THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY RARE BOOKS AND MANUSCRIPTS DIVISION ACCESSION SHEET Accession # 65M53; 66M43 Location 3-J-4/6 (L) Title Frank Jenners Wilstach. Papers Approximate inclusive dates 1873 - 1933 (bulk 1915-1933) Date of receipt 1934; 1966 Received from Estate of F.J. Wilstach Paul Wilstach Volume on arrival Unknown Theatre Collection Number of boxes (after reboxing) 8 FB; 5 RC; 5 VOLS. 8 LF Condition Bulk of correspondence fair; Dictionary material & scrapbook deteriorating. Restrictions None Description See attached sheets Special Formats - Photographs - Maps - Audio Tapes - Films - Graphics - Artifacts - Machine-readable records - Other (list)_________ Temporary catalog card added entries Theatrical Managers; "Wild" Bill Hickok; "Dictionary of Similes" FRANK JENNERS WILSTACH - BIOGRAPHY Frank J. Wilstach, theatrical business manager, press agent, author and compiler of the "Dictionary of Similes," was born in Lafayette, Indiana in 186 and died in 1933. He was the son of John Augustine and Elbra Cecilia and had three brothers, two of whom, Paul and Claxton, had also been prominent in theatrical circles. Before engaging in the theatrical business Wilstach was connected with newspapers in his home town, San Francisco and New York. He began to compile the "Dictionary of Similes" in Boston, 1894, when he was editor of the Syndicate Press. Throughout the next twenty-two years, in the midst of his literary and theatrical duties, Wilstach collected material. The dictionary was published on November 11, 1916, but he continued to gather material for many years and other editions followed. In 1895 Wilstach became a press agent and among the people whose publicity he handled were: De Wolf Hopper, Viola Allen, Mrs. Leslie Carter and William Faversham. Wilstach was the author of many articles, most of which were about Wild Bill Hickok, and a book entitled "Wild Bill Hickok, the Prince of Pistoleers." For several years he wrote special stories for the Sells Brothers in Forepaugh's Circus. Frank married Edith May Hudnall on July 11, 1889 and had two children: John and Florence. FRANK JENNERS WILSTACH. PAPERS - CONTENTS The papers of theatrical manager Frank J. Wilstach are divided in five series: correspondence, writings, "Wild" Bill Hickok related material, "Dictionary of Similes" related material and John A. Wilstach notebooks and scrapbook. The correspondence is sub-divided in two sections: general correspondence and family correspondence. The general correspondence, 1873 - 1933, (incoming/outgoing) is in chronological order with the exception of material relating to John Watt Kearney and his son, 1892 - 1898 and correspondence as manager of Viola Allen, 1901 - 1905. Much of this section is correspondence relating to information about "Wild" Bill Hickok and the book Wilstach wrote on "Wild" Bill. Included here is Wilstach's business correspondence, letters relating to legal matters, reservation requests, financial papers including bank statments and all material having to do with the acquisition of his car in 1928. Author Benjamin De Casseres was a frequent correspondent of Wilstach. The family correspondence, 1772 - 1933, contains genealogical information and letters of the Ustick (paternal grandmother), Wilstach and related families. There is much correspondence with his brothers Paul and Joseph Walter, and Frank's children John and Florence. The writings, which were not all written by Wilstach, are arranged alphabetically by subject and/or title. These writings include articles sold to periodicals, plays, biographical sketches, poems, interviews, notes, clippings and some correspondence relating to a particular writing. Some copies very frail. The "Wild" Bill Hickok material is mostly research material (photostats and clippings of printed articles on Hickok) used by Wilstach for short articles and the book "Wild Bill Hickok, The Prince of Pistoleers;" author's manuscript and printer's copy included. Also mounted clippings of reviews of Wilstach's book on Hickok. The bulk of this collection is material gathered for Wilstach's "Dictionary of Similes," most of which is unsorted. This material dates roughly 1915 - 1932. There is no apparent alphabetical or chronological order to the note file which contains folders of notes pasted in strips across the page. Interfiled with notes are small amounts of correspondence, clippings, printed material and articles on language by Wilstach. Also included is the original typecript in three volumes and bound volume of clippings, letters and other material having to do with the dictionary. The collection ends with notebooks on literature, law and miscellaneous subjects kept by Frank's father John Augustine Wilstach. Frank J. WILSTACH Papers Box 1. General Correspondence, 1873-1925, Aug. (C) 1873; 1890; 1892-1919; 1921-1925, Aug. (with corres. by subjects corres. with John Watts KEARNY & son, 1892-98; corres. as manager of the Viola ALLEN Company, 1901-05) Box 2. General Correspondence, 1925, Sept. - 1927 (C) Box 3. General Correspondence, 1928-1933 & n. d. (C) Family Correspondence, 1772-1897 1772-1845 - letters of the USTICK, WILSTACH, & related families 1840-1894 - letters by or about HANNAH W. Wilstach, grandmother of F.J.W. 1866-1897 - letters & papers of JOHN A. Wilstach, father of F.J.W. 1889 - letters of Mary Agnes PATTI, aunt of F.J.W. Box 4. Family Correspondence, 1894-1933 (C) 1894-1933 - letters from PAUL & JOSEPH WALTER Wilstach, brothers of F.J.W., to F.J.W. 1899-1909 - letters to F.J.W. from his children, JOHN & Florence Box 5. Writings, A-C (arranged by subject and/or title) (C) ACTORS - "American Actors in England" " - Do They Need Brains " - "The English Actor and the Press" " - Marriage of " - Miscellaneous " - On Being an Actor " - "Why Actors Don't Retire" ACTRESSES - "Where Are the Actresses of Yesteryear?" ADVERTISING - in Theatre & Motion Picture Industry - "Annual Report, 1932" AMUSEMENT PARKS - Dreamland (Coney Island, N. Y.) ANECDOTES AUTHORS - "Why Do Authors Act?" (an interview with Cyril HARCOURT) AUTOMOBILES - "The Origin of the Automobile" BADGERING - "The Art and Pleasure of Badgering" BALDHEAD & AMAZONIAN MARCH - "The Passing of the Baldhead and Amazonian March" BOOKS - "The Art of Sneaking Books into the House" " - "Book Selling" " - " The Ways and Means of the Book-Plate Maniacs" CATCH PHRASE "Charley's Aunt" (play by Brandon Thomas), "Charley's Aunt Gets A Radio" CIRCUSES - Misc. " - Sells' Brothers "Wild Man" COBB, Irvin S. - "Hands Across the Sea" COLOR LINE - "The Color Lineiin the Theatre" "Comedians' Big Shoes" "Coon Hunting on the Shore of the Mississippi" COPY - Search for CRITICISM - Amenities of " - "The Curse of Critical Astigmatics" " - "The Utility of Criticism" CRITICS - "Are Dramatic Critics a Nuisance?" " - "The Classics and the Critics" " - the "Crepe-Hanger" (or "first-nighter") " - "The Critic and the Press Agent" " - "The Critics' Real Duty" " - "The Fable of the Dramatic Critic" " - "The Ideal Critic" " - "When Critics Disagree" CURTAIN CALL - "The Tradition of the Curtain Call" CURTAIN SPEECHES Box 6. Writings, D-N (C) DARIEN, CONN. - "The Pageant of Darien" "DEADHEAD" - origin of the word, etc. DENNY, Reginald - on the art of stage and screen DIAMOND ROBBERIES - "Lydia Thompson' s Diamonds" " " - "The Original Actress Diamond Robbery" "Dinner Scenes on the Stage" Dogs on the Stage - "*****ew Fields Tells of the Origin of the Dog Story" DRAMA - Decadence of " - "Is Drama on the Way Out?" " - "Dramatic Stars - How They Are Discovered by the Theatrical Astronmer" " - "Which Was the Golden Age of Drama?" DRAMATIC CRITICISM - Misc. DRAMATISTS - "The American Dramatist's Opportunity" EDITORS - "The Quarrels of Editors" EPIGRAMS - "Epi-Drama-Grams" ERLANGER, A. L. (biographical sketch) FAVERSHAM, William (biographical sketch) FORREST, Sam, "Running Away with the Show with a Few 'Sides' ", by Sam Forrest HILL, Graham, MsPoem signed, "The Brotherhood of Blood, A Song of the Anglo Saxon People" (dedicated to De Wolf Hopper) HITCH-HIKING - "Hitch-Hikers Often Give a Good Show" " " - "Romance of Hitch-Hicking" "Hobson's Choice" (play) - "Judging Plays at Rehearsals" "HOKUM" - "What Is Hokum?" HOPKINS, Charles (actor, manager) (biographical sketch) HOTELS - Vagaries of HULL, Henry - "Henry Hull and the Rule of Three" HUNCHES - "Linda Watkin's Hunches" "The Lion vs. the Horse Laugh" LONDON - City of MAGIC - "The Fables of Indian Magic" "The Manager's Credo" MARLOWE, Julia - "Marlowe's English", etc. MELVILLE, Rose - "Sis Hopkins Abroad", etc. MILLER, Marilynn - "A Study in Stage Smiles", by Marilynn Miller MISCELLANEOUS MOTION PICTURES - "Are Movie Audiences Morons?" " " - "Influence of the Movies in Far Countries" " " - "Is the Motion Picture Responsible for the Present Plight of the Drama?" " " - Misc. " " - Quality of " " - Stars of " " - "What About the Talk in the Talkies?" " " - "What Is to Be Done About Motion Picture Titles" " " - "What's Right with the Movies?" MUSIC - "Incidental Music to Plays" MUSIC BOX REVUE (Irving Berlin's musical) - Misc. MUSICAL COMEDY - "Is Musical Comedy Here to Stay?", by Louise Gunning " " - "The Present Vogue of Musical Comedy", by Louise Gunning NERVOUS WRECKS - "What Makes Nervous Wrecks?" NEWSPAPERS - "Are Newspapers As Incorrect As Books?" " - "Newspapers vs. Books" Box 7. Writings, P-W (C) "The Photoplay Acquires Traditions" PLAYS - "Getting a Play Acted" " - "Indelicate Themes in Plays" " - "The Play vs. Wit" " - Value of New York Endorsement " - "The Story Told in the First American Play" POETRY - Misc. PRESS AGENTS - Misc. " " - "Confessions of a Press Agent" "The Press and the Stage" "The Quietist Republic" RED HEADS - "The Recrudescence of the Red Head on the Stage" " " - "Temperament and Red Hair" REPUTATION - Bugbear of managers RICARD, Leila (publicity material) ST. LEGER, John - "Elected to the Jackassiana"; "Jackassiana"; "More Jackassiad", by St. Leger SCHEFF, Fritsi - "The Charm of Fritsi Scheff" SHAKESPEARE, Wm. - "The Hub-bub over Scenery " " - Misc. SHAW, George Bernard - "An Answer to Mr. Shaw" SHUBERT, Lee - "New York as a show shop Window", by Lee Shubert SILENCE - Eloquence of in acting SIMILIES SLEEP - "Getting Used to Noises at Night" SOTHERN, E. H. - Misc. SPEECH-MAKING THE STAGE - "Stage Door Philosophy" " - "The Educationally Considered" " - Stage Effects (origin of) " - "Stage Illusions" " - Stage Slang " - "Style and the Stage" THEATRE - Misbehavior in " - Theatrical & Commercial Advertising " - "Theatrical Don'ts" " - Theatrical Language " - "What Is the Luro of the Theatre?" THRESHER, J. H. - "The Key of the Position or the Position of the Key", by J.H. Thresher TREASURE HUNTING TRIAL SCENES - in plays WALKING - "From Pneumatic Tires to Shoe leather" WILSTACH, Frank J. - "Frank Wilstach Has Broken Out" WIT Miscellaneous Papers Clippings & printed matter Genealogical materials (Including pictures & memorabilia) Income Tax papers, 1919-1924; 1932 Note & Account booka, 1907? & 1913? (2 vols.) Publicity material - questionnaires, etc. Box 8. Material relating to "Wild" Bill Hickok (C) "Was "Wild" Bill Hickok Really Wild?", by Frank J. Wilston (typescript) Misc. typescripts of short articles on Hickok by Wilstach "The True Story of the Rock Creek Killing", transcript of reminiscences of Wm. Monroe McCanles Mounted clippings of reviews of Wilstach's book on Hickok - 1 vol. Clippings of printed articles on Hickok and his times Misc. photostats of material in books, articles, etc., on Hickok, including facsimile of letters from Hickok to his wife (1876), July 17, 1 p. HA***** IN misc ***** Box 9-11. Unsorted notes, clippings, correspondence and information relating to Wilstach's "Dictionary of Similes". Box 12. "Dictionary of Similes", by F.J. Wilstach. Original typescript in three volumes. Box 13. "A Book of Similes", arranged by F.J. Wilstach. Original typescript with corrections. Bound, with title on spine, "A Pert and Pertinent Simile Dictionary". Volume of clippings, letters and other material relating to Wilstach's "Dictionary of Similes". "Wild Bill Hickok, The Prince of Pistoleers", by F.J. Wilstach - author's manuscript and printer's copy. "The Diversions of Philip Figleaf", by F.J. Wilstach. Bound carbon typescript. "Reminiscences of a Dramatic Critic", by Henry Austin Clapp (Boston & New York, Houghton Mifflin, 1902), with heavy annotation by F.J. Wilstach. John A. Wilstach - scrapbook, 1905 - 1907. Volumes John A. Wilstach - Lecta Memoranda de Miscellaneis, 1846. John A. Wilstach - Lecta Memoranda de Legibus, 1848. No. 1. John A. Wilstach - Lecta Memoranda de Legibus, 1948. No. 2. John A. Wilstach - Commonplace Book, 1849. John A. Wilstach - Notes on Charles Dickens, ca. 1880. Aug, '65 prr WILSTACH, Frank Jenners, 1864-1933 Clippings and other material relating to Wilstach's Dictionary of Similes. [New York, 1884-1932.] Autograph letters of the following: WILSTACH, J. Walter 1916 Oct. 23 WILSTACH, J. Walter 1916 Oct. 25 NEWMAN, Ernest L. 1927 Mar. 18 WILSTACH, Paul 1916 Nov. 4 ADE, George 1916 Nov. 22 HARCOURT, Cyril Sunday 25th SWEENEY, A. V. Sunday PHELPS, William Lyon 1916 Dec. 2 EITEL, Edmund H. 1915 Oct. 28 (for James Whitcomb RILEY) MORGAN, Appleton Nov. 28th ROOSEVELT, Theodore n.d. (with FJW to TR, 1916 Dec. 5) REILLY, B. J. 1916 Dec. 5 MORGAN, Appleton Monday Dec. 4th BACON, George Vaux 1916 Nov. 24 KILMER, Joyce 1916 Jan. 27 WILSTACH, Frank J. 1916 Jan. 28 (with reply by Paul WILSTACH) COBB, Irvin S. n.y. Nov. 12 SCRIBNER'S, Charles, & Sons 1906 Sep. 14 KINGSLEY, Walter J. 1916 Dec. 4 EDGETT, Edwin H. 1916 Dec. 18 WILSTACH, J. Walter 1916 Dec. 28 WILSTACH, W. A. (Papa) 1884 Dec. 24 DUVAL, Louis Valloi 1916 Dec. 29 MORGAN, Appleton Christmas 1916 KILMER, Mrs. Kilburn n.d. GILMAN, Lawrence 1917 Jan. 11 BELLOWS, H. A. 1917 Jan. 9 MATTHEWS, Brander 1916 Jul. 18 JENKINS, H. F. 1917 Jan. 12 MADAN, F. 1917 Feb. 12 WILSON, Francis 1917 Mar. 2 STEVENS, Helen B. (Mrs. Ben) Sunday PHELPS, William Lyon 1917 Feb. 12 PHELPS, William Lyon 1917 Feb. 14 LYDENBERG, H. M. 1916 Oct. 5 ADE, George 1917 Feb. 15 KILMER, Joyce 1917 Feb. 17 GILMAN, Lawrence 1917 Feb. 24 WILSTACH, J. Walter 1917 Feb. VIERECK, George S. 1917 Feb. 23 GILMAN, Lawrence 1917 May 10 COBB, Irvin S. n.y. Apr. 19 BIERCE, Ambrose 1906 Apr. 30 HUNEKER, James 1917 Dec. ANDERSON, E. (N.Y.P.L.) 1918 Oct. 23 _________ 1921 Nov. 30 METCALF, Keyes D. 1932 May 16 JENKINS, H. F. 1930 Dec. 18 JENKINS, H. F. 1915 Oct. 20 JENKINS, H. F. 1918 Apr. 27 (Note: Excluded from this list were all communications with the American Play Co. relating to royalties, etc. on Wilstach's book.)