Research Catalog

Thomas Bohen papers regarding Motley

Title
  1. Thomas Bohen papers regarding Motley, 1931-2001.
Supplementary content
  1. Finding Aid
Author
  1. Bohen, Thomas.

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Details

Description
  1. .25 lin. ft. (1 box)
Summary
  1. Collection consists of correspondence of Thomas Bohen with Percy Harris and Elizabeth Montgomery of Motley, primarily from their later years, his correspondence with Chris Rodgers who administered Harris' Motley Theatre Design Course in the 1990s, copies of some Motley costume and set designs and portraits, mostly by Montgomery, miscellaneous material pertaining to Motley including receipts written by Bohen when he worked with Motley in the 1950s, programs, clippings and obituaries, a draft memorial tribute to Harris by Alec Guinness, Harris' posthumously published "An Illustrated Dictionary of Traditional Theatre Terms," and a framed self-portrait by Montgomery.
Subject
  1. Devine, Sophie, 1901-
  2. Set designers
  3. Costume designers
  4. Montgomery, Elizabeth, 1902-
  5. Motley, pseud
  6. Women designers
  7. Guinness, Alec, 1914-2000
  8. Harris, Margaret, 1904-
  9. Gielgud, John, 1904-2000
Call number
  1. *T-Mss 2008-008
Access (note)
  1. Collection is open to the public. Library policy on photography and photocopying will apply. Advance notice may be required.
Source (note)
  1. Thomas Bohen
Biography (note)
  1. Motley, a theatrical design team consisting of Margaret (Percy) Harris, her sister Sophia, and their friend, Elizabeth Montgomery, designed sets and costumes in England and the United States from 1932-1976.
Author
  1. Bohen, Thomas.
Title
  1. Thomas Bohen papers regarding Motley, 1931-2001.
Restricted access
  1. Collection is open to the public. Library policy on photography and photocopying will apply. Advance notice may be required.
Biography
  1. Motley, a theatrical design team consisting of Margaret (Percy) Harris, her sister Sophia, and their friend, Elizabeth Montgomery, designed sets and costumes in England and the United States from 1932-1976. Beginning with their design work for John Gielgud in 1932, Motley came to dominate theatrical design in London in the 1930s. During the Second World War, Margaret Harris and Elizabeth Montgomery worked in New York. Montgomery stayed on after the war working on Broadway musicals and for the Metropolitan Opera and the American Shakespeare Festival as well as painting commissioned portraits of opera stars. She returned to London in 1965. Harris had returned years earlier continuing her design work at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the English National Opera and the avant-garde Royal Court, among others. In all, Motley designed sets and costumes for over three hundred productions across the spectrum of drama and including film. The women also established a theatrical design school in England. Thomas Bohen was a design assistant and friend.
Source
  1. Thomas Bohen, gift, 2008.
Connect to:
  1. Request Access to Theatre Division Special Collections material
  2. Finding Aid
Research call number
  1. *T-Mss 2008-008
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