Harley Hammerman Collection on Eugene O’Neill (MSS160), 1879-2018 | MSS Manuscripts

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Collection Overview

Title: Harley Hammerman Collection on Eugene O’Neill (MSS160), 1879-2018

ID: MSS/MSS/160

Primary Creator: O'Neill, Eugene (1888-1953)

Extent: 55.0 Boxes

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Harley Hammerman Collection of Eugene O’Neill consists of manuscripts, correspondence, photographs, and other materials related to the life and work of playwright Eugene O’Neill. Along with first editions of the playwright’s works located in Rare Books (many inscribed), the collection features autograph and typed letters written by O’Neill to significant cultural figures, handwritten manuscripts and typescripts, photographs of O’Neill and his immediate family and friends, and rare handbills, posters, scripts, recordings, films, and promotional books related to productions of his plays.

Collection Historical Note

Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. O'Neill was born in a Broadway hotel room in Longacre Square (now Times Square), in the Barrett Hotel, to an Irish immigrant father and a mother of Irish descent. His father was an actor and his mother accompanied him on frequent tours with a theater company, so Eugene was sent to a Catholic boarding school, where he discovered a love of reading. He decided to devote himself full-time to writing plays after his experience in 1912–13 at a sanatorium where he was recovering from tuberculosis. O'Neill had previously written poetry and been employed by the New London Telegraph, as a reporter.

In the 1910's, O'Neill became a part of the Greenwich Village literary scene, including the Provincetown Players, which staged his early plays. His work was influenced by "radical" thinkers like Communist Labor Party founder John Reed. O'Neill brought to American drama techniques of realism earlier associated with Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, and Swedish playwright August Strindberg. His plays were among the first to include speeches in American vernacular and involve characters on the fringes of society, where they struggle to maintain their hopes and aspirations, but ultimately slide into disillusionment and despair.

O'Neill's first published play, Beyond the Horizon, opened on Broadway in 1920 to great acclaim, and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. His first major hit was The Emperor Jones, which also ran on Broadway in 1920, and obliquely commented on the U.S. occupation of Haiti that was a topic of debate in that year's presidential election. His best-known plays include Anna Christie (Pulitzer Prize 1922), Desire Under the Elms (1924), Strange Interlude (Pulitzer Prize 1928), Mourning Becomes Electra (1931), and his only well-known comedy, Ah, Wilderness!, a wistful re-imagining of his youth. In 1936, he received the Nobel Prize for Literature. After a ten-year hiatus, O'Neill's now-renowned play The Iceman Cometh was produced in 1946. The following year, A Moon for the Misbegotten failed to make an impression, but decades later gained recognition as being among his best works.

O'Neill suffered from many illnesses in his life, including alcoholism and depression, and Parkinsons-like tremors took away his ability to write the last 10 years of his life, leaving many scripts unfinished. He died (also in a hotel room) in Boston, Mass., in 1953. Both Iceman and Moon were heavily autobiographical in nature, as was Long Day's Journey Into Night, widely considered to be his finest, but published and produced posthumously. Although his written instructions had stipulated that it not be made public until 25 years after his death, it was published in 1956 and produced on stage to tremendous critical acclaim and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1957. Other posthumously-published works include A Touch of the Poet (1958) and More Stately Mansions (1967).

Harley Hammerman (July 22, 1949 - ) was born in St. Louis, son of Irv and Selene Hammerman. He graduated from University City High School, where he met his wife, Marlene, in 1967. He obtained his undergraduate (A.B., 1971) and medical (M.D., 1975) degrees at Washington University in St. Louis. Hammerman completed his diagnostic radiology residency at Jewish Hospital and Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (1975-1979). While serving as staff radiologist at SSM St. Joseph Hospital West in Lake St. Louis in the 1980s, Hammerman conceived the idea to start his own company. In 1994, Metro Imaging was born. Sold to Mercy in 2018, Hammerman continues to serve as president.

Hammerman collected rocks, stamps, and coins as a boy, but by the time he was 17, his passion for collecting Eugene O’Neill began with the purchase of a first edition of Ah, Wilderness! at the St. Louis Book Fair. After 35 years of amassing the largest O’Neill archive in private hands, Hammerman launched eOneill.com. In 2018, Hammerman sold his O’Neill collection to Washington University in St. Louis, creating the second-largest O’Neill collection at an institution.

Hammerman married Marlene in 1971. They have three children, Adam, Zachary and Abigail, and three grandsons, Calvino, Masa and Levi. Hammerman currently focuses his attention on his website, Lost Tables, documenting the culinary history of St. Louis.

Administrative Information

Repository: MSS Manuscripts

Access Restrictions: Open

Use Restrictions:

Users of the collection must read and agree to abide by the rules and procedures set forth in the Materials Use Policies.

Providing access to materials does not constitute permission to publish or otherwise authorize use. All publication not covered by fair use or other exceptions is restricted to those who have permission of the copyright holder, which may or may not be Washington University.

If you wish to publish or license Special Collections materials, please contact Special Collections to inquire about copyright status at (314) 935-5495 or spec@wumail.wustl.edu. (Publish means quotation in whole or in part in seminar or term papers, theses or dissertations, journal articles, monographs, books, digital forms, photographs, images, dramatic presentations, transcriptions, or any other form prepared for a limited or general public.)

Acquisition Source: Gift and purchase

Acquisition Method:

Accession number 23001. Gift of Harley Hammerman. Originally laid in The Iceman Cometh by Eugene O'Neill. PS3529 N5 I3 1946

Accession number MSS2018-027. Purchase and gift of Harley Hammerman, December 7, 2018.

Separated Materials: Three hundred sixty-nine books and other publications have been cataloged separately. Click here to see these records.

Preferred Citation: Name of the Collection, Washington University Libraries, Department of Special Collections

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Correspondence from Eugene O'Neill, 1918-1946],
[Series 2: Manuscripts by Eugene O'Neill, 1910-1967],
[Series 3: Correspondence and Documents Related to the Work of Eugene O'Neill, 1924-1961],
[Series 4: Photographs, 1893-2000],
[Series 5: Materials Related to Primary Eugene O'Neill Productions, 1919-2012],
[Series 6: Materials Related to Secondary Eugene O'Neill Productions, 1890-2018],
[Series 7: Materials Related to Eugene O’Neill’s Personal Life, 1907-1912, not dated],
[Series 8: Materials By Others Relating to Eugene O'Neill, 1879-2014, not dated],
[Series 9: Web Content],
[Series 10: Cataloged Items],
[All]

Series 3: Correspondence and Documents Related to the Work of Eugene O'Neill, 1924-1961

Series 3 consists of correspondence, contracts, binding agreements and other official documents, often signed by O'Neill and other key persons. The documents mainly relate to theatrical, radio and motion picture productions, as well as royalties and rights. Arranged chronologically.

Additional contracts can be found in Series 5: Materials Related to Permier Eugene O'Neill Productions.

Box 8

Folder 1: Dramatic production contract for The Fountain, 1924: February 25

Document signed by Eugene O'Neill and Theresa Helburn, with corrections, 8 pages.

Folder 2: Dramatic production contract for Marco Millions and Strange Interlude, 1927: May 21

Document signed by Eugene O'Neill and Theresa Helburn, with corrections, 6 pages.

Folder 3: Memorandum of contract between Eugene O'Neill and Theatre Guild, Inc. concerning Marco Millions, 1927

Document [carbon], 1 page. Includes typed letter [carbon], December 2, 1927

Folder 4: Foreign production agreement for Strange Interlude, 1928: September 9

Document signed, 4 pages signed by Warren Munsell

Folder 5: Option to acquire rights to Dynamo, 1928: October 8

Document signed, 2 pages by Richard Madden and Warren Munsell. Includes two copies of correspondence between Madden and Munsell, 1928 (4 items)

Folder 6: Foreign production agreement for Strange Interlude, 1929: January 7

Document signed, 4 pages by Warren Munsell and Sefan Salter

Folder 7: Correspondence relating to license for Strange Interlude, 1929: April 2

Typed letter signed, 1 page from Charles B. Cochran to Warren Munsell.

Folder 8: Agreement for the publishing and distributing of a souvenir book of Mourning Becomes Electra, 1931: November 11

Document signed, 1 page by Al Greenstone and Warren Munsell

Folder 9: Dramatic production contract for Ah, Wilderness!, 1933: August 1

Document signed [copy], 18 pages by Eugene O'Neill and Warren Munsell. 2 copies

Folder 10: Royalty agreement for Ah, Wilderness!, 1933: August 28

Document signed, 2 pages by Eugene O'Neill and Warren P. Munsell. Includes correspondence between Munsell and Richard J. Madden, 1933 (1 item)

Folder 11: Motion picture rights agreement for Ah, Wilderness!, 1933: November 28

Document signed, 4 pages by Eugene O'Neill, Phillip Moeller, and J Robert Rubin.

Folder 12: Dramatic production contract for Mourning Becomes Electra, 1934: March 2

Document signed, 2 pages by Warren Munsell and Thomas Wilkes [copy]

Folder 13: Dramatic production contract for Ah, Wilderness!, 1934: March 19

Document signed, 2 pages by Warren Munsell and Henry Duffy

Folder 14: Royalty agreement for Ah, Wilderness, 1935: October 28

Correspondence, 1 page

Folder 15: Dramatic production contract for Ah, Wilderness!, 1935: October 24

Document signed, 3 pages by Warren Munsell

Folder 16: Receipt for the use of "Dearie" from Ah, Wilderness!, 1936: February 28

Document signed, 1 page

Folder 17: Dramatic production contract for revival of Ah, Wilderness!, 1941: September 3

Document signed, 6 pages by Eugene O'Neill and Warren Munsell.

Folder 18: Radio contract for The Emperor Jones and Where the Cross is Made, 1945: August 13

Document signed, 2 pages by Eugene O'Neill and Lawrence Langner.

Folder 19: Radio contract for Ah, Wilderness!, 1945: September 10

Document signed, 2 pages by Eugene O'Neill and Lawrence Langner.

Folder 20: Agreement stipulating that Long Day's Journey not be published, 1945: November 29

Document signed, 1 page by Eugene O'Neill and Bennett Cerf.

Folder 21: Dramatic production contract for The Iceman Cometh and Moon for the Misbegotten, 1945: December 26

Document signed, 7 pages by Eugene O'Neill and Lawrence Langner.

Folder 22: Dramatic production contract for A Touch of the Poet, 1945: December 26

Document signed, 8 pages by Eugene O'Neill and Lawrence Langner. Also includes correspondence between the Richard J. Madden Play Company and the Theatre Guild, 1946 (3 items)

Folder 23: Correspondence regarding royalty payment for The Iceman Cometh, 1946: January 18

Theater Guild to Marion Graeb. Photocopy, 1 page

Folder 24: Correspondence regarding payment for designing and lighting for A Moon for the Misbegotten, 1946: February 27

Theatre Guild to Robert Edmond Jones. Carbon, 1 page

Folder 25: Correspondence regarding deposit for costume design for A Moon for the Misbegotten, 1946: March 8

From Theatre Guild to Fred Marshall. Carbon, 1 page

Folder 26: Motion picture rights agreement for Mourning Becomes Electra, 1946: July 26

Document signed, 30 pages by Eugene O'Neill, Lawrence Langner, Theresa Helburn, and RKO Radio.

Folder 27: Correspondence regarding the foreign stage production rights for The Iceman Cometh, 1946: October

Typed letter signed, 2 pages from Richard Madden to Lawrence Langner (October 14, 1946) and typed letter [carbon], 1 page from Langner to Madden (October 23, 1946)

Folder 28: Introduction for Where the Cross Is Made and The Emperor Jones, 1946: November 11

Typescript, 2 pages

Folder 29: Scandinavian production rights agreement for The Iceman Cometh, 1946: November 15

Document signed, 4 pages by Eugene O'Neill. Also includes correspondence from Richard Madden to the Theatre Guild, 1946 (1 item).

Folder 30: Radio contract for Gold, 1947: January 7

Document signed, 2 pages by Eugene O'Neill and Armina Marshall.

Folder 31: Correspondence regarding payments for the British rights for The Iceman Cometh, 1947: January 7 - May 12

4 items

Folder 32: Agreement to postpone production of A Touch of the Poet, 1947: January 31

Document signed, 1 page by Eugene O'Neill and Lawrence Langner. Also includes a photocopy of the document, correspondence between H. William Fitelson and Langer, 1947 (2 items), and M. Harris and W.E. Aronberg, 1947 (1 item)

Folder 33: Agreement to delay payments for motion picture rights to Electra, 1947: February 18

Document signed, 3 pages by Eugene O'Neill, Lawrence Langner, Thereasa Helburn, and RKO Radio.

Folder 34: Correspondence to Margaret Helburn regarding A Moon for the Misbegotten, 1947: April 17

From Theresa Helburn. Carbon, 1 page

Folder 35: Correspondence regarding music clearance for The Moon for the Misbegotten, 1947: February 13

H. William Fitelson to Sara Greenspan. 1 page

Folder 36: Agreement to waive royalty payments for A Touch of the Poet, 1947: May 1

Document signed, 1 page by Eugene O'Neill and Lawrence Langner. Also includes a photocopy of the document and correspondence between Richard J. Madden and Miss. Greenspan, 1947 (1 item).

Folder 37: Confirmation of Theatre Guild's rights to A Moon for the Misbegotten, 1947: May 13

Document signed, 1 page by Eugene O'Neill and Lawrence Langner.

Folder 38: Radio contract for The Straw, 1947: July 9

Document signed, 2 pages by Eugene O'Neill and Armina Marshall.

Folder 39: Agreement changing credits for film version of Mourning Becomes Electra, 1947: November 3

Document signed, 1 page by Eugene O'Neill, Lawrence Langner, and RKO Radio Pictures.

Folder 40: Correspondence regarding agreement for A Moon for the Misbegotten, 1948: February 4

Sara Greenspan to Dramatists' Guild of the Authors' League of America, Inc. Original and carbon, 1 page (2 items)

Folder 41: Radio contract for Ah, Wilderness!, 1948: May 10

Document signed, 2 pages by Eugene O'Neill and Armina Marshall.

Folder 42: Radio contract for Beyond the Horizon, 1948: August 26

Document signed, 2 pages by Eugene O'Neill and Armina Marshall.

Folder 43: Agreement accelerating payments Mourning Becomes Electra motion picture rights, 1948: December 30

Document signed, 1 page by Eugene O'Neill and Lawrence Langner.

Folder 44: Contract giving Leon Mirlas production rights for eight plays in South America, 1949: January 20

Document signed, 2 pages by Eugene O'Neill.

Folder 45: Correspondence regarding production rights for A Touch of the Poet and Moon for the Misbegotten, 1951: October 8 - 1954: June 4

10 items. Correspondence between Jane Rubin, Lawrence Langner, H. William Fitelson, Sara Greenspan, and Mills Ten Eyck, Jr.

Folder 46: Contract giving Leon Mirlas production rights for twenty‐six plays in Spain, 1952: January 3

Document signed, 2 pages by Eugene O'Neill.

Folder 47: Correspondence concerning creating a libretto based on Ile, 1952: October 27

Eugene O'Neill to Beatrice Laufer. Photocopy, 2 pages

Folder 48: Contract giving Leon Mirlas rights to A Moon for the Misbegotten in Spanish, 1954: March 3

Document signed, 2 pages, by Carlotta O'Neill, Leon Mirlas, and Jane Rubin to Leon Mirlas.

Item description

Folder 49: Dramatic production request for a revival of The Iceman Cometh, 1954: May 17

Correspondence, 1 page from Jane Rubin to Lawrence Langner. Includes Langer's response, May 21, 1954

Folder 50: Approval of Yale press release by Carlotta Monterey O'Neill giving publication rights to Long Day's Journey Into Night. "Yale Receives Rights in Unpublished Play by Eugene O'Neill", 1955: June 21

Document signed, 1 page, (New Haven), by Carlotta O'Neill.

Item description

Folder 51: Contract giving Leon Mirlas rights to Long Day's Journey Into Night in Spanish, 1956: February 21

Document signed, 2 pages, New York, by Carlotta O'Neill, Leon Mirlas, and Jane Rubin to Leon Mirlas

Item description

Folder 52: Contract giving Leon Mirlas rights to A Touch of the Poet in Spanish, 1958: February 3

Document signed, 2 pages, New York, by Carlotta O'Neill, Leon Mirlas, and Jane Rubin to Leon Mirlas

Item description

Folder 53: Contract giving Leon Mirlas rights to Hughie in Spanish, 1960: January 14

Document signed, 2 pages, New York, by Carlotta O'Neill, Leon Mirlas, and Jane Rubin to Leon Mirlas

Item description

Folder 54: Correspondence response to reference request regarding Days Without End, 1961: April 28

Theatre Guild to Gertrude D. Heely. Carbon, 1 page. Includes original correspondence from Heely, April 27, 1961

Folder 55: Strange Interlude Props, No date

Typescript [carbon], 2 pages