Contents

Collection Summary

Biographical Note

Scope and Content Note

Organization of the Marge Champion Collection

Selected Search Terms

Musical Theater and Plays, Films and Television

Photographs

Personal and Business Papers

Subject Files

Clippings and Written Materials

Scrapbooks

Posters

Ephemera and Awards

Marge Champion Collection

Processed by the Music Division of the Library of Congress

2012

Biographical Note

Return to the Table of Contents

Scope and Content Note

The Marge Champion Collection contains materials pertaining to Champion's life and career, and spans the period 1910-2006, with the bulk of the materials falling between 1940 and 1990.

Materials relating to Champion's former husband, Gower Champion, and to her father, Ernest Belcher, are significant and are woven throughout the collection. Gower Champion was a renowned dancer, director, and choreographer. Born in Illinois in 1919, and raised in Los Angeles, he began dance tours in 1933 with Jeanne Tyler. Documents pertaining to these tours are included in this collection. After World War II, he and Marge became dance partners and married in 1947. They performed primarily as a team throughout the 1950s, although Gower began to branch out, serving as a Broadway choreographer on Lend an Ear (1948) and Make a Wish (1951), and as choreographer and director on 3 for Tonight (1955). In the 1960s, Gower had a string of Broadway hits as choreographer and/or director, including Bye Bye Birdie (1960), Carnival! (1961), Hello Dolly! (1964), and I Do! I Do! (1966). These productions are documented in the collection through clippings, photographs, scrapbooks and written material. Gower and Marge Champion divorced in 1973. His shows from the late 1960s and 1970s include The Happy Time (1968), Prettybelle (1971), Sugar (1972), Irene (1973), Mack & Mabel (1974), Rockabye Hamlet (1976), and A Broadway Musical (1978). Gower Champion died of a rare form of blood cancer on August 25, 1980, six hours before the opening-night curtain of what would become one of his greatest Broadway hits, 42nd Street. These later Gower Champion productions are not documented in the collection. However, the collection does contain material related to the 2005 book Before the Parade Passes By: Gower Champion and the Glorious American Musical, by John Gilvey, which chronicles Gower Champion's life and work.

Marge Champion's father, Ernest Belcher, was a dancer and choreographer who worked as a trainer and coach for many stars in Hollywood. He was born in London in 1883 and was the principal dancer for the Alhambra Theatre from 1902 to 1909. He moved to Los Angeles in 1915 and founded the Celeste School of Dance in 1916. He was the first choreographer to present dance at the Hollywood Bowl, for which he worked from 1922 until 1936. His first work as a film dance director was in 1918 when he staged dances for D.W. Griffith's Broken Blossoms. He would go on to work with many silent film era directors, including Cecil B. DeMille, Mack Sennett, and Thomas H. Ince. Although many of the films he worked on have been lost, his work can be seen in A Small Town Idol (1921), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), Twinkletoes (1926), The Jazz Singer (1927), King of Kings (1927), Hollywood Revue (1929), General Crack (1930), The Little Princess (1939), and possibly The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923). He trained and coached many film performers, including Mary Pickford, Pola Negri, Ramon Navarro, Nanette Fabray and Shirley Temple. Known as the “Father of Ballet” in Southern California, Ernest Belcher died on February 24, 1973, in Los Angeles. A significant amount of material in the collection relates to Ernest Belcher, particularly in the Photographs series. In addition, there is Belcher footage in the audiovisual material that has been transferred to the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division.

The Marge Champion Collection is arranged into eight series. The Musical Theater and Plays, Films, and Television series contains materials that document the depth and breadth of Champion's long and varied career. It is broken down into four subseries: musical theater and plays, films, television and orchestrations, and is arranged alphabetically by title within each subseries. The series contains an extensive array of materials about Marge Champion's career both before her partnership with Gower, including materials related to her work as a model for the character of Snow White, and after, as well as materials relating to their work together. Materials include manuscript scores and parts, scripts, playbills, photographs, clippings and correspondence.

The Photographs series contains photographs of Marge and Gower in rehearsal as well as glamour shots of the pair. It also contains historical photographs related to Ernest Belcher's career as a dance director for films, and coach and trainer of film actors. Items include photographs of individuals related to dance and film, including Lina Basquette (Ernest Belcher's stepdaughter), Colleen Moore, Derelys Perdue, Ramon Novarro, Georgia Graves, Joyce Coles, Shirley Temple, Cecil B. DeMille, Vivien Fay, Alexandre Volinin and Lydia Kyasht, Harvey Karels, the Crane Twins, Marjorie and Maria Tallchief, Patsy Ruth Miller, and Victor Moore's wife Shirley. In addition, there are photographs of Mae Ross being trained for the MGM "art of skating" film, Margaret Westberg, "Blair and Dean" dance team, Alice Maison, Marie Prevost, Michael Brigarite, Lucile Iverson, Lois Moran, May McAvoy, Tula Belle and her sister Ebba Mona, Pola Negri, June Roper, Ruth St. Denis, Danish dancer Britta Petersen, and John Barrymore. There are also several photographs of the dance team “the Celestes,” which featured Belcher and his partner Dorothy Edwards. The series also includes a piece of film reel from The Phantom of the Opera, an Ernest Belcher "vaudeville" photograph from around 1910, a film list for Ernest Belcher from the UCLA archives (date unknown), a 1928 Hollywood Bowl program, photographs of the "Carnival of Venice" ballet, and many photographs of scenes from films, including General Crack, The Jazz Singer, A Small Town Idol, Twinkletoes, a film that includes Ebba Mona and her sister Tula Belle, Beau Brummel, and possibly The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The Personal and Business Papers series includes personal materials related to Marge’s family members, including half-sister Lina Basquette, father Ernest Belcher, sons Blake and Gregg, and husbands Gower Champion and Boris Sagal. It also contains biographical documents and clippings, and items from her childhood. The business materials include church and liturgical dance records, contracts, correspondence and agreements.

The largest series in the collection, Subject Files, focuses on Marge Champion's travels, event and conference appearances, awards, her involvement in various projects and organizations, and items relating to individuals, including Agnes DeMille, Nanette Fabray, Martha Graham, Mary Martin and Nancy Reagan.

The Clippings and Written Materials series contains clippings that span Marge Champion's entire career. It also contains articles and press clippings that focus on Marge and Gower Champion.

The Scrapbooks series chiefly relates to Marge and Gower Champion's early career as a team. It also contains a significant number of scrapbooks centering on Hello Dolly!, and to a lesser extent on I Do! I Do! and Bye Bye Birdie. Materials include clippings, photographs, correspondence and programs.

The Ephemera and Awards series contains Ernest Belcher’s ballet shoes, Marge Champion’s awards, and Ernest Belcher’s megaphone from 1925 signed by many notable performers, including Sam Warner, John Barrymore, Harry Myers, Lina Basquette, Gloria Swanson, Derelys Perdue, Ramon Novarro, Dolores Costello, Sally Rand, Marion Davies, Pola Negri, and Colleen Moore.

The Posters series includes posters from MGM musicals and other films and theater engagements in which Marge Champion appeared.

Approximately forty moving images and sound recordings from the Marge Champion Collection have been transferred to the Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division. In addition, books that came with the collection have been transferred to the Music Division's general collections. An inventory of these materials is available in the Music Division's collection file, as well as in appendices "A" and "B" of a paper copy of the finding aid located in the Performing Arts Reading Room.

Return to the Table of Contents

Selected Search Terms

People

• Belcher, Ernest, 1883-1973.
• Champion, Gower, 1919-1980--Correspondence.
• Champion, Gower, 1919-1980--Photographs.
• Champion, Gower, 1919-1980.
• Champion, Marge--Archives.
• Champion, Marge--Correspondence.
• Champion, Marge--Photographs.
• Champion, Marge.
• Champion, Marge.
• Sagal, Boris, 1923-1981.

Organizations

• Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.
• Jacob's Pillow.
• Mafundi Institute (Watts, Los Angeles, Calif.)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
• Sifriyah le-maḥol, Yiśraʼel.

Subjects

• Actors--United States.
• Choreographers--United States.
• Dance in motion pictures, television, etc.--United States.
• Dance--Production and direction.
• Dance--United States.
• Dancers--United States.
• Motion pictures--United States.
• Music--Manuscripts.
• Musical films--United States.
• Musicals--United States.
• Performing arts--United States.
• Popular music--United States.
• Theater--United States.
• Theatrical producers and directors--United States.
• Women dancers--United States.

Titles

• Hello Dolly!
• Snow White and the seven dwarfs (Motion picture)

Form/Genre

• Artifacts (Object genre)
• Awards.
• Clippings (Information artifacts)
• Correspondence.
• Photographic prints.
• Posters.
• Programs (Documents)
• Promotional materials.
• Scrapbooks.
• Scripts (Documents)

Return to the Table of Contents

Organization of the Marge Champion Collection

The Marge Champion Collection is organized in eight series:

• Musical Theater and Plays, Films, and Television
• Photographs
• Personal and Business Papers
• Subject Files
• Clippings and Written Materials
• Scrapbooks
• Posters
• Ephemera and Awards

Return to the Table of Contents

Container List

Musical Theater and Plays, Films and Television

Articles and reviews, clippings, correspondence, notes, photographs, programs, scores and scripts.

Arranged alphabetically by title within each subseries.

Musical Theater and Plays

Beggar’s Holiday: clippings, playbill, article, review, correspondence and photographs

Bye Bye Birdie: correspondence, conference presentation, thesis chapter, undated program from later production, articles, photocopied playbill and printed vocal soundtrack

Carnival script Photocopy

Dark of the Moon: clippings, printed script, playbill, correspondence and photographs

Everybody Out, the Castle is Sinking: playbill, clippings and photographs

5-6-7-8 Dance: programs, clippings, notes and photographs

Flea in Her Ear: clippings and photographs

Follies: correspondence and photographs

Follies: script with scores and an article

42nd Street: clippings, playbills, advertisements and photographs

Gay Divorcee script

Grover’s Corners (dance movement by Marge Champion): programs, printed notes on production, two stories and photographs

Hello Dolly!: book, playbills, programs, clippings, cast list, correspondence and photographs

High Button Shoes: programs, clippings and photographs

I Do! I Do!: stage director’s guide and other materials, including a tab for each song

I Do! I Do!: playbill, programs, correspondence, clippings, cast list and photographs

I Do! I Do! published score

I Do! I Do!: “profit part”: correspondence and program

I Do! I Do! script, from Tom Jones

I Do! I Do!: stage director’s guide from Tom Jones with correspondence and notes

Invitation to March: clippings, correspondence, magazine and photographs

Jubilee script

Leave It to Me script

Lend an Ear: 40th anniversary correspondence, play, playbill, program, articles and photographs

Lute Song: book, programs, clippings, cast list, notes and script with notes

Make a Wish: playbill, correspondence and photographs

Mr. Music photographs

No, No, Nanette: program from a later production, contact sheet, correspondence, choreographic notes, general notes, printed scores, clippings, vocal score and photographs

Out of this World script

The Playroom clippings

Sally: clippings, program and photographs

She Loves Me: programs, notes on costumes, clippings, photographs and script

Small Wonder: playbill, clippings, printed score and photographs

“Stepping Out at Berkshire Theatre Festival”: program, correspondence with Richard Harris and clippings

Stepping Out: programs and photographs

Stepping Out notes

Stepping Out, with Tommy Tune: correspondence and clippings

Sugar: playbill and photographs

3 for Tonight: correspondence, playbill, clippings, program and photographs

Tonight at 8:30 (Williamstown Theater Festival, 1985): program, scores, rehearsal call, and published plays by Noel Coward

What’s Up: publicity material and photographs

The Women: clippings, programs and photographs

Women and Other People: script, program, correspondence, clippings, scores and notes

Miscellaneous stage shows: clippings, playbills, programs and photographs

Night club engagements: photographs, clippings, correspondence, menu and score book

Publicity gimmicks: photographs and clippings

Films

Everything I Have is Yours photographs

Girl Most Likely photographs

Give a Girl a Break photographs

Jupiter’s Darling: photographs and correspondence

Lovely to Look At: correspondence, photographs and clippings

The Party: clippings, photographs and transcript from TV appearance

Showboat: photographs, reunion program, clippings, score and correspondence

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: L’Illustration, 1938

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Materials on miscellaneous films, such as clippings and photographs, including Disney material

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: article and cover photographs from Life magazine

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs materials, including photographs, articles, stamp, invitation to exhibit, correspondence, Pinocchio and Fantasia material, clippings, score, Willis Pyle letter, 50th anniversary production information and invitation, fan drawings

The Swimmer: clippings and photographs

That’s Entertainment, Part II: clippings, program and correspondence

Three for the Show: correspondence, clippings and photographs

Television

CBS cable: correspondence, clippings, notes and booklet

Fame: two photographs

“Mischief at Bandy Leg” (episode from General Electric Theater) photographs

Publicity tours: photographs (including 1959 Ed Sullivan Russia tour)

Publicity with celebrities: photographs and clippings

Queen of the Stardust Ballroom: clippings, photographs, correspondence, Emmy program and nomination, shooting schedule and script

Reingold beer photographs, 1948-1949

Television clippings, correspondence and photographs

Television photographs, clippings, TV concepts from “2 x 2 x 2” and “From Hollywood to Broadway”

Orchestrations

Music scores by Jay Gorney, 1941-1944, 1964, 1969 Printed and photocopied scores

At Home Manuscript score and parts

Bows Manuscript parts

Buddy’s Butler-Aida Manuscript score and parts

Comm. Tag 1 and 2 Manuscript parts

County Fair, registered in 1949 Manuscript score and parts

Dancing Tag Manuscript score and parts

Eye to Eye Manuscript score and parts

$15,000 Cue, manuscript score and parts

Hang Up Manuscript score and parts

Hotel Room Manuscript score and parts

Jeune Fillette, registered in 1947 Manuscript score and parts

Let’s Dance Manuscript score and parts

Let’s Dance Manuscript score and parts

Let’s Dance Manuscript scores and parts

Let’s Dance Manuscript theme score and parts

M-100 Stage Ten Manuscript score and parts

M-102 Which Dance Manuscript score and parts

No Phone Manuscript score and parts

“Opening” March 31 Manuscript score and parts

“Opening” for Marge and Gower Champion Manuscript score and parts

Opening Manuscript score and parts

Orchestrations inventory

Re-encounter, registered 1949 Manuscript score and parts

They’re Off Manuscript score and parts

Time on my Hands, registered 1959 Manuscript parts

Time on my Hands Manuscript score

Vaudeville, registered 1941 Manuscript score and parts

Wild flower Manuscript score and parts

Wrong Door Manuscript score and parts

Photographs

American Women for International Understanding

Beach photographs

Ernest Belcher's pupils and dancers at the Hollywood Bowl

Ernest Belcher's students at the Hollywood Bowl

Historical photographs related to Ernest Belcher

Photographs from the book Before the parade passes by: Gower Champion and the glorious American musical by John Anthony Gilvey Photocopies

Gower Champion photographs

Gower Champion photographs (glamour shots, youth)

Gower Champion rehearsal photographs from Hello Dolly!

Marge Champion at movie sets

Modeling and fashion shots of Marge Champion

Marge Champion photographs

Photographs related to Marge Champion

De Mille, Agnes

Materials relating to Disney animator Bill Tytla, including clippings, photocopies of letters, drawings, photographs, maps, articles and booklet on Tytla

Personal and Business Papers

Clippings, correspondence, photographs, programs, publicity materials, biographical materials, contracts and other materials

Basquette, Lina Clippings, correspondence and photographs

Belcher, Ernest: various materials

Blake’s Barn, Jacob’s Pillow Clippings, correspondence, invitation, program, architectural materials and plans, and photographs

Candid shots Clippings and photographs

Champion, Blake Clippings, program, correspondence and photographs

Champion, Gower War ration books, passport, notes, clippings, correspondence, speech notes, copy of playbill with Gower and Jeanne

Champion, Gregg Resumé, clippings, program and photographs

Champion, Marge, biographical information Photographs, biographical notes, thesis, correspondence, clippings, birth certificate and notes

Champion, Marge, childhood Certificate, programs, photographs, notes, correspondence, papers written by Marge, autograph book

Champion, Marge and Gower, wedding and anniversaries Invitation, certificate, photographs and correspondence

Church and liturgical dance records Notes, scores, correspondence, programs, photographs and printed material (8 folders)

Contracts, correspondence and agreements

Family photographs

Sagal, Boris Clippings, photographs and correspondence

Sagal, Boris: The Awakening Land Photographs, correspondence, clippings and notes

Sagal, Boris: Masada Clippings, photographs and award certificate

Sagal, Boris Production photographs, clippings, program and correspondence

Subject Files

Clippings, photographs, correspondence, programs, notes, promotional materials, articles and other materials.

Academy Awards, 1958 Clippings and photographs

Academy Awards, 1986 Clippings, program, detailed schedule and photographs

Acting class: Marge’s notebooks and notes

American Arts Alliance Clippings, correspondence, schedule, program and score

American Choreographic Award Clippings and program

American Film Institute Riverwalk Correspondence, clippings and photographs

American Women for International Understanding Magazines, programs, maps, drawing, correspondence and schedule

Babbitt, Art Clippings

Balanchine oral history: interview with Marge Champion and Patricia Marshall Notes, correspondence, programs and clippings

Ballroom Theater Award Speech notes, clippings, correspondence, program and photographs

Bolden, Mel Clippings, correspondence and booklet

Boston Conservatory of Music Correspondence, speech notes, clippings and photographs

Brockway, Merrill Clippings, speech notes, program and article

Carnegie Hall Clippings, stage bill, correspondence, schedule and speech notes

Cartoon Art Museum: materials on Snow White exhibit

Center Theatre Group of Los Angeles Clippings, correspondence, notes and programs

Channing, Carol Correspondence and clippings

China Programs, notes, contacts, brochures, maps and a woodcut

Columbia Records: Let’s Dance and Champion Strut photographs

Commonwealth Award (Massachusetts Cultural Council) Clippings, correspondence, press releases, program, award recipients information and photographs

Coward, Noel Correspondence

Crosby, Bing Programs and photographs

Dance Library of Israel Speech notes, clippings, invitations, correspondence (Martha Graham and Marcel Marceau photocopies) and photographs

Dancing Ladies Correspondence, program information and clippings

Davidson, Gordon Correspondence and clippings

De Mille, Agnes Correspondence, clippings and production schedule

Easter Bonnet Competition Correspondence and program

Eisenhower, Dwight Correspondence

England, 1985 Correspondence

Fabray, Nanette Correspondence, clippings and photographs

Field, Ron Clippings and correspondence

Film Forum Newsletters, and articles copied for Marge Champion

Florida State Ballroom Championship Programs

Gilvey, John Correspondence, clippings, interview list, reviews, notes, parts of the book and photographs

Graham, Martha Correspondence and photograph

Greece Journal and correspondence

Hollywood High, class of 1936 Correspondence, clippings, program, photographs and information on induction into alumni museum

Iceland Notes, report, brochures and correspondence

India Schedule, article on dance, correspondence, brochure, map and postcards

Institute of the American Musical Chronology, article, magazine and program

International Ballet Competition Invitations, correspondence, clippings, program, brochures, schedules and photographs

Jacob’s Pillow Clippings, correspondence, newsletter, program and photographs

Jacob’s Pillow gala, 1986 Programs, clippings, news release and speech notes

Le Divine Italy Four booklets

Lemmon, Jack Program, clippings and photographs

The Lensic (Santa Fe's Performing Arts Center) Speech notes, programs, brochures and clippings

Let’s Dance with Marge and Gower Champion by Bob Thomas

Lincoln Center Honors Program, clippings, notes and correspondence

London, 1990 Clippings, correspondence and programs

London Palladium Program and photographs

Los Angeles Times, Women of the Year Correspondence, programs and clippings

Mafundi, 1969 Institutional information, Dr. Al Cannon correspondence, clippings, schedules, other correspondence and financial information

Mafundi, 1970 Programs, correspondence, institution profile, clippings and public relations material

Mafundi, 1971 Clippings, correspondence, woodcut, meeting notes and reports

Mafundi, 1972 Schedule, reports, correspondence and clippings

Mafundi crisis, 1973 Correspondence, meeting notes, news releases and clippings

Mafundi, “The Blacks” production Poster with notes, invitations, clippings, article, correspondence, notes and cast information

Martin, Mary Correspondence, clippings and photographs

Miscellaneous appearances Clippings, correspondence, programs, schedule and photographs

Miscellaneous drawings and cards Snow White drawings and holiday card

Miscellany Clippings, correspondence, speech and memoir notes, program and photographs

Names Project Correspondence, clippings, program and photographs

Negotiation seminar for women in film materials

North Adams State College Program, correspondence and clippings

Palm Springs desert Clippings, program, correspondence and speech notes

Paper dolls

Reagan, Nancy Correspondence and photograph

Rich, Frank Correspondence, clippings and article

Royal Viking Correspondence, newsletter, schedule, notes, passenger list, clippings and photographs

Russian trip, 1982 Notebooks and journals, programs, clippings and correspondence

St. Denis, Ruth, “The Divine Dance” printout

San Francisco Ballet, “NRA” with Robert Gladstein Correspondence, clippings, programs, magazines and photographs

San Jose State Clippings, press release and photographs

Showalter, Max Correspondence, clippings and program

Snow College (Ephraim, Utah) Clippings and schedule

Stapleton, Maureen Clippings and correspondence

State dinner with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Clippings, letter from Prince Philip, invitation, guest list and John Foster Dulles correspondence

Symphony in three movements Clippings and photographs

Truman, Harry Correspondence

Telegrams

UCLA film inventory Correspondence and clippings (donation of film)

White House Conference on Children, 1970 Clippings, bag, speech notes, programs, information booklet and notes

Clippings and Written Materials

Champion, Marge and Gower Journals and covers

Clippings

Clippings for Library of Congress

Gilvey, John. Thesis: Gower Champion as Director, volume 1 of 2

God is a Verb

Miscellaneous articles and clippings Clippings, program, newsletters and photographs

Press Clippings and correspondence

Publicity clippings

Related journals, including Marcel Marceau signed cover

Related published material

Related theater journals

Vanity Fair, The MGM Girls and snapshots, April 1998

Scrapbooks

Clippings, correspondence, programs, photographs.

Bye Bye Birdie Clippings, correspondence and programs

Champion, Gower and Marge, early career Clippings and programs

Champion, Gower and Marge, early career Clippings, programs and images

Champion, Gower and Marge Photographs

Champion, Marge, early career Clippings, drawings, photographs and programs

Champion, Marge: five decades of clippings and programs

Hello Dolly! Clippings, programs, correspondence and images

Hello Dolly! Clippings and images

Hello Dolly! Clippings, images, photographs and programs

Hello Dolly! Clippings, images and programs

Hello Dolly! Correspondence, programs and clippings

I Do!, I Do! Clippings, photographs and programs

Scrapbook, 1949-1953 Clippings, images, photographs and correspondence

Scrapbook, 1953-1955 Clippings, images, photographs and correspondence

Scrapbook, 1955-1960 Clippings, images, photographs and correspondence

3 for Tonight Clippings, programs and correspondence

Unbound scrapbooks with pages of clippings

Posters

Berkshire Theater Festival, 60th Anniversary

Everything I Have is Yours Mini-poster

Everything I Have is Yours

5-6-7-8... Dance

Follies posters (Terrace Theater, Paper Mill Playhouse, Belasco Theater, Shaftesbury Theatre, Boston Colonial Theatre, copy)

Give a Girl a Break Mini-poster

Jupiter’s Darling Three posters

Let’s Dance with Marge and Gower Champion book and Three for the Show on the bottom of the poster

Lovely to Look At Three mini-posters

“Night of 100 Stars 2”

Showboat

Three for the Show, 1955

3 for Tonight

Ephemera and Awards

Ernest Belcher’s shoes

Megaphone, 1925

Awards: