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Benjamin B. Janney collection

 Collection
Identifier: SPEC-034

Scope and Contents

This collection includes production documents for many of the plays Janney produced between the 1950s and the 2000s, his personal scrapbooks, theatrical programs, photographs, audio-visual materials pertaining to his numerous productions, and a personal collection which includes an original and published script collection, and an autographed and related documents collection containing documents both from contemporary actors and actresses, as well as from famous actors from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Dates

  • circa 1500-2000; predominate 1940-1990

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries, Muncie, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Archives and Special Collections.

Biographical Note

Benjamin B. Janney was born in Muncie on February 12, 1927 to Harry Lester Janney and Helen Bowman Janney. He was active in the Muncie Civic Theater, performing in several productions. He served in the U.S. Navy and attended Ball State University. He graduated magna cum laude from the Pasadena Playhouse in 1950. He served for more than 30 years as Director or Production Stage Manager for numerous Broadway Theatre productions including "Irma La Douce," "Photo Finish," "Ben Franklin in Paris," "Not Now Darling," "The Pirates of Penzance," and "Dracula." He also served as Production Manager or Director for numerous regional theatre productions, especially with the Corning Summer Theatre which was established in the Corning Glass Center of Corning, New York. He worked with several famous actors including Joan Fontaine, Peter Ustinov, Andy Griffith, Lawrence Olivier, and Claudette Colbert. He died February 12, 2008, on his 81st birthday, in Sharon, Connecticut where he had lived for 15 years following his retirement.

Extent

10.3 Cubic Feet (11 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in the following series and subseries:


Series 1: Benjamin B. Janney production files, 1959-1996; undated



Subseries 1.1: Corning Summer Theatre production files, circa 1980-1996; undated

Subseries 1.2: Regional Playhouse production documents, 1970-1983

Subseries 1.3: Broadway production documents, 1959-1985



Series 2: Benjamin B. Janney scrapbooks, circa 1940s-1970s



Series 3: Benjamin B. Janney theatrical programs, 1961-1979



Series 4: Benjamin B. Janney photographs, 1962-1986; undated



Series 5: Benjamin B. Janney oversize materials, 1967-1990



Series 6: Benjamin B. Janney audio recordings, undated



Series 7: Benjamin B. Janney personal files, circa 1500s-1960s; undated



Subseries 7.1: Autographed books, 1929-1961

Subseries 7.2: Scripts, circa 1960s-1980s

Subseries 7.3: Autographs and related documents, circa 1500s-1960s



Series 8: Benjamin B. Janney subject files, circa 1500s-1960s; undated

Custodial History

This collection was received by Archives and Special Collections as a donation.

Accruals

No further additions are expected.

Processing Information

Collection processing completed 2012/11/01 by Eve Eiler. EAD finding aid created 2012/11/26 by Eve Eiler. EAD finding aid revised 2012/12/03 by Bethany Fiechter.

Subjects

  • Documents Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
  • Photographs Subject Source: TGM II, Genre and physical characteristic terms
  • Plays Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
  • Programs Subject Source: TGM II, Genre and physical characteristic terms
  • Scrapbooks Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
  • Theater Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Benjamin B. Janney collection
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

http://cms.bsu.edu/academics/libraries/collectionsanddept/archives
Contact:
Alexander M. Bracken Library
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie Indiana 47306 USA
765-285-5078

  • Ball State University Libraries

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