Volume 9: Theatrical designs and Playbills, 1947 - 1951

Volume 9 includes coverage of Mainbocher's designs for the theatre from 1947 to 1951, including press releases and Radio Report transcripts connected to Eleanor Lambert. Mainbocher dressed Tallulah Bankhead in "Private Lives"; Ruth Gordon for her roles in "The Leading Lady", "The Smile of the World" and "A Month in the Country"; Ethel Merman in "Call Me Madam"; Elliott Nugent and Betty Field in "Not for Children"; and cast members in "Point of No Return". This scrapbook also contains an article from the Oct 1950 issue of Flair magazine, "Call Me Merman" by Robert Rice, as well as articles from Newsweek, The New York Times Magazine, Collier's, Life, New York Post Week-End Magazine and Vogue. There are also handwritten notes of congratulation to Mainbocher from actor Henry Fonda and playwright Russel Crouse, and telegrams from actress Mary Martin and producer Leland Hayward.

Full Playbills and other theatre programs in this scrapbook are as follows: Noel Coward's "Private Lives" at the Westport Playhouse in Westport, CT. in Jul 1947;

Ruth Gordon in "The Leading Lady" at Chicago's Selwyn Theatre in Fall 1948--there is also one photographic print of the exterior of the Selwyn with "Costumes by Mainbocher" on the marquee (the production was directed by Garson Kanin, and sets by Donald Oenslager), and a personal telegram to Mainbocher signed "Ruth and Gar";

"The Leading Lady" at the National Theatre;

Ruth Gordon in "The Smile of the World" at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, CT;

Ruth Gordon in "A Month in the Country", also directed by Garson Kanin, at the Westport Playhouse in Aug 1949;

Two Playbills for "Call Me Madam" starring Ethel Merman, one production at the Imperial Theatre, the other at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, CT;

Two Playbills for "Point of No Return" starring Henry Fonda, one at New Haven's Shubert Theatre from their 1951 - 52 season, the other from the Forrest Theatre and dated Nov 26 1951;

Playbill from the 1946 production of "Park Avenue" (though related press coverage of the show appears in scrapbook volume 5).