ContentsOrganization of the Ira Gershwin Files from the Law Office of Leonard Saxe Container List Record of Work Done for the Gershwins, 1948-1966 |
Ira Gershwin Files from the Law Office of Leonard SaxeProcessed by the Music Division of the Library of Congress2010
Biographical NoteIra Gershwin obtained the legal services of attorney Leonard Spier Saxe following the death of his mother, Rose Gershwin, on December 16, 1948. Saxe, a distant relative by marriage who owned an established general practice firm in New York City, provided personal legal counsel to Ira, Leonore, and Arthur Gershwin and managed their affairs with the Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust from 1948-1968. Ira and Leonard also shared a close friendship and corresponded frequently about non-legal matters, including investments, vacations, and real estate opportunities. His legal representation for the Gershwins ceased in 1968 following his own professional retirement and the subsequent change of Ira’s legal representation to attorney Ronald Blanc in Los Angeles. Return to the Table of Contents Scope and Content NoteThe Ira Gershwin Files from the Law Office of Leonard Saxe spans the period 1948-1967. The collection includes contracts, correspondence, handwritten notes, financial documents, memos, pamphlets, programs, clippings, and other materials related to Saxe’s legal representation of Ira Gershwin and his involvement with the Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust. Saxe’s efforts on behalf of Ira, Leonore, and Arthur Gershwin are recorded in extraordinary detail in a series of typescript logs entitled “Record of work done for the Gershwins.” These entries contextualize the hundreds of handwritten notes that accompany many of the subject files and provide a thorough account of Ira’s business affairs throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s. It is an invaluable tool, if not an ideal starting point, for navigating the contents of this collection. Saxe arranged his office files principally by subject. His original folder headings have been used to organize the materials thematically by show title, organization, and other general categories. The subjects of these documents range from motion picture production contracts and copyright deposits to estate taxes and personal correspondence. “Royalties and copyrights” contains documents pertaining to the licensing and revenues of compositions by George and/or Ira Gershwin. Porgy and Bess accounts for much of this material, primarily because its acclaimed international productions generated additional licensing agreements. “Litigation” includes materials specifically related to courtroom settlements, the most notable being Breen vs. Goldwyn, Lazar. The voluminous series entitled “Estate of Rose Gershwin” documents Saxe’s actions as liaison to the Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust, many of which are presented chronologically in his nineteen volume ‘general file.’ The remaining series,’ “Estate of Ira and Leonore Gershwin” and “Arthur Gershwin” describe personal affairs and litigation largely unrelated to musical compositions or royalties. Return to the Table of Contents Selected Search TermsPeople
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Return to the Table of Contents Organization of the Ira Gershwin Files from the Law Office of Leonard SaxeThe Ira Gershwin Files from the Law Office of Leonard Saxe are organized into 6 series:
Return to the Table of Contents Container ListRecord of Work Done for the Gershwins, 1948-19661948 Dec. – 1953 Aug.1953 Sept. – 1957 Dec.1958 Jan. – 1962 Dec.1963 Jan. – 1964 Dec.1965 Jan. – 1966 Sept.Royalties and CopyrightsShows, 1935-1967American in Paris [film]General materials, 1949-1952Funny FaceIra Gershwin individually and as George Gershwin’s next-of-kin, including agreements and D (1928), 1955-1957Girl CrazyAgreements, contracts, correspondence, 1951-1965General materials, 1958-1959, 1962Kiss Me, Stupid [film]Correspondence, music, contracts, copyrights, etc., 1964Lady, Be Good!1956 estate tax - closed 1961 Nov. 14Ira renewal assignmentLady in the DarkChiefly stock license to Tams-Witmark Music Library Inc., 1965Of Thee I SingGeneral materials, 1951-1952Stock amateur correspondenceOh, Kay!Bolton-Wodehouse agreementsGeneral materials, 1951-1960Porgy and BessBreen contractClippings, and undated 1950-1953Contracts, 1957 Aug.Colton – instructions re: album, 1965Colton's letter of 1964 Mar. 1 re: instructions on distrubution of income from U.S. phonograph record album after 1963 Sept. 28Davis compromiseGeneral materials, 1950-1951, 1955General materials, 1954-1956The Gershwin years (CBS) license, 1961 Jan. 15Motion picture contract data with Samuel Goldwyn, 1957New Dawn Music Corp. – U.S. renewal publishing rights sale agreement, 1965 July 1Papers, including Field and Summer 1963 1963Reviews, 1955-1956Summer and city center 1958 and 1963-1965Theatre Guild investmentWaiver of cross accountings and agreement of beneficial interests, 1965 July 1Strike up the BandIra renewal assignmentOrganizations, 1935-1967Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.Contracts dated , etc. 1958 Apr. 28American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP)Amended final judgement, 1950Compromise agreement, 1952General materials, 1949-1953General materials, 1950-1965General materials, 1958-1965Ira Gershwin – ASCAP listProposed royalty agreementsChappell and Co.Chappell/Gershwin movie mechanicals royalties modification, 1955 Oct. 31Leonore S. Gershwin agreement, 1965 July 1Royalty statementsSelling agency agreementsColumbia Artists Management, Inc.General materials, 1951-1954Gershwin Publishing Corporation (GPC)Chappell and Co. agreementsCo-owner accounting for own use B accounting for license rights on renewals prior to their sale by the next-of-kinCorrespondence and memosDeal miscellaneous memorandaDeal royaltiesFinancial statements, 1949-1952Personal holding company tax matterUsed material, [i.e. agreements, contracts, correspondence] 1956-1965Used material, [i.e. agreements, contracts, correspondence] 1956-1965New Dawn Music CorporationAgreement to sell motion picture renewals and 10% of net profits agreementAgreements of sale, 1965 Oct. 1 and 1966 July 1Complete set of deal photocopies given to next-of-kin, and additional agreements 1965 Sept.Dreyfus deal restrictive agreementsGeneral materials, 1965Quarterly statementsNew World Music LimitedAnnual statementsRoyalty statements, 1951-1958Royalty statements, 1958-1960Royalty statements – also data on possible question of ownership of renewal payments taken from various other filesOn-Stage Productions"Gershwin" [biographical film]Palestine Conservatory of Music and Dramatic ArtGeneral materials, 1953-1954T. B. Harms and Co.Harms/New World Music agreementsWalden RecordsGeneral materials, 1953-1960Miscellaneous, 1935-1967Copyright renewal and capital gains dataCopyright renewalsDeal correspondence and data relating to Malino to 1965 Oct. 27Gershwin copyrightsGershwin correspondence, etc. re: televisionGershwin income for Leonard SaxeHolograph envelope from IG to Leonard Saxe, 1965 Dec. 23Index to work on deal, 1957-1965Ira Gershwin’s renewals, etc. – contract for Ira and Leonore with four publishing corporations, 1965 July 1Open post-deal mattersSome more or less open Gershwin matters [i.e. agreements, contracts, correspondence]Working out manner for Ira, Arthur, and Frankie to report next-of-kin deal in 1965 income tax returnsLitigation, 1953-1964Breen vs. Goldwyn, Lazar18th report of the judicial councilGeneral materials, 1953-1964Porgy and BessGershwin vs. U.S.Distribution of Gershwin vs. U.S., 1958Gershwin vs. U.S. – The Shocking Miss PilgrimGeneral materials, 1956-1957Tax refund for 1945 and 1946Schwartz vs. BMIJohn Schulman correspondence, memoranda, and agreementsSociété de spectacles lumbroso vs. Hug and SonsZurich stuff [i.e. Robert Breen contract for Porgy and Bess]Estate of Rose GershwinGeneral files, 1949-1966Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #1, 1949-1950Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #2, 1950-1952Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #2, 1950-1952Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #3, 1952-1953Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #4, 1954-1956Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #4, 1954-1956Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #5, 1956Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #6, 1957Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #7, 1957-1958Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #7, 1957-1958Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #8, 1958Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #9, 1959Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #10, 1959-1960Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #11, 1960-1961Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #11, 1960-1961Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #12, 1962Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #13, 1963Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #13, 1963Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #14, 1964Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #15, 1964Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #16, 1964Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #17, 1965Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #18, 1965Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #18, 1965Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust general file #19, 1966Subject files, 1937-1967Agendas and meetings in the 's 1950Executor final account, 1952Federal estate taxGershwin estate correspondence, 1937-1943Gershwin fee agreementGershwin miscellaneous trust first intermediate accountingIncome taxIra Berlove claimJewelryLeonard Saxe legal services for Gershwin TrustMiscellaneous law memosMiscellaneous memoranda of fact, drafts, agendas, etc.Miscellaneous open matters [i.e. agreements, contracts, correspondence]New York County Surrogate’s Court – account of proceedingsNew York County Surrogate’s Court – account of proceedingsNew York County Surrogate’s Court – claims of Emmanuel Alexandre, Pollock, and Berger, 1948New York County Surrogate’s Court – memorandaNew York state estate taxRose Gershwin Hadassah bequest acknowledgementRose Gershwin Testamentary Trust financial statements, 1948 Dec. - 1954 JulyRose Gershwin Testamentary Trust financial statements, 1954 Aug. - 1958 MayRose Gershwin Testamentary Trust financial statements, 1958 June - 1960 Dec.Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust financial statements, 1961 Jan. - 1962 Dec.Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust financial statements, 1963 Jan. - 1964 JuneRose Gershwin Testamentary Trust financial statements, 1964 July - 1965 Dec.Rose Gershwin Testamentary Trust financial statements, 1966 Jan. - 1967 JuneRose Gershwin Testamentary Trust financial statements, 1967 July - 1968 Mar.Royalties earned, four years ending 1952 Nov. 30Tax forms, 1970-1972Trustees first intermediate accountingEstate of Ira and Leonore Gershwin, 1950-1963Gershwin material of some interest but to be left in N.Y.Ira Gershwin personal papersLeonore and Ira Gershwin trusts – law fileLeonore and Ira Gershwin trusts – material for CaliforniaLife and estate planningArthur Gershwin, 1950-1966General materials, 1955-1966Gershwin vs. Gershwin separation and divorceReturn to the Table of Contents |
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