Guide to the Papers of the Colleano Family

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MS Acc10.121

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Created: August 2021

Collection Summary

Creator
Colleano family
Title
Papers of the Colleano Family
Date Range
1922 - 1950
Collection Number
MS Acc10.121
Extent
0.3 metres (2 ms boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
Special Collections (Manuscripts)

Introduction

Content Description

The collection comprises personal and professional records of various members of the Colleano family, who performed as "Colleano's All Star Circus" in Australia and internationally in the early twentieth century. The collection, derived from the contortionist Rubye Mae Colleano (née Browne), wife of Con Colleano's brother James Bonar Colleano Snr (1893-1957), includes correspondence, professional agreements, material re. Captain Geoffrey Wikner's Halifax flight to Australia, receipts, programmes, press cuttings, and approx. 500 photographs. The photographs include studio portraits of Colleano family members, inscribed photographs of theatrical entertainers, postcards, and family photographs including parties, holidays, aircraft, sports and pets.

Conditions Governing Access

Access conditions of this collection may apply, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn8602737).

Conditions Governing Use

Conditions for copying and publishing of this collection may apply, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn8602737).

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item],Papers of the Colleano Family, National Library of Australia, MS Acc10.121, [Class/series/file/item number(s)]'.

Abbreviations

Several abbreviations are used in the contents list, include ALS (autograph letter, signed), TLS (typescript letter, signed), ACS (autograph card, signed) and ANS (autograph note, signed).

Item Descriptions

Class MS Acc10.121. Consignment received 2010, 1922-1950

The consignment comprises personal and professional records of various members of the Colleano family, who performed as "Colleano's All Star Circus" in Australia and internationally in the early twentieth century. The collection, derived from the contortionist Rubye Mae Colleano (née Browne), wife of Con Colleano's brother James Bonar Colleano Snr (1893-1957), includes correspondence, professional agreements, material re. Captain Geoffrey Wikner's Halifax flight to Australia, receipts, programmes, press cuttings, and approx. 500 photographs. The photographs include studio portraits of Colleano family members, inscribed photographs of theatrical entertainers, postcards, and family photographs including parties, holidays, aircraft, sports and pets.

Series. Personal correspondence, 1933-1948

ALS from 'Bert' to 'Ruby and Bonner and Jnr', 1937 (Item)

42 [Illegible] Rd, Bondi, Sydney, Australia. 8vo, 5 pp.

ALS from ' "Flip" ' to Rubye Colleano, n.d. (Item)

423 Burke Rd, Glen Iris. 4to, 1 p.

ALS from Cyril Pritchard to 'Miss Colleano', 1946 (Item)

On letterhead of the Hotel Windsor, Melbourne. 12mo, 1 p.

ALS from Bonar Colleano Snr to 'My Dear Wife' Rubye Colleano at the Tivoli Theatre in Melbourne, 1946 (Item)

16 Gordon Mansions, Torrington Place, London. 'I think you know how I feel about you being away, but I am contented knowing that you deserved this trip and if it is making life a little more worth while for you then I am happy to think it was possible'. 8vo, 1 p, and 12mo, 1 p. Dated 'Tuesday day after Bank Holiday' [postmarked 7 August 1946].

ACS from Betty [Walker] to Rubye Colleano, 1933 (Item)

420 S. Cochran, Los Angeles, California.

ACS from Betty Walker to Rubye Colleano, 1934 (Item)

420 S. Cochran, Los Angeles, California.

ALS from 'Your Loving Brother-in-Law Duke' [Travis R. Williams] to Rubye Colleano, 1947 (Item)

266 Moray St, South Melbourne, Australia. 8vo, 1 p.

ALS from 'Monte' [M. Montague] to 'Dear Rubye & little Bonar', 1934 (Item)

651 Florence St, Burbank, California. Jointly with ALS from his wife Mary Montague and daughter Mary Louise Montague. 9 April [1934]; no place. In total 4to, 4 pp.

TLS from Rev. Franklin M. Kelliher (Assistant Pastor) to 'Reverend and dear Father', 1936 (Item)

4to, 1 p. He has heard 'the confession of Rubye Sullivan', who is 'in good standing in the Church'.

ALS from Daryl Norman to Rubye Colleano, 1946 (Item)

8vo, 2 pp.

ALS from 'Mrs Me Harding and Madeleine' to 'Mr Colleano', 1948 (Item)

221 Bow Common Lane, Burdett Rd, Bow. 8vo, 1 p. A charming fan letter.

ALS to 'Ruby Browne Colleano' from Bill Stansell, 1946 (Item)

[Melbourne]. 4to, 2 pp.

ALS to Rubye Colleano from 'Catherine' [possibly sister], 1947 (Item)

[New York]. 8vo, 4 pp. 'Was surprised to hear about Bonar Jr.'s marriage. I guess that situation upset you no end. Well Rubye dear we mothers must expect to be hurt by our children. They just don't think the way we do. We are old fashioned. I don't know how it is in London but I do know that the way the young people here think it just makes me sick. [...] I do hope that you and Bonar Sr. are happy with one another because I have come to the conclusion that we must be happy with our husbands and make the best of things.'

ALS to Rubye Colleano from 'Catherine', n.d. (Item)

on letterhead of the Fox and Hounds Club, Boston. 8vo, 4 pp. Postscript by daughter 'Floria'.

ALS to Rubye Colleano from 'Lois', 16 January (Item)

8vo, 2 pp.

ALS from June Collett to 'Rubye Darling', 1947 (Item)

c/o Mrs T. W. Laidlay of Melbourne, Australia; on letterhead of Lennons Hotel, Brisbane. 12mo, 4 pp. 'We were leaving Australia at the end of Jan, but Percy said, wait a little while longer & we'll go together, however he is now going to produce the March Show & Martin wants us to cut our salary, which Maurie won't do. We are here at Cremorne theatre for another 3 weeks & we'll either come then or within a couple of months I hope. Tommy Trinder went over very well here, just left Brisbane where he played for 1 week at £1500, is now going to Adelaide for one week & will go back to Sydney where he will leave for England. We were told from the office he cut us out of the show on account of Mamis impression of the Colonel. Don't repeat this darling, but I don't think he likes us very much.' Postmark 5 February.

ACS from 'F' to Rubye Colleano, c. 1933 (Item)

Postmarked Budapest.

First 4to page of an AL, author unnamed, to Rubye Colleano, 16 September (Item)

On letterhead of the Strathmore Hotel, Adelaide. 'Show is going along very well - our greatest disappointment is our orch. leader, Raymond Baird - gawd he's awful! Never does the same tempo twice the same. Murder!'

Series. Professional correspondence, 1929-1951

Also present are thirty-three miscellaneous items, including bills, receipts, telegrams, christmas cards, Rubye Colleano's Post Office Savings Bank Book, an insurance policy with Lloyd's of London, and a tag docketed by Rubye Colleano: 'This is the tag which was on my wedding frock when I bought it. It is a sweet little smock, all handmade lace.'

TLS to Rubye Colleano from David N. Martin, managing director, Tivoli Circuit Australia Pty. Ltd., 1946 (Item)

On the venue's Melbourne letterhead. 4to, 1 p. Confirming 'the booking of your exclusive professional services to appear in our Tivoli Revue STARS AND GARTERS opening in Melbourne On 29th July 1946.' Countersigned by Rubye Colleano.

Printed form, completed by a typewriter and signed by both parties, comprising an agreement between Stanley Woolf, 'Quality Stage and Floor Shows', 1579 Broadway, New York City, and Rubye Colleano, 1936 (Item)

On Woolf's letterhead.

TLS to Rubye Colleano from Captain Geoffrey N. Wikner., n.d. (Item)

On letterhead of the ' "Halifax" Exhibition Flight in aid of R.A.F. Benevolent Fund and R.A.A.F. Welfare Fund. 4to, 1 p. With a signed copy of Rubye Colleano's contract (folio, 2 pp) with Wikner, as 'the Co-adventurer', for a 'flight in a Halifax Aircraft to Australia', and unsigned first 4to page of covering letter from Wikner.

ALS from Mrs F. Atkinson to Rubye Colleano, 1942 (Item)

"Homeleigh" Commercial Hotel, Ipswich. 12mo, 2 pp.

TLS from [Illegible]Dickenson, Director of Smith, Englefield & Co. Limited, to Rubye Colleano, 1942 (Item)

On firm's letterhead. 4to, 1 p.

TLS from Jack Karter of J. Karter and Company, furriers, to Rubye Colleano, 1942 (Item)

On firm's letterhead. 4to, 1 p.

TLS from Jack Karter to Rubye Colleano, 1942 (Item)

On firm's letterhead. 4to, 1 p.

TLS from A. V. Drewe, general secretary, The Variety Artistes' Federation, to Rubye Colleano and BC, 1942 (Item)

On the Federation's letterhead. 4to, 1 p.

TL, with cyclostyled signature of Warren G. Price, Collector of Internal Revenue, Buffalo, New York, 1929 (Item)

On letterhead of the Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service, Brooklyn, New York. ConfirmatiOn that income tax returns have been filed for five family members.

TNS from Irene [Illegible] of Trott & Gentry, London solicitors, to 'Mrs. R. M. Colleano, Olivelli's, 35 Store St, London, 1940 (Item)

On firm's letterhead. 4to, 1 p.

TLS from N. Gold, director, New World Productions, to Rubye Colleano, 1947 (Item)

On firm's letterhead. 4to, 1 p. With two copies of the contract for Rubye Colleano to appear as 'American Woman' in the film 'Speaking of Spooks'. Both folio, 10 pp.

TLS on behalf of Jack Jacobus Ltd ('Specialists in Ladies' Smart Footwear'), 1939 (Item)

4to, 1 p.

ALS from Mrs A. Hindmarsh to Rubye Colleano ('Dear Sir'), 1942 (Item)

On letterhead of 116 Bunns Lane, Dudley, Worcestershire. 4to, 1 p. Postmark 4 September.

TLS to Rubye Colleano from Jimmy Green of the Victoria Music Publishing Company Ltd., 1942 (Item)

4to, 1 p.

TLS to Rubye Colleano from J. F. Crawshaw, Pictures Editor, Sunday Pictorial, 1951 (Item)

On the magazine's London letterhead. 8vo, 1 p.

Series. Professional photographs, 1920s-1940s

Thirty-six photographs of Colleano family members in a professional capacity, 1922-1938 (File)

A studio portrait (25 x 20 cm) of Con Colleano on a tightrope, dressed as a matador, inscribed by him '1938. | For Mario | My sincere good wishes | [signed] Con Colleano.' A coloured G. Maillard Kesslere studio photograph of Con's wife Winnie, inscribed 'To Dear Rubye & Bonar. Fond Love. Your Loving Sister. | [signed] Winnie. | 1929.'A coloured original photograph, 13 x 11.5 cm, of Winnie posing in circus costume in front of a trailer, within a customised birthday card to Rubye Colleano, signed 'Fondly | Sister Win'. A picture of a 'Halloween Party given in Nov. [1926] on the Circus', docketed by Rubye Colleano: 'The lady with her hand on Bonar [Bonar Colleano Jnr] is Miss Lillian Leitzel, a most marvellous ariel [sic] Performer & star of the Circus with May Wirth. She gave the party for the children & she just idolizes little Bonar'. A studio portrait of Bonar Colleano Jnr, 13.5 x 8.5 cm, signed by him 'Sincerely yours | Bonar Colleano'. Several photos of Rubye Colleano (three inscribed by her to her mother in 1922, in two of which she is in contortions). On the back of one photograph Rubye Colleano writes: 'This action picture taken in Hamburg (before the war of course) It is one of the flip flaps I do, at the end of my toe-routine . I do three of them - toe to toe - You can see I have just left the floor - I turn completely over landing on my toes - the preceding tricks I do in the last half of my toe number, are front & back bends toe to toe & a routine of kick-out russians preceding the flip flaps'. Several photographs of Bonar Colleano Jnr, including a couple of him horsing around with a comedy gang, and another of him judging a beauty contest. Also portrait of a young Bonar Colleano Jnr, is inscribed on his behalf (by Rubye Colleano) to his grandparents, and dated 'Palace Theatre New York City 1929'. Two photographs of Maurice Colleano and Rubye Colleano on stage at the Scala Theatre, Berlin, in 1933. Both docketed by Rubye Colleano (one note explaining the reason why her hair is 'just clasped back'). Also a publicity photograph of George Colleano, and a picture of the Colleano name in lights outside a German theatre (possibly the Scala in Berlin). With a few small publicity shots and calling cards of members of the Colleano family (three of Bonar Colleano Jnr) and others, including Lillian Leitzel, whose calling card shows her on a tightrope.

Eighteen inscribed photographs, mostly by theatrical entertainers (some German), ranging in size from 14 x 8.5 cm to 25.5 x 20 cm, n.d. (File)

Includes inscriptions by 'Hap Hazard and Mary', 'Ina', 'Babe', 'Bobbie', and 'Gerty and Hans Juvely'.

An envelope containing 27 small photographs and three negatives of a theatrical performance on a large stage, n.d. (File)

Series. Photographs - family photographs, 1920-1940s

Around 400 photographs, mostly taken outdoors, in a variety of locations including Australia (Elwood, St Kilda, and Largs Bay are noted), and including images of children and parents, posed groups, parties, functions, swimming, foreign climes, golf, tennis, pets), also a few of aircraft (possibly relating to the Wikner flight). Only a few relate to the stage (individuals performing or posing in costume, and two of a theatre facade advertising the 'Bonar Colleano Burlesque'). Bonar Colleano Jnr is recognisable in a few photographs, some showing him with his first wife Tamera Lees and his mother Rubye Colleano. One larger photograph shows three men, on safari, crouching over a dead aligator. A number are docketed on the reverse, in a number of hands, giving details of subjects and other information. Includes approximately 250 black and white photographs (some sepia), ranging in size from 5.5 x 4.5 cm to 10.5 x 15 cm. 99 contact prints (each 5.5 cm square). Eight negatives in a 'Münchner Photo-Kunst' wallet. Five negatives and 29 contact prints in a Kodac wallet, taken in the tropics, and possibly relating to the Wikner flight, above. One negative apiece in two Burden & Co wallets. One negative in Kodak envelope. Ten negatives in Alfred Newton & Sons (Leicester) wallet. Eleven negatives and Fourteen photographs of Bonar Colleano Snr and Rubye Colleano in Venice in two Kodak Wallets.

Series. Ephemera, 1923-1946

Programmes and advertisements relating to the Colleano family, 1930s-1940s (File)

Includes copy of programme for 'Centraltheater [Dresden] Juni 1936' show of 'Con Colleano und Kassners Zabesschau'; 4to, 8 pp, in printed wraps with cover in grey and red featuring photograph of Con Colleano on tightrope. Also programmes for the Scala Theater, Berlin; Shakespeare Theatre, Liverpool; Palace Theatre, Ramsgate; Tivoli Theatre, Melbourne; Lido, Bolton and the Royal Performance at the London Palladium in 1945. Also present are two invitations to the Royal Performance, one signed by the performing members of the Colleano family (led by Maurice, 'Variety's Dancing Funster').

Small collection of press cuttings and periodicals (Radio Times, What's On, Picturegoer) relating to the Colleano family, 1923-1946 (File)

Including a copy of the Parisian magazine Voila ('L'Hebdomadaire du Reportage'), 2 May 1936 (folio, 16 pp), with cover-story on Con Colleano, 'le Vainqueur du Vertige' ('Pour sauver sa famille le plus grand des funambules vivant s'est fait clown'). The story itself, by M.-L. Sondaz, with photographs, covers p. 7. The cover features a collage of images of Colleano, around a central portrait of him holding a dog.


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