http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mbrsrs/eadmbrs.rs008002 Photographs from the Mary Margaret McBride Collection Authors: Netta Cox, with contributions from Marsha Maguire Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
2008

Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/2008647476

Encoded by Marsha Maguire, 2008 Finding aid written in English Finding aid prepared using DACS ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard) 2010 March Controlled access headings matched to coll-level MARC record headings; finding aid head elements shortened to conform to LC XML datastore requirements; M. Maguire 2008 EAD encoded Collection Summary Photographs from the Mary Margaret McBride Collection, 1934-1968, and undated McBride, Mary Margaret, 1899-1976 3 boxes, including approximately 620 photographic prints, 23 negatives, and 15 folders of textual material Collection materials are in English Recorded Sound Reference Center, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Photographs and accompanying paper documents that form part of the much larger Mary Margaret McBride Collection in the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division of the Library of Congress. The collection represents McBride's long and influential career as a journalist and pioneering woman radio personality; photographs show McBride, some of her guests, program anniversary events, and featured places and products. RPA 00329-00331 (boxes 1-3) Selected Search Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein.

 People Bradley, Omar Nelson, 1893-1981--Photographs. McBride, Mary Margaret, 1899-1976--Photographs. McBride, Mary Margaret, 1899-1976. Subjects Radio broadcasting--United States--Photographs. Radio talk shows--United States. Women in radio broadcasting--United States. Form/Genre Negatives. Photographic prints. Portrait photographs. Publicity photographs. Occupations Women journalists--United States--Photographs. Women radio producers and directors--United States--Photographs. Women radio talk show hosts--United States--Photographs. Administrative Information Collection Acquisition

The Mary Margaret McBride Collection, which includes these photographs, was a gift to the Library of Congress from Cynthia Lowry, McBride's long-time friend, in 1977.

 Additions

No further additions to the collection are expected.

 Processing Information

The collection was processed by Netta Cox in 2006.

 Use Restrictions

Restrictions may exist on copying, quoting, or publishing materials included in the collection. For additional information, contact a reference librarian in the Recorded Sound Reference Center, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, 20540-4690; (202) 707-7833.

 Access Restrictions

The Photographs from the Mary Margaret McBride Collection are open for research.

 Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [Container number, eg., Box 3], Photographs from the Mary Margaret McBride Collection, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress.

 Biographical Note

Mary Margaret McBride (1899-1976) was a journalist and the host of an immensely popular daily radio program from the mid 1930s into the 1950s. Her first program, Martha Deane, was broadcast on station WOR from 1934 until 1940. In 1937 CBS hired her to host a fifteen-minute talk show under her own name, but her most popular program, a forty-five-minute interview and talk show on NBC, ran from 1941 until 1950.

McBride's daily program featured interviews with over twelve hundred leading public and political figures of her time, such as entertainers, other radio personalities, authors, educators, doctors, and adventurers, but she also talked with average people who had interesting stories to tell. Interviewees included Eleanor Roosevelt, Governor Thomas E. Dewey, Frank Lloyd Wright, Bob Hope, Carl Sandburg, Margaret Bourke-White, Zora Neale Hurston, Tennessee Williams, Joe DiMaggio, a man leading a campaign to improve teenage driving skills, a female test pilot, the woman who invented crossword puzzles, and the American Mother of 1942.

McBride's interviews provide a highly personal perspective on American life during the Great Depression through World War II, its aftermath, and the beginning of the Cold War. They constituted the first thirty minutes of her show and were followed by informal discussion of household matters and advertising. Commercials were targeted at McBride's primary audience -- women -- who eagerly purchased the products she promoted and made McBride a favorite with sponsors. Her popularity with listeners and sponsors alike allowed her to retain both editorial and commercial control of her program.

McBride moved to ABC in 1950. She died on April 7, 1976, at age 76.

 Scope and Content Note

The photographs and accompanying paper documents form part of the much larger Mary Margaret McBride Collection, 1935-1950, in the Recorded Sound Section of the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress. Representing McBride's long and influential career as a pioneering woman radio journalist, the McBride Collection includes over twelve hundred hours of interview programs and other radio broadcasts. The photographs include portrait, publicity, and family photographs of Mary Margaret McBride; pictures of McBride and her guests, such as Omar Bradley, Mike Wallace, Eleanore Roosevelt, Thomas Dewey, and Mary Martin; shots of her radio program's anniversary celebrations; images relating to her 1960 autobiography, Out of the Air and of various products and locations; and depictions of broadcasting both in and outside of the studio.

 Collection Arrangement

The photographs and accompanying documents are arranged by file.

 http://lccn.loc.gov/2008647476 Container List 1 1 Mary Margaret McBride with Stella Karn (Estelle), undated 5 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white

Stella Karn was McBride's manager.

 1 1A Paper documents accompanying the Mary Margaret McBride and Stella Karn photographs, undated 1 folder 1 2-3 McBride publicity photographs, undated 16 photographic prints : black and white 1 4 Early McBride portrait photographs, undated 12 photographic prints, 2 negatives : black and white 1 4A Paper documents accompanying the early McBride portrait photographs, undated 1 folder 1 5 McBride portrait photographs, undated 12 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 1 6 McBride portrait photographs with microphone, undated 9 photographic prints : black and white

WEAF/NBC.

 1 7 McBride portrait photographs with microphone, undated 5 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white

CBS.

 1 8 McBride portrait photographs with microphone, undated 14 photographic prints : black and white

WNBC/NBC.

 1 9 McBride portrait photographs with microphone, undated 1 photographic print : black and white

ABC/WJZ.

 1 10 Miscellaneous McBride portrait photographs, undated 7 photographic prints : black and white 1 11 McBride color portrait photograph, undated 1 photographic print : color 1 12 McBride personal appearance photographs, 1934-1951 11 photographic prints : black and white 1 13 McBride personal appearance photographs, 1957-1968, undated 8 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 1 14 McBride with Eleanor Roosevelt, undated 6 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 1 15 McBride with Governor Thomas Dewey, undated 5 photographic prints : black and white 1 16 McBride with Omar Bradley, undated 10 photographic prints : black and white 1 16A Paper documents accompanying the McBride and Omar Bradley photographs, undated 1 folder 1 17 McBride with political guests, undated 13 photographic prints : black and white 1 18 McBride with guests, undated 5 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 1 19 McBride with Mary Martin, undated 4 photographic prints : black and white 1 20 McBride with guest authors, undated 6 photographic prints : black and white 1 20A Paper documents accompanying the McBride and guest author photographs, undated 1 folder 1 21 McBride with special guests, undated 17 photographic prints : black and white 1 22 McBride with unidentified guests, undated 1 photographic print : black and white 1 23 McBride with groups, undated 15 photographic prints : black and white 1 23A Paper documents accompanying the McBride with groups photographs, undated 1 folder 1 24 McBride receiving awards, undated 5 photographic prints : black and white 1 25 McBride cooking with Poppy Cannon, Paul and Grace Hartman, undated 6 photographic prints : black and white 1 26 McBride with Tex and Jinx, Bob Hope, undated 4 photographic prints : black and white 1 26A Paper documents accompanying the McBride, Tex and Jinx, Bob Hope photographs, undated 1 folder 2 27 McBride with Mike Wallace, undated 8 photographic prints : black and white 2 28 McBride radio anniversaries: Martha Deane, undated 7 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 2 29 McBride radio anniversaries: Madison Square Garden, undated 8 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 2 30 McBride radio anniversaries: Yankee Stadium, undated 5 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 2 31 McBride radio anniversaries: unidentified, undated 9 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 2 32-33 McBride Out of the Air, undated 33 photographic prints : black and white 2 33A Paper documents accompanying the Out of the Air photographs, undated 1 folder 2 34 McBride and Eve Curie, undated 1 negative 2 35 McBride radio anniversaries: white dress, undated 5 photographic prints : black and white 2 36 McBride photographs relating to Florida citrus fruit, undated 8 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 2 37 McBride photographs relating to Florida, winter haven, undated 10 photographic prints : black and white 2 37A Paper documents accompanying the McBride Florida, winter haven photographs, undated 1 folder 2 38 McBride with doll collection, undated 4 photographic prints : black and white 2 39 McBride Laffing Room Only photographs, [1944 or 1945] 13 photographic prints : black and white 2 40 McBride Maine photographs, undated 9 photographic prints : black and white 2 40A Paper documents accompanying the McBride Maine photographs, undated 1 folder 2 41 McBride Mexico, Missouri parade, undated 14 photographic prints : black and white 2 42 McBride Mexico, Missouri photographs, undated 14 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 2 42A Paper documents accompanying the McBride Mexico, Missouri photographs, undated 1 folder 2 43 McBride small Mexico, Missouri photographs, undated 10 photographic prints : black and white 2 44 McBride at William Woods College photographs, undated 2 photographic prints : black and white 2 45 McBride New Jersey photographs, 1938 11 photographic prints : black and white 2 45A Paper documents accompanying the McBride New Jersey photographs, 1938 1 folder 2 46 McBride Seabrook Farms, New Jersey, photographs undated 5 photographic prints : black and white 2 47 McBride, The French Goat photographs, undated 6 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 2 48 McBride, Jackson & Perkins, MMM Rose, undated 9 photographic prints : black and white 2 49 McBride at the Dwight D. Eisenhower arrival parade, [1945?] 4 photographic prints : black and white 2 50 McBride military tour photographs, undated 5 photographic prints : black and white 2 51 McBride European visit photographs, undated 7 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 2 52 McBride bagpipes photographs, undated 5 photographic prints : black and white 2 53 McBride and animals, undated 7 photographic prints : black and white 2 54 McBride backyard broadcasting photographs, 1951 6 photographic prints : black and white 2 54A Paper documents accompanying the McBride backyard broadcasting photographs, 1951 1 folder 3 55 McBride broadcasting in locations other than the studio, undated 8 photographic prints : black and white 3 56 McBride eating and cooking, undated 13 photographic prints, 3 negatives : black and white 3 57 McBride with unidentified guests, undated 3 photographic prints : black and white 3 58 McBride and unidentified guests with microphones, WOR, CBS, WEAF, NBC, and ABC, undated 16 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 3 59-60 McBride's last broadcast, 1954 22 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 3 61 McBride on television, undated 8 photographic prints : black and white 3 62 McBride Conti Shampoo commercial, undated 17 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 3 63 McBride's retirement, undated 14 photographic prints : black and white 3 64-65 McBride personal and family photographs, undated 20 photographic prints : black and white 3 66-67 McBride personal and family photographs, undated 26 photographic prints : color 3 68 McBride at a dinner with Harry Truman and others, undated 5 photographic prints : black and white 3 68A Paper documents accompanying the photos of McBride at a dinner with Harry Truman and others, undated 1 folder 3 69 McBride at home, undated 7 photographic prints : black and white 3 70 Unidentified McBride photographs, small, undated 11 photographic prints : black and white 3 71 Unidentified McBride photographs, undated 10 photographic prints : black and white 3 72 McBride in the studio with a group, undated 1 photographic print : black and white 3 73 McBride at a dinner in Connecticut, undated 6 photographic prints, 1 negative : black and white 3 73A Paper documents accompanying the photographs of McBride at a dinner in Connecticut, undated 1 folder 3 74 McBride at Bette Davis's birthday party, undated 5 photographic prints : black and white 3 75 McBride at the christening of the USS Matthews, 1944 5 photographic prints : black and white 3 75A Paper documents accompanying the photographs of McBride at the christening of the USS Matthews, 1944 1 folder Additional Guides

Access to individual descriptions of the audio recordings in the Mary Margaret McBride Collection is available through the SONIC recordings catalog of the Recorded Sound Reference Center. Click on Recorded Sound Catalog (SONIC) and search by guest name or date of broadcast.

 McBride Papers

The Papers of Mary Margaret McBride, 1926-1975, are available in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress. Consisting of correspondence, articles, clippings, printed material, photographs, and other papers pertaining chiefly to her career in journalism, the papers were transferred from the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division in 1980. A finding aid to the papers is available in the Manuscript Division Reading Room.