Guide to the Papers of Albert Arlen and Nancy Brown

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MS 6311 and MS Acc06.172

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator: Albert Arlen and Nancy Brown
Title: Papers of Albert Arlen and Nancy Brown
Date Range: 1924 - 2001
Collection Number: MS 6311 and MS Acc06.172
Extent: 4.38 metres (26 boxes + 1 folio box + 1 folder + 11 sound/av carriers + 1 digital carrier)
Language of Materials: English
Repository: Special Collections (Manuscripts)

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The papers comprise correspondence, manuscripts and typescripts of plays, musical scores, programs, photographs, newspaper clippings, memorabilia and biographical material, mostly relating to the theatrical and musical careers of Arlen and Brown. The correspondence includes letters from many well-known people in the theatrical, literary and arts scene over many years. The papers provide a good insight into the extensive careers of both artists.

Correspondents include Sir Frederick Ashton, Werner Baer, Leslie Bailey, Alan Barker, Arthur Benjamin (Nancy Brown's cousin), Alec and Rosemary Bolton, Harold Bowden, Russell Braddon, Marie Burke, George Campbell, Gordon Chater, Manning Clark, Cedric Cliffe, Sir Zelman Cowen, George Dreyfus, George English, Cedric Flower, Hayes Gordon, Doris Geddes, Lynda Gloria, Radclyffe Hall, Sir Robert Helpmann, Sheila Helpmann, Brett Hilder, Alfred Hill, Reg Hines, Dulcie Holland, Harold Holt, Tom Hungerford, Frank Hutchens, Dorothy Gordon Jenner (Andrea), George Johnston, George Kleinsinger, Joyce Koch, Jack (John) Lanchbery, Evelyn Laye, Vernon Lisle, Edward Lockton, Compton MacKenzie, John McCallum, Dot Mendoza, Sir Robert Menzies, Charles P. Mountford, Robert Nesbitt, Beverley Nichols, John Olsen, Pixie O'Harris, Laurence Olivier, Tessie O'Shea, Jill Perryman, Charles Pettit, Linda Phillips, Ainslie Roberts, William Ricketts, Frederick Rosse, Edmond Samuels, Stephen Sondheim, Joyce Owen Starr, Sophie Stewart, Sir Frank and Lady Tait, Florence Taylor, Wilfrid Thomas, C.K. Thompson, Lloyd Thomson, Tiny Tim, Geoffrey Townshend, Wendy Toye, Sophie Tucker, Nancy Wake, Joy Warren, Trafford Whitelock, Thornton Wilder, Emlyn Williams, Bill (William) Willis and Googie Withers.

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2110642) for the access conditions.

Conditions Governing Use

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Albert Arlen and Nancy Brown, National Library of Australia, [class number, box number and series/file number]'.

Collection Retrieval Advice

Please note: each consignment in this collection has a separate box number sequence (i.e. there are multiple Box 1's). Please cite the relevant Class number as well as the Box number when requesting retrieval of material from the collection.

Biographical Note

Nancy Brown and Albert Arlen both had long and successful careers in the theatrical and musical fields, Brown as a singer, stage performer and playwright and Arlen as a composer and playwright.

Nancy Brown

Nancy Brown was born in Brisbane in 1909. In 1923 her parents divorced and her mother took Nancy, her brother Frank and sister Shirley to live in England.

In 1925 Nancy attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Her first professional role was in 1926 when she was understudy to Rosalind Courtneidge in The unfair sex at the Savoy Theatre, London. From 1926 to 1947 she had roles in a number of stage plays, toured Britain and Ireland as a solo singer and appeared in several films. During this time she also travelled to America and Canada with a role in the Noel Coward production of Bitter Sweet.

In 1948 Brown returned to Australia where she met Albert Arlen, whom she married in 1949.

Albert Arlen

Albert Arlen was born Albert Aarons in Sydney on 10 January 1905, his parents having emigrated from Turkey. From 1929 he was known professionally as Albert Arlen, changing his name officially by deed poll in 1948. He was educated at Cleveland Street Public School, Crown Street High School and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

In 1924 Arlen sailed to England. He lived in London, playing with dance bands and in cinema theatre orchestras. In 1929 he studied at the Ecole Normale in Paris. Subsequently, he played various roles in London West End repertory productions, as well as writing his own musical compositions and plays.

In 1939 he joined the R.A.F. and saw service as a pilot in the Middle East and Far East, before being discharged in 1947 and repatriated to Australia. While serving with the R.A.F., Arlen continued with his theatrical pursuits, writing and producing plays and composing musical pieces including the El Alamein Concerto and Song of England which he dedicated to Winston Churchill.

In 1949 Brown married Nancy Brown and together they returned to England. However, they were disillusioned with life in London and decided to return to Australia, which they were to make their permanent home.

In Australia, Arlen and Brown continued their involvement with the theatre, collaborating on a number of plays and musicals, including the musical adaptation of the C.J. Dennis work The sentimental bloke (1961). Arlen composed extensively during his career and a large number of his works have been published and recorded. In 1991 he was awarded an Order of Australia in recognition of his services to music and the performing arts.

Albert Arlen died on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland in 1993.

Item Descriptions

Class MS 6311. Original consignments - Box 1-25 + Folio 1

Magazine clippings, sheet music (1), press clippings, photocopies of press clippings (File 1) - Box 1

Broadsides, programmes, souvenir booklets (Captain Cook bicentenary, 1770-1970, The Japan of today, c. 1963, The Festival of Sydney official programme, 1977) (File 2) - Box 1

Correspondence - 16/10/1943, 12/11/1947. Scripts of "Radio Voyager" (6), "Did you know?", "Musicale" (File 3) - Box 1

Programmes + souvenir booklets (File 4) - Box 1

Musical manuscripts: "Cherry trees (Japanese love song)", "Blue Peter", "Neglectful Edward", "The Lords's Prayer", "Trois chansons francaises", "Lest we forget", "Many things have I loved", "A Celtic romance". Typescript of review,? broadsides. Sheet music (published): "My life is a love song", "A lad went piping through the earth" (File 5) - Box 1

Manuscripts (typescript): "To-morrow when apricots grow", "The violins of St Jacques" (File 6) - Box 1

The Bulletin, October 23, 1965 (Item) - Box 1

The Australian composer (newsletter July 1976) (Item) - Box 1

Art views (Artists Guild of Australia June-August 1974) (Item) - Box 1

APRA Journal (July 1974, 2 copies) (Item) - Box 1

APRA Journal, January 1974 (Item) - Box 1

APRA Journal, January 1972 (Item) - Box 1

Programme - War requiem (Item) - Box 1

Newsletter - Australia-Japan Society, July 1971 (Item) - Box 1

Back to Godhead (Hare Krishna magazine) (Item) - Box 1

The Australian composer (newsletter June 1973) (Item) - Box 1

Distance (Sommaire No. 7, 1974) (Item) - Box 1

Time, December 13, 1963 (Item) - Box 1

Memorial issue of Sunday Times Magazine (Item) - Box 1

February 7, 1965. Winston Churchill.

Volume - music and lyrics - Songs of Erin, ?1841 (Item) - Box 1

Australian (newspaper July 15, 1964) (Item) - Box 1

Souvenir - Marlene Dietrich (Item) - Box 1

Magazine clipping (March 8, 1961 - The Austin. Women's Weekly) (Item) - Box 2

Scrapbook of press clippings (1932-1933), including a large number of clippings loose in back of book (Item) - Box 2

Scrapbook of press clippings, May - December 1932 (Item) - Box 2

Scrapbook (on cover "Press book 1943-44: Old Chelsea, Cinderella, The country girl") (Item) - Box 2

Bundle of souvenir booklets (File) - Box 3

This material was added to MS 6311 in January 1985.

Sydney Savage Club newsletter, February 1984 (File) - Box 3

This material was added to MS 6311 in January 1985.

Nimrod Banner, April 1984 (File) - Box 3

Programme with various miscellaneous items (programmes, broadsheets?, news clipping) loose inside (File) - Box 3

This material was added to MS 6311 in January 1985.

Bundle of souvenir booklets and programmes (File) - Box 3

This material was added to MS 6311 in January 1985.

Bundle of magazines souvenir books (File) - Box 3

This material was added to MS 6311 in January 1985.

Nightly takings for "The sentimental bloke", Theatre Royal, Sydney, 1962 (File 7) - Box 3

This material was added to MS 6311 in January 1986.

Nightly takings for "The sentimental bloke", Tivoli Theatre Adelaide, 1962 (File 8) - Box 3

This material was added to MS 6311 in January 1986.

Nightly takings for "The sentimental bloke". Her Majesty's Theatre Brisbane, 1962 (File 9) - Box 4

This material was added to MS 6311 in January 1986.

Nightly takings for "The sentimental bloke", Comedy Theatre Melbourne, 1961-1962 (File 10) - Box 4

This material was added to MS 6311 in January 1986.

Magazine - "People", December 20, 1961 (File) - Box 4

This material was added to MS 6311 in January 1986.

Series. Scripts

Cynthia of the minute. Credits and authorship not indicated. 1 Roneoed typescript headed "Synopsis" (File 11) - Box 5

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Girl from the Snowy (File 11) - Box 5

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

ABC Broadcast script. 1 roneoed typescript (File 11) - Box 5

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

The land of song. By Bruce Sievier. Music by Albert Arlen. BBC Broadcast script - 4 January 1939. 1 Typescript plus correspondence with BBC (File 11) - Box 5

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Lead a gay life. A comedy with music in 2 acts. Book by Albert Arlen Lloyd Thomson. Music by Albert Arlen. 3 typescripts (annotated "Rev 2") (File 12) - Box 5

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

The legend of San Michele. Another slice of life. Devised and written and told by Bruce Sievier with music by Albert Arlen. 2 typescripts with handwritten manuscript score of songs. Also correspondence with BBC re broadcast in 1939 (File 13) - Box 5

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Man on horseback. A musical drama in 3 acts. Book by George Morrow and... Music by Albert Arlen. 1 typescript (File 14) - Box 5

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Music of the years. (Retitled from "Overture") Book by Lloyd Thomson Albert Arlen. Lyrics by Lloyd Thomson and Albert Arlen. Music by Albert Arlen. 2 typescripts (File 15) - Box 5

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

A name like Riley. (no credits or authorship indicated) 1 typescript (File 16) - Box 5

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Never know your luck. A comedy in two acts. (Credits not indicated). 2 typescripts annotated with "Rev 1" (File 16) - Box 5

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Queen of song. A comedy in two acts. Book by Lloyd Thomson. Lyrics by Nancy Brown. Music by Albert Arlen. 2 typescripts (File 17) - Box 5

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

The sentimental bloke - Scripts of Television version by Alan Burke (With cuttings). 1 typescript (File 18) - Box 5

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Two J.C. Williamson scripts (File 19-20) - Box 6

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Stars in your eyes. A musical play. Book, Lyrics and Music by Albert Arlen. 1 typescript (File 21-22) - Box 6

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Tomorrow when apricots grow. (Play) by Albert Arlen. 1 typescript (File 23) - Box 6

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Whats a nice girl like you doing in a place like this. A play in two acts. By Albert Arlen. 2 typescripts (File 24) - Box 6

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

The violins of St Jacques. A musical play in two acts. Book and lyrics by Nancy Brown Lloyd Thomson. Music by Albert Arlen. 2 typescripts. (NB credits vary) (File 25) - Box 6

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Series. Music Scores - Manuscripts

Girl from the snowy. Words and music by Albert Arlen (File) - Folio 1

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Marriages are made in heaven. Book by Lloyd Thomson Nancy Brown. Lyrics by Lloyd Thomson Albert Arlen. Music by Albert Arlen (File) - Folio 1

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Oh Gosh! A musical fantasy. Suggested by C. J. Dennis' "Glugs of Gosh". Devised, written with additional lyrics by Nancy Brown. Music by Albert Arlen (File) - Folio 1

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Series. Music printed

Verdi. La traviata (Ricordi, n.d.) (File 26) - Box 6

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

All hit 1001 songs (album) (File 26) - Box 6

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Mayerling. Act 3 only. Signed on cover "To Albert with great affection, Jack" (File) - Box 7

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Series. Scrapbooks

Two scrapbooks covering the tour of the Combined Services Entertainment unit Singapore in 1946/47. Two volumes - One ledger size book; one large exercise book (File) - Box 7

Contains programmes, handbills, correspondence, newspaper cuttings and reviews, and many photos. All photos identified, a few signed. Arlen's role was a composer, designer, producer.

Shows performed include "Stardust", "High & low", "Over to you", "At your service" (all musical revues) and the drama "Seven keys to Baldpate". Also one concert - Remembrance Orchestral Concert, November 1947 at Raffles hotel, Singapore where Arlen's "Alamein concerto" was performed.

Prominent names in the cast lists include Stanley Baxter and Kenneth Williams.

One scrapbook, folio size containing correspondence, newspaper cuttings, programs. Covers Arlen's career as actor, composer, producer from 1931-39 in England. Order is chronological. At 1938 page is a short, cryptic biography of AA by actress Lola Duncan. Last show represented is "Counterfeit" by AA and Cyril Butcher which opened in August 1939 (File) - Folio 1

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Series. Miscellaneous

Photographs (File 27-28) - Box 7

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

"Girl from the Snowy" - contains typescript of the play plus publicity material (cuttings, program, advertisements etc) for first production in Canberra, 1960 (File 29-30) - Box 7

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

"The Sentimental Bloke - papers" - large collection of cuttings, photos, programs of various productions (File 31) - Box 8

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

"The Sentimental bloke - Papers" - large collection of cuttings, photos, programs of various productions (File 32-34) - Box 8

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Three files of miscellaneous memorabilia, including cuttings, programs on various Arlen shows, invitations, correspondence. Includes handwritten biographical notes on Arlen and typescript publicity release biography of Nancy Brown (File 35-37) - Box 8

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Two issues of The new idea from 1961 and 1964 with articles on The sentimental bloke (File 38) - Box 8

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

One file marked J.C. Williamson Theatres Ltd (File 39) - Box 8

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

One envelope containing photograph of Albert Arlen ( others) on Composers Night, 12 December 1980 (File 39) - Box 8

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

One envelope Betty Pounder, "This is your life" (photograph inside) (File 40) - Box 8

This material was added to MS 6311 in March 1986.

Programmes (File 41) - Box 9

This material was added to MS 6311 in July 1986 and July 1987.

Catalogues of Orchestral and Keyboard Music (File 42) - Box 9

This material was added to MS 6311 in July 1986 and July 1987.

News clippings (mainly The Sentimental Bloke) and Music scores (File 43) - Box 9

This material was added to MS 6311 in July 1986 and July 1987.

A.P.R.A. Journal and News items (File 44) - Box 9

This material was added to MS 6311 in July 1986 and July 1987.