Willis Marks Papers
Abstract
Willis (Willie) Marks (1865-1952) was a screen actor in silent films and a stage actor. He directed his first plays in his hometown of Rochester, Minn. and by the 1888/1889 season he worked in St. Paul, Minn. During the early 1900's he moved to Los Angeles, Calif. and in 1910 played a minor part in the silent film, Over the Garden Wall. He was a member of the cast in the silent films: Mysterious Mrs. M (1917); The Unknown soldier (1917); The Jack-knife... man (1920); Traveling on (1922); and Abraham Lincoln (1924). He worked in films from 1916-1926. He and his wife Carroll Marshall produced plays for the Burbank Theater. The collection consists of promptbooks, property plots, property lists, music plots, scene (set) plots, light plots, and sides that belonged to screen and stage actor Willis Marks along with scripts for late 19th century and early 20th century stock theater plays.
See moreDates
- 1841-1926
Biographical / Historical
Willis Marks was born August 20, 1865 in Rochester, Minnesota. He directed his first plays locally and by the 1888-1989 season was working in the theater in St. Paul. During the next decade he moved to Los Angeles. He played a minor part in the silent film Over the Garden Wall in 1910, and worked in films from 1916 to 1926, primarily as an actor. He and his wife, Carroll Marshall, also produced plays for the Burbank Theater. He died on December 6,... 1952 in Los Angeles.
See moreExtent
1.0 Linear Feet (1 container)
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of the various scene (set) plots, property plots, music plots, lighting plots, scripts, cue sheets, and ''sides'' made or used by Willis Marks between 1841 and 1926 in his work as a stage director and manager. The 36 plays are organized alphabetically by title. For most plays there are only a few items, such as cue sheets, a property plot, or a music plot. For The Bad Man there are ten ''sides,'' booklets with the lines of one character and cues for the actor. The plays included in the collection are primarily late 19th and early 20th century stock theater plays by well-known playwrights of the day.
Arrangement
The papers are arranged in one series:; 1. Productions, 1841-1926.;
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift from the International Theatre Institute, 1965.
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and Archives Repository