Robert Hartung Papers
Collection
Identifier: UNMA 166
Scope and Content Note
The Robert Hartung Collection contains detailed scrapbooks of his years with NBC's Hallmark Hall of Fame series (1955-1970); family records (personal diaries, coat of arms, published family tree, family photo albums, book of natal memories, and report written by Lois Jay Hartung); scrapbooks (detailed accounts of years as a professional actor in New York City, his years at Cornell, Yale, and Simpson Universities, and his personal life in Iowa); his diplomas from both Yale and Cornell; Cornell yearbooks (The Royal Purple 1937-1940), and his Simpson yearbooks (The Zenith 1941-1942). The collection also includes photographs (head shots, family pictures, and professional photos), legal documents (a will and testament granting Robert Hartung the power of attorney and all related papers, royalty contracts for Little Hell, and insurance records); resumes; personal correspondence between Hartung and his family, friends, and colleagues; various awards (including four Directors Guild Awards, one Writers' Guild Award, and his Emmy Award for his television adaptation of Victoria Regina); scripts for plays he produced and/or directed (Our Town, The Fantasticks, and Follies); unautographed published scripts for which Hartung was associated with and autographed published works by friends, former students, colleagues, (including Madeleine L'Engle, Wolf Mankowitz, and Michelle Miller); posters from the Hallmark Hall of Fame, as well as various other productions, and costume/scenic designs. Among the University of New Mexico papers are his class notes (1979-1990), departmental memos, Rodey Views (1987-1994); season by season scrapbooks of UNM productions and Hartung's work with them (1972-1988); programs from both UNM and local theaters (including the Vortex, ACLOA, and the Albuquerque Little Theater); extensive files (by play in alphabetical order) that may include a script with notations, programs, promotional material, newspaper articles, cast and crew lists, scene breakdowns, and other materials.
Dates
- 1934-1996
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of print and photographic material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.
Biographical Note
Charles Robert Hartung was born in Mount Vernon, Iowa on March 6, 1917. Known as Bob, he showed an early interest in the theater. He spent his childhood writing plays and acting them out in his garage with the help of the neighborhood children. Hartung attended Mount Vernon High School, appearing in numerous plays, and graduated in 1935. In 1936, he was awarded a scholarship to the National Little Theater Movement's Summer Theater Colony when he was 19 years old. He performed in several productions at the camp, and then began work at Cornell University. Hartung was pledged into the Cornell Purple Masquers, an acting troupe, and worked with them. In 1939, Hartung took his final bow on the Cornell stage as the stage manager in Thorton Wilder's Our Town. He graduated from Cornell University with a BA in Speech in 1939. He then went on to do graduate work at Yale University in 1939 to earn his MFA. During his Yale years, he spent his summers as a guest director at Cornell University. Hartung took a break from his graduate studies to head the drama department at Simpson College in Iowa. He then resumed his work at Yale and was given a position on the staff. Hartung earned his MFA in 1942.
Hartung joined the Theodora Irvine Studio in 1944 and staged several productions as well as performed in various others. That same year, he was featured in Quicksand, by Theodore Tiller II, as Peter Simington at the Chanin Theater in New York City. He also played the part of a townsperson in Our Town at the City Center of Music in New York City. In a production of The Cherry Orchard, he played several bit parts and was understudy for the parts of Gaev and Lopanin. During the production of The Cherry Orchard, Hartung worked with Eva LeGalliene (with whom he would work with again in the Hallmark Hall of Fame series) and met his future friend and writing partner, Madeleine L'Engle. In 1945, Hartung went on tour with the company of Hamlet, starring Maurice Evans (with whom he also worked with in the Hallmark series), as the understudy for Bernardo and as an assistant stage manager. During this time, Hartung and Madeleine L'Engle penned the play, Little Hell, together. In 1946, Little Hell was produced by the Columbia Theater Associates of Columbia University and was very successful. Also that year, Hartung was assigned to an associate membership in the Dramatist Guild of the Authors League of America, Inc. In 1948, he became a director at Bard College in Annandale-on-the-Hudson, New York. In 1949, Theodora Irvine suffered a stroke. To keep he studio running, she granted Hartung the power of attorney and appointed him director until she could resume her duties. Between 1950 and 1954, Hartung traveled the country appearing as a guest director at many different theaters. In 1954, he broke into the television world as the associate director of The Sid Caesar Show and Your Lucky Strike Hit Parade.
In 1955, Hartung's multi-talents were snapped up by NBC's Hallmark Hall of Fame series. He produced, associate produced, and even directed many of Hallmark's productions. His most important job for the series, though, was adapting the works of playwrights for television. His work with Hallmark earned Bob three Emmy awards and eight nominations. He also won three Writers Guild Awards and four Directors Guild Awards. His thriving television career didn't stop his work in the theater. In 1956, he directed The Seven Year Itch and All On a Summer Day at the Spa Summer Theater in Saratoga Springs, New York. In 1955, he directed the off-Broadway hit, Teach Me How To Cry by Patricia Joudry, at the Theater de Lys. The play won rave reviews. In 1968, Hartung left the Hallmark Hall of Fame as well as a string of critically acclaimed productions.
In 1972, following a five-year stint in Hollywood, Hartung arrived at the University of New Mexico as the chairman of the brand-new theater arts department. He shaped the fledgling department into a successful program before he stepped down from his position in 1978 to concentrate on directing and teaching. He then began a playwriting program as well as a reader's theater so that students could create and hear their own works. In 1980, the Drama Department had grown four times its initial size. That same year, Hartung organized the first Rodey Playfest, where students performed their original works for the first time. During his career at UNM, he directed a number of successful plays and affected his students' lives with his nurturing and generous nature. He even played a large role in the Broadway success of one student -- Patti Cohenour. Hartung told Patti that she was too beautiful and talented for the local theaters and to leave UNM and head for Broadway. Patti followed his advice and walked into the coveted role of Christine Daae in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera (she was the first American to be cast in that role). Hartung's major productions at UNM included Stephen Sondheim's Follies in 1986, Thorton Wilder's Our Town in 1989, and Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's The Fantasticks in 1989. While directing Our Town and The Fantasticks, he organized a campaign for the Robert Hartung Endowed Playwriting Program. The program called for a collaboration between the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University's theater arts departments, expanding the New Play Marathon, a three year old play-reading program involving both UNM and NMSU, the permanent establishment of the Rodey New Playfest and the New Play Studio, and a semester-long course that brought together the elements of acting, set design, directing, and playwriting. The program's committee was headed by Patti Cohenour as chairperson, and Tyne Daly Brown, David Cryer, Joan H. Frank, Julie Harris, Madeleine L'Engle, Adrienne Luraschi, Tony Award winning playwright Mark Medoff, George Schaefer, Robinson Stone, Daniel Travanti, Sybil Trubin , and Gordon R. Wynne. At the same time, on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, Michael Ross, a former student, decide to open his own theater. In January 1990, Ross opened the doors to the Robert Hartung Theater, named affectionately for "Daddy Bob." In the spring semester of 1991, Hartung retired with a bang when he was 73 years old. The University of New Mexico threw a huge retirement party which they lovingly dubbed the "Dr. Bobfest." Former students, colleagues, and friends, came to honor Daddy Bob for his unfailing love, support, and inspiration. Retirement didn't stop Hartung from being active in the theater -- he continued to involve himself in various productions. Robert Hartung died on March 9, 1999 at the age of 81.
Hartung joined the Theodora Irvine Studio in 1944 and staged several productions as well as performed in various others. That same year, he was featured in Quicksand, by Theodore Tiller II, as Peter Simington at the Chanin Theater in New York City. He also played the part of a townsperson in Our Town at the City Center of Music in New York City. In a production of The Cherry Orchard, he played several bit parts and was understudy for the parts of Gaev and Lopanin. During the production of The Cherry Orchard, Hartung worked with Eva LeGalliene (with whom he would work with again in the Hallmark Hall of Fame series) and met his future friend and writing partner, Madeleine L'Engle. In 1945, Hartung went on tour with the company of Hamlet, starring Maurice Evans (with whom he also worked with in the Hallmark series), as the understudy for Bernardo and as an assistant stage manager. During this time, Hartung and Madeleine L'Engle penned the play, Little Hell, together. In 1946, Little Hell was produced by the Columbia Theater Associates of Columbia University and was very successful. Also that year, Hartung was assigned to an associate membership in the Dramatist Guild of the Authors League of America, Inc. In 1948, he became a director at Bard College in Annandale-on-the-Hudson, New York. In 1949, Theodora Irvine suffered a stroke. To keep he studio running, she granted Hartung the power of attorney and appointed him director until she could resume her duties. Between 1950 and 1954, Hartung traveled the country appearing as a guest director at many different theaters. In 1954, he broke into the television world as the associate director of The Sid Caesar Show and Your Lucky Strike Hit Parade.
In 1955, Hartung's multi-talents were snapped up by NBC's Hallmark Hall of Fame series. He produced, associate produced, and even directed many of Hallmark's productions. His most important job for the series, though, was adapting the works of playwrights for television. His work with Hallmark earned Bob three Emmy awards and eight nominations. He also won three Writers Guild Awards and four Directors Guild Awards. His thriving television career didn't stop his work in the theater. In 1956, he directed The Seven Year Itch and All On a Summer Day at the Spa Summer Theater in Saratoga Springs, New York. In 1955, he directed the off-Broadway hit, Teach Me How To Cry by Patricia Joudry, at the Theater de Lys. The play won rave reviews. In 1968, Hartung left the Hallmark Hall of Fame as well as a string of critically acclaimed productions.
In 1972, following a five-year stint in Hollywood, Hartung arrived at the University of New Mexico as the chairman of the brand-new theater arts department. He shaped the fledgling department into a successful program before he stepped down from his position in 1978 to concentrate on directing and teaching. He then began a playwriting program as well as a reader's theater so that students could create and hear their own works. In 1980, the Drama Department had grown four times its initial size. That same year, Hartung organized the first Rodey Playfest, where students performed their original works for the first time. During his career at UNM, he directed a number of successful plays and affected his students' lives with his nurturing and generous nature. He even played a large role in the Broadway success of one student -- Patti Cohenour. Hartung told Patti that she was too beautiful and talented for the local theaters and to leave UNM and head for Broadway. Patti followed his advice and walked into the coveted role of Christine Daae in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera (she was the first American to be cast in that role). Hartung's major productions at UNM included Stephen Sondheim's Follies in 1986, Thorton Wilder's Our Town in 1989, and Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's The Fantasticks in 1989. While directing Our Town and The Fantasticks, he organized a campaign for the Robert Hartung Endowed Playwriting Program. The program called for a collaboration between the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University's theater arts departments, expanding the New Play Marathon, a three year old play-reading program involving both UNM and NMSU, the permanent establishment of the Rodey New Playfest and the New Play Studio, and a semester-long course that brought together the elements of acting, set design, directing, and playwriting. The program's committee was headed by Patti Cohenour as chairperson, and Tyne Daly Brown, David Cryer, Joan H. Frank, Julie Harris, Madeleine L'Engle, Adrienne Luraschi, Tony Award winning playwright Mark Medoff, George Schaefer, Robinson Stone, Daniel Travanti, Sybil Trubin , and Gordon R. Wynne. At the same time, on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, Michael Ross, a former student, decide to open his own theater. In January 1990, Ross opened the doors to the Robert Hartung Theater, named affectionately for "Daddy Bob." In the spring semester of 1991, Hartung retired with a bang when he was 73 years old. The University of New Mexico threw a huge retirement party which they lovingly dubbed the "Dr. Bobfest." Former students, colleagues, and friends, came to honor Daddy Bob for his unfailing love, support, and inspiration. Retirement didn't stop Hartung from being active in the theater -- he continued to involve himself in various productions. Robert Hartung died on March 9, 1999 at the age of 81.
Extent
22 boxes (16.5 cu. ft.)
- Title
- Finding Aid of the Robert Hartung Papers, 1934-1996
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- Processed by CSWR staff
- Date
- ©2004
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Revision Statements
- June 28, 2004: PUBLIC "-//University of New Mexico::Center for Southwest Research//TEXT (US::NmU::UNMA 166::Robert Hartung Papers)//EN" "nmu1unma166.sgml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15).
- Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu