 > Photographs
25. Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers Photographs
26. Limón, José

Genre/Form

1. Correspondence.
2. Diaries.
3. Photographs.
4. Travel documents.

Call number

1. (S) *MGZMD 191

Source (note)

1. Estate of Fern Helscher

Biography (note)

1. Fern Helscher (1901-1974) was a publicist and booking agent, who, through her long association with Ted Shawn and his circle, was instrumental in helping to increase the popularity of dance in general and in making dance an acceptable profession for men in the United States.

Indexes/finding aids (note)

1. Collection guide available in repository and on internet.

Author

1. Helscher, Fern.

Title

1. Fern Helscher papers, circa 1910-1971.

Biography

1. Fern Helscher (1901-1974) was a publicist and booking agent, who, through her long association with Ted Shawn and his circle, was instrumental in helping to increase the popularity of dance in general and in making dance an acceptable profession for men in the United States. Born in Robstown, Texas, she graduated from Southwestern University in 1917 and first met Ted Shawn in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1928. In 1933, Helscher began work as the press agent and booking manager for Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers coordinating and generating publicity on behalf of Shawn as an individual artist, as well as for his company. Her close working relationship with Shawn extended into the 1940s when she assumed the position of business manager for Jacob's Pillow, the dance festival and school established by Shawn in Lee, Massachusetts. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s Helscher would promote the work of many dance artists, including José Limon and Barton Mumaw. She also traveled extensively throughout her life, most notably on a tour of the Middle East and Asia with New York State businessman Edward T. Clark to promote the concept of World Government. Helscher was returning from a tour of islands in the Indian Ocean and West African countires at the time of her death.

Indexes

1. Collection guide available in repository and on internet.

Connect to:

1. Request Access to Special Collections (Dance Division) material
2. NYPL Digital Collections
3. Finding Aid

Occupation

1. Arts administrators.
2. Concert agents.
3. Press agents.

Added author

1. Argentinita, 1898-1945.
2. Clark, Edward T., 1898-1960.
3. Dolin, Anton, 1904-1983.
4. Graff, Grace Cornell.
5. Graff, Kurt.
6. La Meri, 1898-1988.
7. Laubin, Gladys.
8. Laubin, Reginald.
9. Limón, José.
10. Mahoney, Arthur.
11. Mara, Thalia.
12. Markova, Alicia, Dame, 1910-2004.
13. Mumaw, Barton, 1912-
14. Nijinska, Bronislava, 1891-1972.
15. Pilates, Joseph H. (Joseph Hubertus)
16. St. Denis, Ruth, 1880-1968.
17. Shawn, Ted, 1891-1972.
18. Terry, Walter.
19. Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers.
20. Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.

Research call number

1. (S) *MGZMD 191