Title: Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1927-1961

Creators:

• Goodrich, Frances
• Hackett, Albert

Call Number: U.S. Mss 21AN; M97-231

Quantity: 6.8 cubic feet (15 archives boxes, 2 flat boxes); plus additions of 0.4 cubic feet

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society Archives / Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research
Contact Information

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Papers of Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, a husband-wife writing team who collaborated on many stage and motion picture productions. Included are scripts and drafts, clippings, correspondence, explanatory notes, and memorabilia. Especially well documented is The Diary of Anne Frank (1955), for which the Hacketts wrote both the Pulitzer Prize-winning play and the motion picture (20th Century-Fox, 1959). These files contain letters on the writing, translation, and production of both versions, variant drafts and scripts, financial records, publicity, and papers relating to the awards won by the play. Many letters exchanged between 1953 and 1961 by the Hacketts and Otto Frank, the father of Anne, offer insights into the couple's research and composition techniques. Other noteworthy screen credits which are represented in the collection are Ah, Wilderness (MGM, 1935), Easter Parade (MGM, 1948), Father of the Bride (MGM, 1950), Father's Little Dividend (MGM, 1951), Naughty Marietta (MGM, 1935), Rose Marie (MGM, 1936), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (MGM, 1954), several from the Thin Man series (MGM, 1935), and Watch on the Rhine (Warner Bros., 1943).

Note:

There is a restriction on access to this material; see the Administrative/Restriction Information portion of this finding aid for details.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-us0021an

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Frances Goodrich was born December 21, 1890 in Belleville, New Jersey. At Vassar College, she became interested in dramatics, and, upon graduating, she studied at the New York School of Social Service. Then, she became an actress; in 1924, she appeared in George Kelly's The Show-Off, which ran for 571 performances. It was also in 1924 that she met her future husband and collaborator, Albert Hackett, who was playing in Owen Davis' The Nervous Wreck. They met again in 1927 when they were members of a summer stock company in Denver, Colorado. Hackett offered to revamp a script, Such a Lady, which Goodrich had written. Their joint revamping did not produce the play they desired. They later wrote Western Union, which was tried out at Skowhegan, Maine, in the summer of 1930. In New York, their play, Up Pops the Devil, ran for 148 performances. In it, Hackett played the role of Biney.

Frances Goodrich married Albert Hackett in 1931.

Albert Hackett was born in New York City on February 16, 1900. His parents were professional actors, and he made his acting debut in Lottie, the Poor Saleslady, when he was six years old. He attended the Professional Children's School and acted for three years with the Lubin Stock Company in Philadelphia. He played on Broadway in Whoopee and Twelve Miles Out.

During their marriage, the Hacketts never did a picture or play alone, writing in the same room, at separate desks. Their working hours were from 9:30 to 5:00, with an hour off for lunch. They candidly criticized each other's writing.

One of their early collaborations, the play Bridal Wise had a run of 148 performances on Broadway in 1932.

They then moved to Hollywood and began writing for the screen. Included among their screen adaptations are The Thin Man series, The Firefly, Easter Parade, Naughty Marietta, Lady in the Dark, Father of the Bride, Ah, Wilderness!, The Long, Long Trailer; Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Gaby, and Five Finger Exercise.

In 1942. they adapted E. P. O'Donnell's novel The Great Big Doorstep for the stage.

Their greatest success was the play The Diary of Anne Frank, which was based on a book, Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl. The Hacketts spent two years researching and writing for this play. Productions of the play were world-wide and in many languages. Among the awards the Hacketts received for this play were the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, 1955-1956; the Outer Circle Award, 1955-1956; the 1956 Pulitzer Prize, and the 1956 American Theatre Wing's Antoinette Perry Award. They also adapted the play into a feature film.

The Hacketts were noted for their warmth, their integrity, and their generosity. Among their contributions were thousands of dollars given for scholarships at Brandeis University, Vassar College, at Anne Frank foundations, at the Hebrew University, and at other institutions.

In 1962, the couple retired from screenwriting. On January 29, 1984, Frances Goodrich died in New York City, New York. Albert Hackett died on March 16, 1995 in New York City, New York.

Access Restrictions

Box 17 contains fragile original letters and is restricted; access copies of letters are in Box 2.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, Los Angeles, California, January and February, 1962. Accession Number: M97-231

U.S. Mss 21AN	Series: Plays and Motion Pictures
	After the Thin Man, a screenplay
Box   1	Script
	Ah, Wilderness!, a screenplay
Box   1	Script
	Alice Sit-by-the-Fire, a screenplay
Box   1	Script
	Another Thin Man, a screenplay
Box   1	Script
	Bridal Wise, a comedy
Box   1	Scripts
Box   1	Miscellaneous
	Carte Blanche, an unfinished project
Box   1	Miscellaneous
	A Certain Smile, a screenplay
Box   1	Correspondence, 1956 August-1958 October
Box   1	Scripts
	Coquette, a screenplay
Box   2	Script, never produced
	The Diary of Anne Frank
Box   2	Correspondence, 1953-1961
Box   17	Originals Access Restrictions: Contains fragile original letters and is restricted.
Box   2	Correspondence with the American Friends of the Hebrew University Inc., 1956-1959
Box   3	Scripts
Box   4	Scripts
Box   4	Cross-indexed copies of the book and the play (Volumes 1 and 10)
Box   5	Scripts
Box   5	Russian edition
Box   5	Czechoslovakian typescript (Volume 2)
Box   5	The Greek Theatre, 1956-1957 (Volume 3)
Box   5	Icelandic edition (Volume 4)
Box   5	Norwegian edition (Volume 5)
Box   5	Unidentified foreign edition (Volume 6)
Box   5	Levin litigation (Volume 8)
	Awards, including correspondence
Box   15	New York Drama Critics Circle, 1955-1956
Box   15	Outer Circle Award, 1955-1956
Box   16	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Certificate of Nomination for Award, 1950 Physical Description: 2 plaques
M97-231 Box   1	Pulitzer Prize, Tony, and Screen Writers Guild Note: Also includes awards for other works.
U.S. Mss 21AN Box   5	Book, miscellaneous
Box   5	Financial statements
Box   5	Levin litigation
Box   6	Netherland-America Foundation, including correspondence
Box   6	Photographs
Volume   14	Photographs of Italian production album
	Production, including correspondence
Box   6	Amateur
Box   6	Amsterdam
Box   6	Argentina
Box   6	Bolivia
Box   6	Czechoslovakia
Box   6	England
Box   6	France
Box   6	Germany
Box   6	Greece
Box   7	Holland
Box   7	Israel
Box   7	Italy
Box   7	Mexico
Box   7	Portugal
Box   7	Scandinavia
Box   7	South Africa
Box   7	Spain
Box   7	Yugoslavia
Box   7	Miscellaneous, foreign countries
Box   7	Publicity, including correspondence
Box   7	Road Company miscellaneous
Box   7	Miscellaneous
	Easter Parade, a screenplay
Box   8	Correspondence
Box   8	Scripts
Box   8	Awards
	Fanny
Box   8	Script
Box   8	Arbitration, including correspondence
	Father of the Bride
Box   8	Correspondence, 1949 January-1951 April
Box   8	Scripts
Box   8	Awards
Box   8	Clippings
	Father's Little Dividend, a screenplay
Box   8	Script
Box   8	Miscellaneous
	The Firefly, a screenplay
Box   8	Script
	Five Finger Exercise, a screenplay
Box   8	Correspondence, 1960 January-1961 August
	Scripts
Box   8	Early drafts
Box   8	First completed script
Box   9	Scripts
	The Flying Irishman, a screenplay
Box   9	Script
	Gaby, a remake of Waterloo Bridge
Box   9	Correspondence, 1955 January 20-August 3
Box   9	Script
	The Girl from Chicago, a screenplay (released as In the Good Old Summertime)
Box   9	Script
	Give a Girl a Break, a screenplay
Box   9	Script
	The Great Big Doorstep, a comedy
Box   10	Scripts
Box   10	Miscellaneous, including correspondence
	Hide Out, a screenplay
Box   10	Script
	The Hitler Gang
Box   10	Script
Box   10	Miscellaneous
	Joe Hill, an unfinished project
Box   10	Miscellaneous
	The Lady, released on film as The Secret of Madame Blanche
Box   10	Script
	The Long, Long Trailer, a screenplay
Box   10	Script
Box   10	Miscellaneous
	Naughty Marietta, a screenplay
Box   10	Script
	Penthouse, a screenplay
Box   10	Miscellaneous
	The Pin, a screenplay
Box   11	Miscellaneous
	The Pirate, a screenplay
Box   11	Correspondence, 1946 December-1947 October
Box   11	Script
	Rose Marie, a screenplay
Box   11	Script
	Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, based on the short story “The Sobbin' Women”
Box   11	Correspondence, 1951 November-1954 June
Box   11	Scripts
Box   11	Lyrics by John Mercer
Package   16	Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Certificate of Nomination for Award, 1954 Physical Description: 2 plaques
	Strike Heaven on the Face
Box   11	Correspondence, 1959 February 13-May 7
Box   11	Scripts
	Such a Lady, their first play
Box   11	Script
	Tender Is the Night
Box   11	Miscellaneous
	The Thin Man, a screenplay
Box   12	Script (Volume 9)
	Too Young to Kiss, a screenplay
Box   12	Script
	Up Pops the Devil [Let's Get Married]
Box   12	Script
Box   12	Miscellaneous, including correspondence
	Watch on the Rhine / by Lillian Hellman
Box   12	Script, condensed version by Hacketts
Box   12	Western Union, Please, a play
	Script
	Series: Miscellaneous	⇧
Box   12	Correspondence, 1942 August-1961 August 23
Box   12	American Legion
Box   13	Awards and honors
Box   13	Contracts and agreements, including correspondence
Box   13	Musical on 1919 actors' strike
Box   13	Sacco-Vanzetti story