http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/eadmus.mu004002 Amateur Hour Collection Processed by the Music Division of the Library of Congress Music Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
2005 Guides to Special Collections in the Music Division of the Library of Congress

Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/2010563506

Finding Aid encoded by Library of Congress Music Division, 2005 Finding aid written inEnglish 2010 March Editorial revisions made to this finding aid by Nancy Seeger in March 2010. Collection Summary Amateur Hour Collection1934-1948 ML31.A4 Bowes, Edward, Major, 1874-1946 circa 8500 items 20 boxes 9 linear feet Collection material in English Music Division Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Primarily over 7000 applications from contestants who appeared on the Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour radio program between 1934 and 1948. A small percentage of the administrative papers dating from the late 1940s and 1950s, as well as materials relating to the Mexican version of the program, La hora internacional del aficionado, are also included. Filed with the contestant applications are letters of introduction, reference letters, and other documents sent by prospective contestants. Applications from conventional performers such as musicians, dancers, singers, and impersonators are the most numerous, but also included are applications from novelty acts such as a human piccolo, a group of hand-standing singers, and a group who played harmonicas with fire extinguishers. Of particular interest are applications from various performers, now well-known, including Teresa Brewer, Stubby Kaye, Robert Merrill, Beverly Sills, and Frank Sinatra. Photographs from the 1940s and 1950s provide a visual record of the show, while correspondence to and from program staff members recount some of the program's business transactions. Scripts, promotional material, and advertising and sponsor documents also are part of the collection. 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 Bowes, Edward, Major, 1874-1946. Brewer, Teresa. Kaye, Stubby. Mack, Ted. Merrill, Robert, 1917-2004. Sills, Beverly. Sinatra, Frank, 1915-1998. Subjects Talent shows--United States. Titles Major Bowes' original amateur hour collection, 1934-1948 Original amateur hour collection, 1934-1948 Original amateur hour--Sources. Administrative Information Provenance

Deposit, Joseph Brown 1970.

 Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

 Processing History

The Amateur Hour Collection was processed in 1993 by Robert Saladini with assistance from Timothy Bullard, Cheryl Dempsey, Michael A. Ferrando, and Claudia Widgery. The finding aid was then prepared with Corel WordPerfect 5.1. In 2004, the Amateur Hour finding aid was edited, corrected and coded for EAD by Michael A. Ferrando.

 Related Material

The Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division has in its custody both the Original Amateur Hour radio broadcasts dating from 1935 to 1944 and the television recordings of the show from 1948 to 1968.

 Copyright Status

The status of copyright on the materials of the Amateur Hour Collection is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).

 Access and Restrictions

The Amateur Hour Collection is open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Performing Arts Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use. Certain restrictions to use or copying of materials may apply.

 Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: container number, Amateur Hour Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

 Agency Sketch Date Event April 1934 First radio broadcast of Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour on WHN, New York 1935 William Edward Maguiness (stage name Ted Mack) joins Bowes as emcee and talent scout March 24, 1935 Coast to coast broadcast on NBC radio with Chase & Sanborn as sponsor June 1935 Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour is named the most listened to radio program in the United States Sept. 8, 1935 The Hoboken Four, featuring Frank Sinatra, performs on the Original Amateur Hour program Sept. 17, 1936 Original Amateur Hour moves to CBS radio, with Chrysler Corporation as sponsor 1944 Major Bowes retires for health reasons 1945 Radio broadcast of Original Amateur Hour is suspended June 13, 1946 Major Bowes dies Jan. 14, 1948 Original Amateur Hour is revived on television by Dumont Studios, with Ted Mack as emcee Oct. 29, 1948 P. Lorillard Company becomes a sponsor Oct. 4, 1949 First national television broadcast of Original Amateur Hour, on NBC 1952 Final radio broadcast April 25, 1953 Pet Milk becomes a sponsor Oct. 30, 1955 Television program broadcasts on ABC Jan. 19, 1957 La Hora Internacional del Aficionado, Mexican version of program, broadcasts July 1, 1957 Program returns to NBC television May 1, 1959 Program broadcasts on CBS March 7, 1960 Program returns to ABC Oct. 2, 1960 Programs returns to CBS Sept. 20, 1970 Final broadcast Scope and Content Note

The records of the Amateur Hour Collection consist primarily of over 7,000 applications from contestants who appeared on the Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour radio program between 1934 and 1948. The remainder of the materials in the collection are administrative papers dating from the late 1940s and 1950s. Although these materials are only a small percentage of the admistrative papers of the organization, they are worthy of note in that they provide some insight into the way in which the Original Amateur Hour program was run. Materials relating to the Mexican version of the program, La Hora Internacional del Aficionado, are also included.

The Amateur Hour collection is represented by twelve series. The first series is CONTESTANTS consists primarily of over 7,000 applications from contestants who appeared on the Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour radio program between 1934 and 1948. This series is divided into three subseries: Contestant applications; Contestant biographical sketches; Lists of performers.

Filed with the contestant applications are letters of introduction, reference letters, and other documents sent by prospective contestants. Both the "type of entertainment" and "details of interest" responses on the applications provide an overview of the broad range of amateur performance genres of the period. Applications from conventional performers such as musicians, dancers, singers, and impersonators are the most numerous, but also included are applications from novelty acts such as a human piccolo, a group of hand-standing singers, and a group who played harmonicas with fire extinguishers. Of particular interest are applications from various performers, now well-known, who "got their break" on the show, including Teresa Brewer, Stubby Kaye, Robert Merrill, Beverly Sills, and Frank Sinatra.

The second series is PHOTOGRAPHS consisting of photo prints (B&W) of various sizes and arranged by subject. An interesting collection of photographs from the 1940s and 1950s provides a visual record of the show.

The third series is CORRESPONDENCE consists of correspondence to and from program staff members Lou Goldberg, Daniel Manjarrez, and Harry McWilliams recounts some of the program's business transactions and is arranged by subject.

The other nine series consist of administration and operations materials. The general program information, advertising packages, and ratings information are included with Advertising/Sponsor papers. Scripts are housed with the Production materials.

 Organization of the Amateur Hour Collection

The Amateur Hour Collection is organized in 12 series:

Contestants Photographs Correspondence Advertising/sponsor materials Promotional materials Production materials Financial papers Legal papers Printed programs of performances Clippings Awards Miscellaneous http://lccn.loc.gov/2010563506 Container List Box Contents 1/1-16/6 Contestants

Applications and other related materials of contestants for the Amateur Hour. The majority of which pretain specifically to the Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour radio program between 1934 and 1948.

Arrangement is in three subseries: Contestant applications; Contestant biographical sketches; Lists of Performers.

 1-15 Contestant applications, related correspondence and documents

Applications from contestants who appeared on the Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour radio program between 1934 and 1948.

Arranged in alphabetical order by name

 1/1 Aalrud to Alvi 1/2 Amato to Astroff 1/3 Atanasoff to Banks 1/4 Barad to Beloff 1/5 Benak to Bishop 2/1 Bjornie to Bombara 2/2 Bon Bons to Bauner 2/3 Breen to Brydof 2/4 Buchannan to Capwell 2/5 Cardonna to Caye 2/6 Clancy to Connie 3/1 Connors to Cross 3/2 Crowell to Davis 3/3 Davy to Dexter 3/4 Diamond to Dottie and Bobbie 3/5 Dougherty to Dynamic Harmonica Four 4/1 Eagle to Ely 4/2 Emerick to Farrow 4/3 Fasany to Fiore 4/4 Five Aces to Flatbush Floogies 4/5 Fleer to Foster 4/6 Four Amateur Rogues to Fourtan 5/1 Fox to Fyfe 5/2 Gaderick to Gaynor 5/3 Geankoplis to Giusti 5/4 Goerger to Grazzini 5/5 Great Lakes Swing Sextet to Gypsy Quartet 6/1 Hackman to Harmony Four 6/2 Harold to Hechl 6/3 Hedling to Hjerpe 6/4 Hoag to Hopkinson 6/5 Horlbogen to Hylselop 7/1 Idaho Ranch Boys to Jive'n Five 7/2 Joan and Ernie to Juvinall 7/3 Kaaren to Keenan 7/4 Keister to Kiwanis Quartette of Yonkers 8/1 Klaff to Kwan 8/2 Laborde to Lazzesi 8/3 Leah to Leslie 8/4 Leuname to Logue 8/5 Lohr to Lyric Male Quartet 9/1 Maas to M[a]cVeigh 9/2 Macchiaverna to Mansan 9/3 Maranville to Maryella 9/4 Mäsch to Melodie 9/5 Melodious Harmonica Trio to Mike and Bill 10/1 Miki to Mistichelli 10/2 Mitchel to Morris, D. 10/3 Morris, M. to Myers 10/4 Nadel to Nogueira 10/5 Nona to O'Neil, R. 11/1 Ooms to Pagin 11/2 Pagliarini to Payne 11/3 Peace and Pizzuto 11/4 Plantation Four to Puzelli 11/5 Quantico Marine Quartet to Rezits 12/1 Rhodes to Robbins, R. 12/2 Robbins, S. to Rondeau 12/3 Roosa to Rozman 12/4 Rubenstein, L. to Sanders 12/5 Sandherr to Scott 13/1 Seabee Quartet to Shiff 13/2 Shilton to Six Janitors 13/3 Six Jars of Jam to Southwick 13/4 Spadafora to Stewart 13/5 Stock to Swing Sisters Trio 13/6 Swingers of Harmony to Texas Wanderers 14/1 Thatcher to Three Coxswains 14/2 Three Davis Brothers to Three Mouth Organ Kings 14/3 Three Niblicks to Towle 14/4 Tracy to Tyler 14/5 Watcher and Freeman to Weal 14/6 Wetherson to Westward Ho! 15/1 Uccellini to Vuylsteke 15/2 Whalen to Williams, L. 15/3 Williams, M. to Wittig 15/4 Wobnick to Wyoming Range Buddies 15/5 Yaffe to Zyne 16/1-2 Contestants' biographical sketches

Brief biographical sketches of contestants who appeared on the Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour radio program between 1934 and 1948.

Arranged alphabetical order by name

 16/1 All Girl Swing Band to One Man Band 16/2 Kathleen Ray to Frances White 16/3-5 Lists of performers

Typescript lists of performers from the Amateur Hour.

Arranged in alphabetical order by nationality

 16/3 American 16/4 Irish 16/5 Mexican 16/6-33 Photographs

Photo prints (B&W) of various sizes.

Arranged in alphabetical order by subject

 16/6 Cowboy Acts 16/7 Dancers: Adult, male 16/8 Dancers: Adult, female 16/9 Dancers: Child, female 16/10 Partners, Adult 16/11 Partners, Child 16/12 Impersonators Instrumentalists: 16/13 Accordion players 16/14 Bands 16/15 Bellringers 16/16 Guitar players 16/17 Harmonica players 16/18 Piano players 16/19 Trumpet players 16/20 Xylophone players 16/21 Rollerskaters 16/22 Singers: Adult, male 16/23 Singers: Adult, female 16/24 Singers: Child, male 16/25 Singers: Child, female 16/26 Novelty acts 16/27 Performing Groups 16/28 Major Bowes 16/29 Ted Mack 16/30 Game shows 16/31 Stage Set 16/32 Promotional banners and billboard 16/33 Others, identified and unidentified 17/1-26 Correspondence

Correspondence, drafts, letters received variously related to the operation and performers of the Amateur Hour.

Arrangement is by subject

 17/1 Drafts and copies of letters of Lou Goldberg, June 26, 1936 to February 11, 1957 17/2 Drafts and copies of letters of Daniel Manjarrez, March 27, 1957 to June 25, 1957 17/3-6 Drafts and copies of letters sent by Harry McWilliams, June 1, 1936 to December 2, 1957 17/7-24 Letters received, filed alphabetically by correspondent 17/25 Collage of commendatory letters received by Ted Mack (photocopies) 17/26 Undated and unidentified 17/27-37 Advertising/Sponsor Materials

Various types of materials created or generated by the Amateur Hour intended to advertise the unique entertainment value for potential investors or broadcasters.

Arrangement is by subject

 17/27-29 General program information

Includes:

Individual documents BOX: 17/27 Ted Mack and the Original Amateur Hour, NBC television BOX: 17/28 The Original Amateur Hour, NBC television BOX: 17/29 17/30-32 Program ratings sheets

Includes:

Mexico BOX: 17/30 United States BOX: 17/31 The Amateur Hour Program examination BOX: 17/32 17/33-34 Station listings sheets

Includes:

Mexican and Carribbean area BOX: 17/33 United States BOX: 17/34 17/35 Program listings 17/36 Other TV & Radio program listings 17/37 Miscellaneous 18/1-10 Promotional Materials

Various publications, brochures, and packages created by the Amateur Hour in order to promote its unique entertainment value to potential investors or broadcasters.

Arrangement is by subject or genre.

 18/1 Press release drafts 18/2 Program fact sheets and announcements 18/3 In-house publications 18/4 Original Amateur Hour magazine 18/5 Flyers and proofs 18/6 Newspaper materials 18/7-8 Posters 18/9 Ted Mack 18/10 Miscellaneous 18/11-18 Production Materials

Various materials created by the Amateur Hour intended and used for show production.

Arrangement is by subject

 18/11-13 Scripts

Includes:

Original Amateur Hour BOX: 18/11 La Hora Internacional Del Aficionado, 9 Mar 1957 - 13 July 1957 BOX: 18/12-13 18/14-15 Commercials scripts (English and Spanish) 18/16 Program order and sequence, La Hora Stage directions 18/17 Stage directions 18/18 Miscellaneous 19/1-10 Financial Papers

Finacial papers concerning the operation and expenses of the Amateur Hour.

Arrangement is by subject or genre

 19/1 Balance sheets 19/2 Bank deposits lists 19/3 Bills (facturas) 19/4 Payroll sheets 19/5 Program budgets 19/6-8 Time/rate tables

Includes:

American TV stations BOX: 19/6 Mexican TV stations BOX: 19/7 Mexican radio stations BOX: 19/8 19/9 Travel expenses 19/10 Miscellaneous 19/12-13 Legal Papers

Contracts and other legal writ concerning the operation and rights acquired by the Amateur Hour.

Arragnement is by genre or subject

 19/12 Contract for La Hora Internacional 19/13 Servicio Postal Mexicano registration form 19/14 Printed Programs of Performances, 1934-1954, undated

Amateur Hour programs from various productions throughout its history.

Arrangement is chronological by date

 19/14 Printed programs of performances of the Amateur Hour contestants, 1934-1954, undated 19/15-20/5 Clippings, 1935-1957

Clippings from various periodicals related to the Amateur Hour.

Arrangement is chronological by date

 19/15 January 1935 to November 29, 1935 19/16 January 28, 1936 to December 4, 1936 19/17 March 11, 1937 to April 20, 1937 19/18 January 6, 1939 to October 2, 1941 19/19 August 6, 1947 to May 15, 1953 19/20 April 19, 1956 to December 5, 1956 20/1 January 25, 1957 to March 16, 1957 20/2 April 7, 1957 to June 19, 1957 20/3 July 1, 1957 to November 6, 1957 20/4 Collage of clippings (photocopy) 20/5 Undated 20/6 Awards

Honorary certificate given to Ted Mack and the Amateur Hour.

Arrangement is by subject

 20/6 Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States presented to Ted Mack and The Original Amateur Hour, 2 May 1953. [photocopy] 20/7-20/13 Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous materials related to the Amateur Hour.

Arrangement is by format or subject

 20/7 Notebook of Lloyd Marx 20/8 Catalogues of films 20/9 Harry McWilliams: Notes from Amateur Hour tours and miscellaneous notes 20/10-11 Articles 20/12 Samples of stationery and forms 20/13 Travel brochures, postcards and maps