Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Byron McGrath papers, 1926-1993
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- McGrath, Byron, 1909-1983
- Title
- Byron McGrath papers
- Dates
- 1926-1993 (inclusive)19261993
- Quantity
- 2.25 linear feet, (5 boxes)
- Collection Number
- ACCN 2529
- Summary
- The Byron McGrath papers (1926-1993) consist of materials regarding the personal and professional lives of both Byron McGrath and Grace Coppin McGrath as actors, teachers, and philanthropists.
- 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
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Byron McGrath (1909-1983) was born in New York City and studied at the American Laboratory Theatre. McGrath studied acting, directing, theatre history, drama structure, dance, phonetics, and voice projection from multiple well-known professionals in New York as well as Literature and Speech at Columbia University. Then with the Cleveland Playhouse (1929-1930) and the University Players (1930), McGrath continued to star in Playhouse and Broadway productions. McGrath continued his studies with various individuals and Universities as he directed many off-Broadway productions and performed on radio shows.
In 1939, McGrath, along with his wife, toured the U.S. and played on Broadway with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne in The Taming of the Shrew. McGrath joined the United States Army in 1943 and was assigned on various occasions to give instruction to army officers on communication. After being discharged from the army, McGrath returned to New York to produce and star in productions such as How I Wonder, Command Decision, and Rip Van Winkle. In 1952, McGrath opened an ice cream plant in Ecuador where he ran the plant and taught English for two years. McGrath then came to Salt Lake City, Utah to open a restaurant but then became an Assistant Professor of Theatre for the University of Utah's College of Fine Arts.
Grace Coppin McGrath (1910-1993) was born in Murray, Utah where she received her first acting position in the play Jacob Hamblin. Grace attended UCLA where she played roles at the Pasadena Playhouse as well as working with radio. In 1936, Grace went to New York City for a job in radio and received her first lead in a Broadway musical, Fireman's Flame the following year. It was during her involvement with the part that Grace met Byron McGrath. They were married before they toured performing The Taming of the Shrew. Grace continued to star in multiple productions as well as various motion pictures and radio soap operas. After having a son, Coppin became more involved with the role of theater in her community and began organizing a Youth Theatre in New York City. After going with Byron McGrath to Ecuador, they both came to Salt Lake City where she continued to act in multiple productions for Pioneer Memorial Theatre.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Byron McGrath papers consist of correspondence and periodicals relating to both Byron McGrath and Grace Coppin McGrath's personal lives and professional career. The papers also consist of documents, playbills, and scripts for the various productions performed and produced by both Byron and Grace.
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
Arrangement
This collection is arranged, first, with personal documents which are followed by choronologically organized correspondence. These documents are followed by writings and miscellaneous collected publications. The collection then contains documents regarding various productions alphabetically organized. Final documents are collected newspaper clippings.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Personal and professional materialsReturn to Top
This series contains documents relating to the personal lives of Byron McGrath and Grace Coppin McGrath. Documents relate to correspondence, financial documents, and biographical information.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Biographical and financial documents Documents in this folder include multiple drafts of Byron McGrath's biographical sketch as well as his resume.
|
1951-1993 |
| 1 | 2 | Notes and teaching material |
|
| 1 | 3 | Grace Coppin McGrath honors and awards This folder contains a brief biological description of Coppin in the presentation of an Honorary Life Membership to the University of Utah Women's Club.
|
1942-1978 |
| 1 | 4 | Grace McGrath University termination This folder contains related correspondence as well as documents relating to the termination of Grace McGrath's employment from the University of Utah's Theatre Department
|
1961-1962 |
| 1 | 5 | Pictures Documents in this folder accompany corresponding pictures.
|
|
| 1 | 6 | Pioneer Memorial Theatre surveys |
1966 |
| 1 | 7-8 | General Correspondence |
1940-1988 |
| 1 | 9 | Telegrams Notable telegrams in this folder are from well-known figures such as Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt, Tamara Daykarhanova and Maria Ouspenskaya.
|
1936-1978 |
| 1 | 10 | Cards |
1956-1978 |
| 1 | 11 | Thank you card |
|
| 1 | 12 | Child's letter to Grace Coppin McGrath |
Writings and newslettersReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 2 | 1 | Writings |
|
| 2 | 2 | Grant Gottschall Writings |
|
| 2 | 3 | Equity |
1941 |
| 2 | 4 | Radio Best |
1950 |
| 2 | 5 | University of Utah annual commencements |
1964; 1978 |
| 2 | 6 | The New Republic |
ProductionsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 3 | 1 |
Aladdin, Grace McGrath |
1964 |
| 3 | 2 | Angel Street |
1942; 1958 |
| 3 | 3 | Antigone |
1963 |
| 3 | 4 | Army documents Documents in this folder relate to radio and theatre productions to which Byron McGrath was involved.
|
1943-1945 |
| 3 | 5 | Calculated Risk |
1965 |
| 3 | 6 |
The Investigation, director's copy |
|
| 3 | 7 |
The Investigation, Byron McGrath |
1973 |
| 3 | 8 | Kind Oedipus |
|
| 3 | 9 | Lysistrata |
|
| 4 | 1 | Macbeth |
1958 |
| 4 | 2 | Man of la Mancha |
|
| 4 | 3 |
Married to Murder, G. T. Fleming-Roberts |
|
| 4 | 4 | Men in White |
|
| 4 | 5 |
My Friend Freddy, Grace McGrath |
|
| 4 | 6 | The New Republic |
1934 |
| 4 | 7 | The Subject Was Roses |
1967 |
| 4 | 8 | Collected playbills |
1929-1979 |
| 4 | 9 | Summer theatre |
1937-1946 |
| 4 | 10 | Musical booklets |
1961-1962 |
| 4 | 11 | Barefoot in the Park |
1968 |
| 4 | 12 | University of Utah plays and operas |
1971-1973 |
Clippings and publicationsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 5 | 1-3 | Newspaper clippings |
1931-1983 |
| 5 | 4 | General publications |
1974-1990 |
| 5 | 5 | High school articles |
1926 |
| 5 | 6 | Advertisements |
1947-1978 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Actors--New York (State) --Archives
- Actors--Utah--Archives
- Theater--Utah--Sources
Personal Names
- McGrath, Byron, 1909-1983--Archives
- McGrath, Grace Coppin, 1910-1993--Archives
Corporate Names
- University of Utah. Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre--Sources
Form or Genre Terms
- Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
- Drama
- Newsletters
- Personal correspondence
- Telegrams
- Theater programs
Finding aid created by Esabelle Khaosanga
2015 (last modified: 2020)
