Dawn Powell papers, 1890s-2012, bulk 1890s-1965

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Series III: Manuscripts and Related Materials, circa 1914-1965

This series contains clippings, manuscripts, typescripts, notes, and other materials related to Powell's published and unpublished works. Series III includes copies of published plays and clippings of published articles, reviews, and short stories. The collection also includes copies of many of Powell's published novels and these can be found in Series VII: Books.

Where it is known that a work has multiple titles, these are noted in the finding aid, but these notes are not exhaustive, particularly for short stories.


Subseries III.1: Articles, 1920-1950, undated

This subseries contains clippings and other copies of Powell's published articles.



Box 29 Folder 6 American-Made Flour in the Near East (The Northwestern Miller), 1920 July 21

Clipping of published article.


Box 29 Folder 7 The Birth of Comedy (New York Times), 1942 January 11

Clipping of published article.


Box 29 Folder 8 The Case Against the Predatory Career Woman (Glamour), undated

Clipping of published article.


Box 29 Folder 9 Speaking of the Younger Generation (Harper's Bazaar), 1949 August

Copy of published article.


Box 29 Folder 10 Vision of Don Juan (Flair), 1950 July

Clipping of published article.


Subseries III.2: Novels, circa 1922-1965

This subseries contains drafts, manuscripts, notes, outlines, typescripts, sketches, and synopses related to Powell's published novels, as well as two of her unfinished novels:MarciaandSummer Rose.



Box 7 Angels on Toast--Manuscript, circa 1940



Box 29 Folder 11-13 The Bride's House--Manuscript and Notes, circa 1929

This was received in a 3 ring binder that was in very poor condition and rusting. Pages have been taken out of binder and put in folders.


Box 29 Folder 14 A Cage for Lovers--Notes, Manuscript Pages, circa 1957

Page of typescript notes on the novel, with some typescript pages.


Dance Night, circa 1930



Box 30 Folder 1-6 Manuscript



Box 7 Manuscript


The Golden Spur, circa 1962


Box 7 Manuscript



Box 31 Folder 1 Manuscript Pages and Notes

Handwritten notes, manuscript pages.


Box 31 Folder 2 Notes, 1958


Box 31 Folder 3 Notes


Box 31 Folder 4 Outline and Character Sketches


Box 31 Folder 5 Typescript Pages

Miscellaneous typescript pages.



Box 29 Folder 15 The Happy Island--Manuscript, circa 1938


The Locusts Have No King, circa 1948



Box 31 Folder 6 Notes


Box 31 Folder 7 Sketches


Marcia (Unpublished), circa 1944

See Also: My Home is Far Away


Box 31 Folder 8-11 Synopsis and Drafts


Box 31 Folder 12 Outline and Manuscript Pages



Box 7 Manuscript



Box 31 Folder 13 Chapter 1

Various drafts.


Box 31 Folder 14 Chapter 2

Various drafts.


Box 31 Folder 15 Chapter 3

Various drafts.


Box 31 Folder 16 Chapters 1-3, and Pages 73-74

Drafts.


Box 31 Folder 17 Miscellaneous Pages

Various pages, organized into groups of "Odd 50s" and so forth.


Box 31 Folder 18 Miscellaneous Manuscripts and Notes

Appears to include some unrelated materials.


Box 31 Folder 19 Marcia Villard--Notes


My Home is Far Away, circa 1944

See Also: Marcia



Box 32 Folder 1 Manuscript Pages


Box 32 Folder 2-6 Manuscript

Manuscript for typist. With envelope.



Box 7 Manuscript



Box 32 Folder 7 Synopsis

Typescript synopsis, probably for the published book.


Box 32 Folder 8 1941 Novel, circa 1941

Various sets of typescript pages. It is possible that this is related to Marcia, rather than this novel.


Box 32 Folder 9-11 The Story of a Country Boy--Original Manuscript, circa 1934

Manuscript; appears mostly complete.



Box 7 Summer Rose (Unpublished)--Manuscript, circa 1963-1965


A Time to be Born, circa 1942



Box 32 Folder 12 Miscellaneous Manuscript Pages



Box 7 Manuscript


Turn, Magic Wheel, circa 1936



Box 35 Folder 1 Synopsis

Entitled "The Hunter's Wife". File includes the synopsis and an untitled short story.


Box 35 Folder 2-4 Manuscripts and Notes

Manuscripts and notes, various versions.



Box 7 Whither--Manuscript, circa 1922-1925


The Wicked Pavillion, circa 1954


Box 7 Manuscript



Box 34 Folder 1 Outlines, etc.


Box 34 Folder 2 Descriptive Page

Short typescript paragraph on the novel, with corrections, perhaps written as a publicity blurb.



Box 7 Untitled Manuscript


Subseries III.3: Plays, circa 1917-1964

This subseries contains drafts, manuscripts, notes, synopses, and typescripts, as well as published copies of two plays,John Henry Speaks(1919) andJigsaw(1933, 1934).



Box 33 Folder 1 Big Night, circa 1928-1933

Short manuscript with note stating "Theory for Big Night - a play", with some other notes.



Box 7 Big Night, circa 1928-1933

Manuscript



Box 33 Folder 2-3 Brooklyn Widow / West Side Widow, undated


Box 33 Folder 4 Brooklyn Widow / West Side Widow, undated

Synopses, and miscelleneous typescript pages.


Box 33 Folder 5 Brooklyn Widow / West Side Widow--Act I, undated



Box 7 Deenie

Manuscript.



Box 33 Folder 6-7 Every Other Day, undated

Includes pages with the "cast of characters" found elsewhere in Powell's papers. See Also: Made in Heaven and Rosy Future.



Box 7 The Golder Spur

Manuscript.



Box 34 Folder 3-7 The Golden Spur Musical, circa 1961-1964

Includes drafts, etc.



Box 7 Goody Goody Goody!

Manuscript.


Box 7 I'm Looking for a Lady, 1917

Manuscript.



Box 78 Jigsaw: A Play (New York: Farrar & Rinehart), 1933, 1934

Inscribed to Mabel by Dawn Powell. With dust jacket.



Box 7 John Henry Speaks, circa 1919

Manuscript.



Box 34 Folder 8 John Henry Speaks (New York: The Womans Press), 1919

By Charlotte Johnson and Dawn Powell. Copyright, 1919, by Charlotte Johnson.


Box 34 Folder 9 Just Like That, undated

Manuscript pages. Incomplete.



Box 7 Key West Play

Manuscript.



Box 35 Folder 5-6 Lion and the Lizard, undated

Drafts. Much of the paper is fragile on the edges: it was stored in too small a folder for many years.


Box 35 Folder 7 Lion and the Lizard, 1937



Box 33 Folder 8 Made in Heaven, undated

Typescript is titled "From A to Z" with a handwritten note that this is "Made in Heaven." Typescript with corrections. See Also: Every Other Day and Rosy Future.


Box 33 Folder 9 Made in Heaven, undated

Typescript. Includes two negatives. See Also: Every Other Day and Rosy Future.


Box 33 Folder 10 Made in Heaven, undated

Typescript. See Also: Every Other Day and Rosy Future.



Box 7 No Cure for the Common Doctor

Manuscript.



Box 34 Folder 10-11 The Picture Window, undated



Box 36 Folder 1-4 Red Dress, circa 1937-1938



Box 33 Folder 11-12 Rosy Future, undated

See Also: Every Other Day and Made in Heaven.



Box 35 Folder 9 The Two Ladies, undated

A few typescript pages.



Box 37 Folder 1 Walking Down Broadway, undated


Box 37 Folder 2 Wedding Ring, undated



Box 36 Folder 5-8 Women at Four o'clock, undated

See Also: "Women at Five o'clock" in Short Stories.



Box 37 Folder 3 Play--Incomplete, undated


Box 37 Folder 4 Play--Incomplete, undated


Box 37 Folder 5 Plays--Miscellaneous Typescript Pages, undated


Subseries III.4: Poetry, 1925-1944, undated

This subseries contains unpublished poems, and a copy ofThe Independent Poetry Anthology(1925), which includes a published poem.



Box 80 The Independent Poetry Anthology, 1925

The anthology includes "Dead Things" a free verse poem by Powell.



Box 8 Poems



Box 37 Folder 6 Poetry, 1944, undated


Subseries III.5: Reviews by Powell, 1926-1965

Powell wrote book reviews for many publications during her career. This subseries contains clippings and typescripts of these reviews.

Many of the clippings are fragile; there are photocopies of reviews in files kept by Tim Page (Box 24) and Powell's executrix, Jacqueline Miller Rice (Boxes 48-49) which may be easier to handle than the original clippings in this subseries.


Box 37 Folder 7 Review or Essay on Elizabeth Bowen's The House in Paris pp. 5-7, circa 1935

Typescript, incomplete.


Box 37 Folder 8 Reviews by Powell--Mademoiselle, 1940s

Book reviews. Clippings.


Box 37 Folder 9 Reviews by Powell--New York Evening Post, 1926


Box 37 Folder 10 Reviews by Powell--New York Post, 1959-1961

Typescripts and clippings.


Box 37 Folder 11 Reviews by Powell--PM's Weekly, 1941


Box 37 Folder 12 Reviews by Powell--Typescripts, undated


Box 37 Folder 13-14 Reviews by Powell, 1941-1965

Typescripts and clippings.


Box 37 Folder 15 Reviews by Powell, 1942, 1961

Clippings. Includes lists of her short pieces, etc. although they were no longer found in the folder with the book reviews.


Box 37 Folder 16 Reviews by Powell, 1950s

Clippings. These are primarily mounted on paper.


Box 37 Folder 17 Reviews by Powell, 1950s

Includes clippings of reviews, and one letter to the editor referencing a review by Powell.



Box 38 Folder 1 Reviews by Powell (Photocopies), 1926-1943


Box 38 Folder 2 Review Notes for Critical Piece (Commentary), undated


Subseries III.6: Short Stories, circa 1914-1965

This subseries contains clippings, drafts, fragments, manuscripts, notes, and typescripts for Powell's published and unpublished stories.

These are generally short manuscripts, primarily typescripts. Some items are incomplete, or in fragments. Some files include drafts, loose pages, and other materials. Publication information, if known, is included in the finding aid.


Box 38 Folder 3 Analysis, 1959

Includes rejection letter from Redbook.


Box 38 Folder 4 April in Manhattan, 1947

Includes cover letter from her agent, Carl Brandt.


Box 38 Folder 5 The Benzedrine Mambo, undated

Drafts.


Box 38 Folder 6 Between Dances, undated


Box 38 Folder 7 Bon Voyage, undated


Box 38 Folder 8 Bon Voyage (New Yorker), 1933

Clipping from New Yorker magazine.


Box 38 Folder 9 Bon Voyage Doesn't Mean Goodbye, undated


Box 38 Folder 10 Can't We Cry a Little?, undated


Box 38 Folder 11 Can't We Cry a Little? (New Yorker), 1940

Copy of published story.


Box 38 Folder 12 Celebrating a Greenwich Village Christmas Idyll (Chicago Tribune, Magazine of Books), 1963

Clipping.


Box 38 Folder 13 Christmas Pig in a Poke (Promenade), 1950 December

Clipping of published story.


Box 38 Folder 14 The Color of Her Eyes, undated


Box 38 Folder 15 Congressional Limited and New York Scene: The Happy Miller, 1944, undated

Clippings of published stories.


Box 38 Folder 16 The Daisy Chain (New Yorker), circa 1933

Typescript. Published in the New Yorker, 1933.


Box 38 Folder 17 Darling, How Marvellous! (Promenade), 1943

Clipping of published story.


Box 38 Folder 18 Dinner on the Rocks, undated

Published, Esquire Magazine.


Box 38 Folder 19 Dream Come True, undated


Box 38 Folder 20 Dynamite at the Office, 1930s

Typescript. Note on piece indicates that it was published in Pagaent or Coronet in the 1930s.


Box 38 Folder 21 The Elephant Hunters, undated


Box 38 Folder 22 The Elopers, undated


Box 38 Folder 23 The Elopers (Saturday Evening Post), 1963

Clipping of the published story.


Box 38 Folder 24 Enter Two Girls, Laughing, undated


Box 38 Folder 25-26 Ernest's Experience, undated


Box 38 Folder 27 Everything is a Wife, 1960

Story Magazine, 1960.


Box 38 Folder 28 Florida Unlimited, undated



Box 80 Fragments of Love (Fawcett Digest), 1946

Magazine with published story.



Box 38 Folder 29 Fragments of Love, 1940s

Clipping of published story.


Box 38 Folder 30 The Genius and the Mermaid, undated


Box 38 Folder 31 Genius on Wheels, undated

Typescript.


Box 38 Folder 32 The Gentleman of the Road, undated


Box 38 Folder 33 Gentleman Lost: Medium Height, Blue Eyes, 1920s or 1930s

Typescript. Note indicates that it was written in 1926, and published in Red Book in the 1930s.


Box 38 Folder 34 The Ghost Hangs High (Mademoiselle), circa 1942-1945

Clipping of published story.


Box 38 Folder 35 The Good Manager, 1950, undated


Box 38 Folder 36 The Gourmet, undated

Note indicates this was published; publication unknown.


Box 38 Folder 37 Gourmet Anonymous (Promenade Magazine), 1951 March

Magazine with published story.


Box 38 Folder 38 The Gravy Girls, 1952


Box 38 Folder 39 Green Bananas, undated

Typescript.


Box 38 Folder 40 Gypsy Love (Harper's Bazaar), undated

Typescript.



Box 80 Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (Nota Bene) (Lake Erie College Press), 1964

Magazine with reprinted published story. Nota Bene is a literary annual published by Lake Erie College.



Box 39 Folder 1 Honeymoon, undated


Box 39 Folder 2 I'm Glad She's Happy, undated

Published in Red Book.


Box 39 Folder 3 In Quest of the Ugly Dryad, undated


Box 39 Folder 4 Lady Novelist, undated

Typescript.


Box 39 Folder 5 Last Week of Summer / A Man to Show, undated

Includes these two stories, and various other pages.


Box 39 Folder 6 Laughing Water, undated


Box 39 Folder 7 Laughing Water, undated


Box 39 Folder 8 A Letter from Peter (Town and Country), 1938

Typescript. Published in Town and Country in September 1938.


Box 39 Folder 9 Living Up to Marjie (The Portal), 1922

July 15, 1922 issue of The Portal.


Box 39 Folder 10 Lovers Again, undated


Box 39 Folder 11 Low Down, undated


Box 39 Folder 12 Married Men, undated

Typescript, 14 pages. Last page is damaged and missing a portion of the page. Typescript appears incomplete.


Box 39 Folder 13 Masked Ball, 1946, undated


Box 39 Folder 14 Masked Ball, circa 1946

Fragments and notes. Title on folder is "Masked Ball" but it is unclear if material is in fact related to the story.


Box 39 Folder 15 Matinal, undated


Box 39 Folder 16 Mermaid in the Punchbowl, undated


Box 39 Folder 17 Mr. Gay, undated


Box 39 Folder 18 Mr. Plum and Mrs. Spring, undated


Box 39 Folder 19 The Nefarious Triangle (Today's Woman), 1949

Clipping of published story. Note on clipping indicates that its original title may have been "The Olive Twig"


Box 39 Folder 20 Now He Tells Me, undated


Box 39 Folder 21 Now is the Time, undated


Box 39 Folder 22 The Old Folks at Home, undated


Box 39 Folder 23 The Old Folks at Home (Weekend Magazine), 1955 November 18

Clipping of published story.


Box 39 Folder 24 Old Man Meditating on Two Skulls and Other Papers, undated

Typescript pages for this story, and various other pages.


Box 39 Folder 25 Ostrich Plumes, undated


Box 39 Folder 26 Out of the Woods, undated


Box 39 Folder 27 Pastorale, undated


Box 39 Folder 28 The Pathetic Fallacy, 1952


Box 39 Folder 29 The Pentwhistle Plan, undated


Box 39 Folder 30 Philander Dodd and the Mushroom, circa 1917


Box 39 Folder 31 Picture Postcard, undated



Box 40 Folder 1 Promenade Magazine, 1940s

Includes clippings of the stories, "Congressional Limited," and "The Lion of the Occasion," "Merry Christmas Yourself, and with Bells," "The Story Thus Far," and "Innocent Deceiver." Most of these were published in Promenade.


Box 40 Folder 2 Remember Sweet Alice, undated


Box 40 Folder 3 Remember Sweet Alice, undated


Box 40 Folder 4 The Renee Story, undated


Box 40 Folder 5 To the Rescue of Art, circa 1914-1918

Note in file indicates that this was written at Erie College. Paper is fragile.


Box 40 Folder 6 Ride Through the Night, undated


Box 40 Folder 7 The Run-Through (Town and Country), circa 1939

Typescript. Note that an abbreviated version of the story was published by Town and Country in 1938 or 1939.


Box 40 Folder 8 Slow Burn, undated


Box 40 Folder 9 Snappy Stories and Droll Munseys, 1920-1925

Clippings of published stories by Powell. Clippings are extremely fragile.


Box 40 Folder 10 Solitaire, undated


Box 40 Folder 11 Stars in My Eyes (Mademoiselle), 1947

Clipping of published story.


Box 40 Folder 12 Staten Island, I Love You, circa 1965



Box 75 Folder 5 Staten Island, I Love You, 1965 October

Esquire magazine, October 1965 issue. Includes the published story as a "Pictured Essay" which includes related pictures of Staten Island created by other artists.



Box 40 Folder 13 Switch to Champagne, undated


Box 40 Folder 14 Take Mrs. Blake, undated


Box 40 Folder 15 That Was Broadway, undated


Box 40 Folder 16 Velvet Glove, undated


Box 40 Folder 17 Vesuvius, Anyone?, undated


Box 40 Folder 18 Village Piece--Drafts, undated


Box 40 Folder 19 Weekend in Town, undated


Box 40 Folder 20 Weekend in Town (New York Post), 1964

Clipping of the published story.


Box 40 Folder 21 What Are You Doing in My Dreams?, undated

Published in Vogue Magazine.



Box 75 Folder 6 What Are You Doing in My Dreams? (Vogue), 1963 October 1

Vogue Magazine, October 1, 1963 issue, which includes the published story.



Box 40 Folder 22-23 Winter Sport, undated



Box 41 Folder 1-2 Women at Five o'clock, undated

The original title may have been "Women at Four o'clock." See Also: "Women at Four o'clock" in Plays.


Box 41 Folder 3 Young Arthur in Town, undated



Box 40 Folder 24 You've No Idea… (Woman's Home Companion), 1947

Clipping of the published story. Original title was "The Scenery and Miss McGill".


Box 40 Folder 25 You've No Idea (The Scenery and Miss McGill), undated

Typescript, titled "The Scenery and Miss McGill." See Also: "You've No Idea…" and Short Stories--Miscellaneous



Box 41 Folder 4 Short Story--Untitled, undated


Box 41 Folder 5 Short Story--Untitled, undated


Box 41 Folder 6 Short Story--Untitled, undated

Typescript, 47pp.


Box 41 Folder 7 Short Story--Untitled, undated

Typescript, 24 pp.


Box 41 Folder 8-10 Short Story--Untitled Drafts, undated


Box 41 Folder 11-22 Short Stories--Untitled Drafts, some incomplete, undated


Box 41 Folder 23 Short Story--Incomplete, undated

Typescript, pp. 2-8. Title page is missing.


Box 41 Folder 24 Short Stories--Miscellaneous, undated

Includes a mixture of titled and untitled pages. Includes title pages for "A Million Hazel Browns," "The Judge's Story."


Box 41 Folder 25 Short Stories--Miscellaneous, 1940, undated

Includes "Debutante's Corner," "I Could Cry," "Dark Glasses," "House Afire," "The Run-Through, notes for a story entitled "My Late Husband," "Nights Were Blue," as well as some untitled pages and another version of "The Scenery and Miss McGill."


Box 41 Folder 26 Short Stories--Miscellaneous, circa 1952

Includes "In My Day" and untitled pages.


Box 41 Folder 27 Short Stories--Miscellaneous Notes, undated


Subseries III.7: Television and Film, 1940s-1950s

This subseries contains carbon correspondence and drafts of a treatment of "A Time to Be Born" and typescripts and agreements related to a proposed television adaptation of the short story "You Should Have Brought Your Mink"



Box 35 Folder 8 A Time to be Born--Scenario and other materials, 1943, undated

Includes scenario, notes, typescript pages, etc. A carbon of a 1943 letter from Powell to a Mr. Small in this file indicates that a rough treatment was done; the typescript pages are probably various drafts of this.



Box 42 Folder 1 You Should Have Brought Your Mink, 1952 or later

Adapted from a short story of the same name, from the collection Sunday, Monday, and Always.



Box 7 You Should Have Brought Your Mink, circa 1956

Typesripts.


Subseries III.8: Miscellaneous Manuscripts and Notes, 1920s-1965

This subseries contains various unidentified fragments, manuscripts, and manuscript pages.

The subseries also includes notes and notebooks that contain material related to several different novels, as well as other sketches and notes. The more general notebooks in Series V.3 probably also contain additional material related to Powell's writing.



Box 43 Folder 1-3 Clippings, 1950s

Clippings are in fragile condition. These are primarily of articles and book reviews written by Powell.



Box 42 Folder 2 Manifesto!, undated

Single page manuscript on art.


Box 42 Folder 3 Short Pieces in Preparation, circa 1962


Box 42 Folder 4 Story Starts, 1965

One item of correspondence, and various manuscript pages and notes.


Box 42 Folder 5-6 Working Notes, 1935-1959

Includes "Notes for a Scenario by Arthur Swim and Dawn Powell developed by Dawn Powell from an idea by Arthur Swim" and "Play- Dance Night" as well as other notes.


Box 42 Folder 7 Miscellaneous Draft


Box 42 Folder 8 Miscellaneous Manuscripts, 1950s, undated


Box 42 Folder 9-20, 27 Miscellaneous Manuscripts and Notes



Box 8 Miscellaneous Manuscripts



Box 42 Folder 21 Miscellaneous Notes


Box 42 Folder 22 Notebook, circa 1938-1940

Includes manuscripts and material related to Angels on Toast and A Time to Be Born, as well as some short manuscripts and sketches.



Box 43 Folder 4-6 Notebook, with loose notes, circa 1920s-1950s

Notebook was originally in a binder that was rusting and in poor condition. Notebook has been taken out of the binder and housed in folders. Loose notes were housed in a separate folder. This contains various manuscripts and notes, including material related to Angels on Toast, TIme to Be Born, Marcia, and the Locusts Have No King.