Scope and Content Note
The papers of Ruth Gordon (1896-1985) span the years 1924-1969, with the bulk of the material concentrated between 1940 and 1969. Included in the collection are correspondence, scripts, financial records, and other material relating mainly to the plays and motion pictures in which Gordon appeared. The papers are organized into four series: General Correspondence; Articles, Drama, and Motion Picture File; Financial Records; and Miscellany.
The General Correspondence consists mainly of letters received by Gordon, with only a scattered number of her replies. The correspondence relates primarily to her career as an actress and author and includes a substantial number of letters of particular interest from Edna Ferber, Alex Guinness, Vivien Leigh, Anita Loos, and Robert Morse.
Included in the Articles, Drama, and Motion Picture File are scripts and screenplays (many in sequential drafts that show the evolution of the work into its final form), financial records, publicity material, and reviews of the works. There is also correspondence relating to specific plays and motion pictures. A group of financial records contain Gordon's bank statements and cancelled checks for the years 1937-1957.