Ralph Elliott Margetts papers, 1926-1980s

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Margetts, Ralph Elliott, 1903-
Title
Ralph Elliott Margetts papers
Dates
1926-1980s (inclusive)
Quantity
4 linear feet
Collection Number
MS 0603
Summary
The Ralph Elliott Margetts papers (1926-1980s) consist mainly of theater programs for plays which were acted in or directed by Margetts. Ralph Margetts (b. 1909) was a professor of drama at the University of Utah and an actor and director in Salt Lake City.
Repository
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Ralph Elliott Margetts was born in Salt Lake City on March 7, 1909, to an already well-known acting family. His first professional acting roll came in 1926 when he was featured in "Pictures in the Hallway," at the Salt Lake Theatre. One year after completing high school he served a mission for the L.D.S. Church in France and Belgium, from 1928 to 1931. While there he learned to speak French. This ability later helped him launch his acting career. Upon his return, he went to work for an uncle in Aspen, Colorado, as a gold miner. Two years later he returned to Salt Lake City to attend L.D.S. Business College. After completion of his study of stenography, he made a trip to Hollywood where he met a friend who encouraged him to audition at the Gateway Theater. Because he was able to speak with a French accent, he got a part in Orson Welles' play "The Ideal Husband." Since this role was not salaried work, he worked as a shoe salesman to support himself. Later he was to supplement his income by working as a make-up artist for Max Factor at some of the leading studios.

When the United States entered World War II, Margetts joined the Navy and was assigned to a station in San Francisco. While in the Navy he met and married Winnifred Snell, who was also in the Navy. They were married on March 13, 1943. He served in the Navy until 1947. Attending the University of Utah on the G.I. Bill after the war, Margetts earned his B.A. and M.A. After completing his studies, he taught French, Speech, and Theater at the University for two years. In 1953, Margetts joined the faculty at Chico State College in California, where he was director of the theater. Later he served on the faculty at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois. He returned to the University of Utah in 1957 to teach Speech and Drama, and to direct at the University Theater. Margetts received his Ph.D. in 1959 from the University of Utah. He retired in 1976.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Ralph Elliott Margetts papers (1926-1980s) consist mainly of theater programs for plays which were acted in or directed by Margetts. Some news clippings, correspondence, and other materials are also included.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Preferred Citation

Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Gift of Ralph Elliott Margetts.

Processing Note

Processed by Gary Wright in 1991 and 1993.

Separated Materials

Photographs were transferred to the Multimedia Division of Special Collections (P0356).

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1
"Pictures in the Hallway"
1926
1 2
"Seven Keys to Baldpate"
1926
1 3
"The Barretts"
1941
1 4
"The Petrified Forest"
1949
1 5
"Rip Van Winkle"
1951
1 6
"Flibbity Gibbets"
1951
1 7
"Bell for Adano"
1952
1 8
"Happy Time"
1952
1 9
"Tovaritch"
1952
1 10
"Affairs of State"
1953
1 11
"Tiger at the Gate"
1957
1 12
"Janus"
1957
1 13
"The Barber of Seville"
1958
1 14
"Desperate Hours"
1958
1 15
"Anastasia"
1958
1 16
"The Medium"
1959
1 17
"Hin und Zuruck"
1959
1 18
"Holiday for Lovers"
1959
1 19
"Separate Tables"
1959
1 20
"Trouble in Tahiti"
1960
1 21
"Pygmalion"
1960
1 22
"The Rivals"
1960
1 23
"Robinhood"
1960
2 1
"Green Pastures"
1960
2 2
"The Male Animal"
1960
2 3
"The Golden Fleecing"
1961
2 4
"Kind Lady"
1961
2 5
"Don Quixote"
1962
2 6
"Bell, Book and Candle"
1962
2 7
"Twelve Angry Men"
1962
2 8
"The Marriage Go Round"
1962
2 9
"An Evening in Social Hall"
1962
2 10
"Rhinoceros"
1962
2 11
"The Matchmaker"
1963
2 12
"The Royal Gambit"
1963
2 13
"Rave On"
1963
2 14
"The Wizard of Oz"
1963
2 15
"The Misanthrope"
1964
3 1
"Cavalleria" and "Gianni Schicchi"
1964
3 2
"The Ascent of Oscar Cable"
1964
3 3
"Murder in the Cathedral"
1964
3 4
"Life With Father"
1965
3 5
"The Caretaker"
1967
3 6
"Pippi Longstocking"
1967
3 7
"Promised Valley"
1967
3 8
"Half a Sixpence"
1967
3 9
"Heidi"
1968
4 1
"The Boys from Syracuse"
1968
4 2
"The Mikado"
1968
4 3
"The Canterville Ghost"
1969
4 4
"Walk in the Wind"
1969
4 5
"The Apple Tree"
1970
4 6
"Cactus Flower"
1970
4 7
"Of Thee I Sing"
1971
4 8
"God's in the Closet"
1971
4 9
"Plaza Suite"
1972
4 10
"The Scepter and the Crown"
1972
4 11
"Witness for the Prosecution"
1974
5 1
"The Great Waltz"
1975
5 2
"Julia," Play by Ralph Margetts
1975
5 3
"Second Daniel"
1975
5 4-5
Young Men's Improvement Assoc. Drama
1975

ProgramsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
6 1
Deseret Theatre
6 2
University of Utah Summer Festival
1940s-1950s
6 3
Unviersity Theatre
1950s-1960s
6 4
Little Theater and Young People's Theater
1950s
6 5
Playbox Theater
1950s
6 6
Salt Lake Theater History and Clippings
7 1
American Theater/Cinebill
1970s-1980s
7 2
Babcock Theater
1970s-1980s
7 3
Curran Theater
1970s-1980s
7 4-5
Pioneer Memorial Theater
1970s-1980s
7 6-7
Pioneer Theater Company
1970s-1980s
7 8
Promised Valley Playhouse
1970s-1980s
7 9
University of Utah Theater
1970s-1980s
7 10
Utah Shakespearean Festival
1970s-1980s

Programs and AddendumReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
8 1
Ballet West
1980s
8 2-3
Utah Opera Company
1980s
8 4
Utah Symphony
1980s
8 5
Correspondence
1969

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Actresses--Utah--Biography--Drama
  • Theater--Utah--History--Sources

Personal Names

  • Hayne, Julia Dean--Drama
  • Margetts, Ralph Elliott, 1903- --Archives

Form or Genre Terms

  • Clippings
  • Notes
  • Programs
  • Scripts (documents)