AHJ_ah06736 Inventory of the Mary Jane Irving Papers, 1917-1956 Irving (Mary Jane) Papers Processed by D.C. Thompson The creation of the EAD-version of this finding aid was made possible through a grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
American Heritage Center Dept. 3924, 1000 E. University Avenue University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071 Phone: 307.766.2574 Fax:307.766.5511 Email:ahcref@uwyo.edu URL:http://ahc.uwyo.edu/
2006

University of Wyoming

 Finding aid encoded by Ann Mulfort January 2006 Finding aid is in English Mary Jane Irving Papers, 1917-1956 Collection number: 06736 University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center. Publication date: 2006 Contact Information American Heritage Center Dept. 3924, 1000 E. University Avenue University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071 Phone: 307.766.2574 Fax:307.766.5511 Email:ahcref@uwyo.edu URL:http://ahc.uwyo.edu/ June 2005

"©" 2006 University of Wyoming

 Collection Summary Irving, Mary Jane, b. 1914 Mary Jane Irving Papers 1917-1956 06736 1 cubic ft. (3 boxes) University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center. English Mary Jane Irving was a child actress between 1917 and 1926. She was featured in films with William S. Hart, Hobart Bosworth, Sessue Hayakawa, and Bessie Barriscale. The collection includes correspondence, motion picture stills and other photographs, a scrapbook, and publicity materials. Biography of Mary Jane Irving

Mary Jane Irving began her film career at the age of two. Thomas Ince called her “my first real find in pictures.” She was featured with William S. Hart in “The Square Deal Man” in 1917 and became a popular child star of the silent film era. She worked for Cecil B. DeMille in “Patriotism” in 1918 and “The Godless Girl” in 1928. Robert Brunton cast her in a number of his films. She did several films each with William S. Hart, Bessie Barriscale, and Sessue Hayakawa. She appeared with Hobart Bosworth in “His Own Law” in 1920. In 1922 she traveled to Tahiti to shoot “Lost and Found” on location. Her popularity continued until about 1926, but as she entered her teenage years roles became less frequent. She was largely relegated to secondary and non-speaking roles. Irving married screenwriter Robert Carson in 1938. She died in 1983.

 Scope and Content

The Mary Jane Irving Papers contain photographs, including stills from some of Irving’s motion pictures, portraits, and a number of candid shots. There are snapshots from her trip to Tahiti in 1922 showing shipboard and island life. There is publicity material, including periodicals and a scrapbook of press clippings. Also included are letters from friends and fans (1919-1932) and letters from Robert Carson to Mary Jane Irving Carson (1930s-1940s).

 Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

 Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

 Related Materials

There are no other known archival collections created by Mary Jane Irving as of the date of processing. The Robert Carson Papers are housed at Boston University.

 Acquisition Information

The papers were received from Mary Jane Carson in 1983.

 Processing Information

The collection was processed by D.C. Thompson in June 2005.

 Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Mary Jane Irving Papers, 1917-1956, Collection Number 06736, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

 Access Terms Barriscale, Bessie, ca. 1884-1965. Hart, William S. Silent films. Photographs. Motion picture actors and actresses. Child actors. <?xm-replace_text {Title as Subject}?> Carson, Robert, 1909- Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Performing Arts Container List 1 1 Correspondence 1919-1932 1 2 Correspondence - Christmas cards 1920s 1 3-9 Correspondence - “Love Letters” (from Robert Carson) 1936-1939, 1942, 1944-1945, 1956, no dates Photographs – Motion Pictures: 1 10 Brand 1919 1 11 Brand of Lopez 1920 1 12 Broken Doll 1920 1 13 Bugle Call no dates 1 14 A Certain Rich Man 1921 1 15 Cheri Bibi (Phantom of Paris) 1931 1 16 Cordelia the Magnificent 1921 1 17 Cradle 1922 1 18 Daughter of the Brahma 1919 1 19 Don’t Call It Love circa 1922 1 20 Fair Week 1924 1 21 Flaming Forest 1925 1 22 Four Sons 1927 1 23 Girl’s Dormitory circa 1931 1 24 Godless Girl 1928 1 25 Golden Bed circa 1925 1 26 Golden Dreams 1922 1 27 Golden Harvest no dates 1 28 Good Bad Boy 1925 1 29 Grey Horizon 1919 1 30 Heart of a Fool circa 1922 1 31 His Own Law 1920 1 32 Home Stretch circa 1920 1 33 Live Sparks 1919 1 34 Lord Loves the Irish 1919 1 35 Lost and Found (Captain Blackbird) 1922 1 36 Man’s Country 1919 1 37 An Old Sweetheart of Mine 1923 1 38 Patriotism 1917-1918 1 39 Shamrock Handicap circa 1925 1 40 Shining Adventure 1926 1 41 Song o’ My Heart 1930 1 42 Splendid Road 1925 1 43 Temple of Dusk 1918 1 44 Unbeliever 1920 1 45 Wedlock (Heart of Rachel) 1919 1 46 White Lie (A Wife’s Conscience) 1918 1 47 Without Honor 1931 1 48 Woman Who Understood 1920 1 49 Unidentified stills no dates Photographs – People: 2 1 Barriscale, Bessie 1919-1920s 2 2 Carson, Robert no dates

Writers Guild of America strike

 2 3 Friends 1918-circa 1980s 2 4 Hart, William S. 1917-1919 2 5 Irving, Mary Jane 1917-1923 2 6 Irving, Mary Jane and Others circa 1917-circa 1931 2 7 Tahiti 1922 2 8 Tahiti, Figi, New Guinea, etc. 1924-1928 2 9 Publicity 1921-1928 2 10 Publicity – Periodicals 1921-1922, 1930 2 11 Miscellaneous 1922, no dates

Souvenirs of Tahiti, etc.

 3 Oversize publicity clippings 1923-1925 3 Poster (rolled), “The Cradle” 1922 3 Scrapbook of press clippings circa 1917-1932 Safe Envelope Autograph book no dates Safe Envelope Correspondence and photographs 1920-1923