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Finding Aid for the Kenneth Macgowan Papers, 1915-1970
887
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Description
Kenneth Macgowan (1888-1963) was a drama critic for newspapers and magazines, a publicity director, producer and director
with the Actor's Theater (1927-29), and the first department chair at the UCLA Theater Arts Department (1946-58). He was also
interested in the anthropological field of archaeology. His publications include
The theater of tomorrow (1921),
Footlights across America (1929),
Early man in the new world (1950), and
Behind the screen: the history and technique of the motion picture (1965). The collection consists of materials related to Macgowan's careers in theater, motion pictures, and academia as well
as material related to his interest in anthropology.
Background
Macgowan was born in Winthrop, Massachusetts, November 30, 1888; graduated Harvard, 1911; married Edna Behre, 1913; drama
critic for Philadelphia evening ledger, the New York globe, Vogue, Theatre arts magazine, and Shadowland; publicity director for Goldwyn Pictures Corporation, 1918-19; formed an association with Eugene O'Neill and Robert Edmond
Jones at the Provincetown Playhouse; producer and director with the Actor's Theater, 1927-29; worked at RKO Studios (early
1930s-35), 20th Century Fox (1935-41), and Paramount Studios (1944-46); among his many film credits is La Cucaracha, the first production in modern Technicolor; instructor and first department chair at the UCLA Theater Arts Department (1946-58);
studied both anthropology and archaeology; publications include The theater of tomorrow (1921), Footlights across America (1929), Early man in the new world (1950), Behind the screen: the history and technique of the motion picture (1965); he died of cancer on August 27, 1963.
Extent
88 boxes (44 linear ft.)
3 oversize boxes
Restrictions
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections. Literary rights, including
copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds
the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold
the copyright.
Availability
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Advance notice required for access.