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J. Bryan Papers
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Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
Joseph Bryan was born April 30, 1904 in Virginia. He was part of the Princeton University class of 1927, where he cultivated an interest in the journalism industry. During his writing career, he worked for the Chicago Journal, Time, Fortune, and The New Yorker. He also served as managing editor for Town and Country and associate editor at the Saturday Evening Post. He served in the United States army from 1942 until the end of World War II, following which he wrote several popular novels. He married Elizabeth McIntosh in 1930 and had two children with her. He died April 3, 1993.
The collection contains letters to Bryan and the corrected typescript and page proofs of Merry Gentlemen (And One Lady) (1985) by Bryan (Princeton Class of 1927), which contains biographical portraits of such humorists as Robert Benchley, Nunnally Johnson, S. J. Perelman, Dorothy Parker, and other writers who were connected with the Algonquin Round Table and The New Yorker. The letters to Bryan are from three of his fellow humorists and friends, H. Allen Smith (about 160 letters, 1954-1976), Frank Sullivan (about 100 letters, 1938-1975), and Finis Farr, Princeton Class of 1926 (about 500 letters, 1935-1981). Also included is a typescript, with holograph corrections, of "Man of Letters: Finis Farr, 1904-1982," with an inscription to Bryan's friend Glen Perry.
The following standard abbreviations, or their variations, are used to identify materials in this collection: ACS = autograph card signed, ALsS = autograph letters signed, TLS = typewritten letter signed, TMs = typewritten manuscript.
The letters are arranged chronologically.
The following sources were consulted during preparation of biographical note: Princeton Alumni Weekly.
Gift of the author and Mrs. Joseph Bryan III.
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
This collection was processed by Barbara Volz in 1993. Finding aid written by Barbara Volz in 1993.
Biography written by Alyxandra Cullen, '09.
No appraisal information is available.
People
- Benchley, Robert, 1889-1945
- Farr, Finis, 1904-1982
- Johnson, Nunnally
- Parker, Dorothy, 1893-1967.
- Perelman, S.J. (Sidney Joseph), 1904-1979
- Smith, H. Allen (Harry Allen), 1907-1976
- Sullivan, Frank, 1892-1982
Organization
Subject
- American wit and humor -- New York (N.Y.) -- 20th century
- Humorists, American -- New York -- 20th century
Place
Occupation
- Publisher
- Manuscripts Division
- Finding Aid Author
- Barbara Volz
- Finding Aid Date
- 1997
- Access Restrictions
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Collection is open for research use.
- Use Restrictions
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Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.
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