Ann Preston Bridgers Papers, 1915-1946

Summary

Creator:
Bridgers, Ann Preston.
Abstract:

Correspondence, writings, newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs, and other materials of Ann Preston Bridgers (1891-1967), North Carolina actress and writer. Most of the collection consists of drafts and other materials relating to plays, novels, and short stories written by Bridgers. There is a large body of material relating to John C. Calhoun, apparently collected by Bridgers as background for her play, "This Beautiful Structure." The remainder of the collection consists of letters from family members and friends, including letters from George Abbott, with whom Bridgers collaborated on the play "Coquette," and letters from her brother- in-law, Jonathan Daniels; business correspondence and other material relating to a controversy over the rights to "Coquette"; and photographs.

Extent:
330 items (2.0 linear feet)
Language:
Materials in English
Library Catalog Link:
View UNC library catalog record for this item

Background

Biographical / historical:

Ann Preston Bridgers (1 May 1891-3 May 1967), teacher and actress, was born in Raleigh, N.C.. During most of her childhood, she lived in Adrian, Ga., with her parents, Annie Preston Cain of Hillsborough, N.C., and Robert Rufus Bridgers, Jr., of Wilmington, N.C.. She had two sisters, Elizabeth Bridgers Daniels (Mrs. Jonathan) and Emily Norfleet Bridgers; and one brother, Robert Rufus Bridgers, Jr. Bridgers attended Mary Baldwin Seminary in Staunton, Va., and then Smith College in Northampton, Mass., where she received a B.A. degree in 1915.

After her graduation from Smith, she studied with the Henry Jewett Players of Boston, where she played a few minor roles. Returning to Raleigh, she taught in the public schools and served with the Selective Service Bureau. She went overseas in 1919 with the Smith College Unit of the YMcirca Returning to Raleigh, she opened a gift shop and became president of the Raleigh Community Players.

In 1923, she sold her gift shop, moved to New York, and enrolled in drama school. There, according to a New York Times article entitled "And Who is Ann Preston Bridgers?""she trifled with fencing, costuming, designing, carpentry, diction, dancing and even acting, the latter a purely academic interest inspired by a desire to familiarize herself with the fundamentals of the theatre per se."

For several years after 1923, she enjoyed considerable success in the theater, beginning as understudy for Lynn Fontanne in Dulcy. Her first major role was as Mrs. Bercovitch in Fall Guy; she also portrayed two offstage voices, one Irish and one Jewish. Her next role was as the original Katie, the cigarette girl, in Broadway. By this time she had begun writing a play, Norma, which when submitted to George Abbott impressed him so favorably that he agreed to collaborate with her. Together they produced the hit show Coquette, in which Bridgers played a supporting role to Helen Hayes, the star, both on Broadway and on the road. For Coquette, Ann Bridgers received the Theatre Club's award for "the most pleasing play of 1927-28."

Forsaking Broadway, Bridgers traveled extensively in Europe for a few years and, in 1933, moved permanently to Raleigh, where she became active in the Civic Music Association. She was also a member of the board of the Literary and Historical Association, an editor of the Survey of Federal Records, an occasional contributor to the Raleigh Times and News and Observer, and an early moving spirit in the formation of the Raleigh Little Theatre.

An ardent Christian Scientist, Bridgers died in Raleigh after a long illness and was buried in Oakdale Cemetery, Wilmington.

SOURCE: Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, vol. 1, p. 222.

Scope and content:

Correspondence, writings, newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs, and other materials of Ann Preston Bridgers (1891-1967), North Carolina actress and writer. Most of the collection consists of drafts and other materials relating to plays, novels, and short stories written by Bridgers. There is a large body of material relating to John C. Calhoun, apparently collected by Bridgers as background for her play, "This Beautiful Structure." The remainder of the collection consists of letters from family members and friends, including letters from George Abbott, with whom Bridgers collaborated on the play "Coquette," and letters from her brother- in-law, Jonathan Daniels; business correspondence and other material relating to a controversy over the rights to "Coquette"; and photographs.

Acquisition information:

Received from Elizabeth Daniels Squire (Mrs. C.B.) of Weaverville, N.C., in September 1976 and January 1982.

Processing information:

Processed by: Gina Overcash, September 1987

Encoded by: ByteManagers Inc., 2008

Sensitive materials statement:

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.

Access and use

Restrictions to access:

No restrictions. Open for research.

Restrictions to use:

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

No usage restrictions.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], in the Ann Preston Bridgers papers #4105, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Special Collections Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Location of this collection:
Louis Round Wilson Library
200 South Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27515
Contact:
(919) 962-3765
wilsonlibrary@unc.edu