Collection Summary
Ralstin/Murphy Collection Relating to Vera-Ellen and the Hessler Dance Studio
1929-2010
(bulk 1935-1952)
1929-2010
(bulk 1935-1952)
ML31.V47
610 items
4 containers
2.25 linear feet
English
Collection material in English
Music Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Two scrapbooks document the activities of
the Hessler Dance Studio of Cincinnati, Ohio, during the 1930s and also the performance
career of one of the studio's pupils, Vera-Ellen Rohe. Vera-Ellen (1921-1981), who
performed under her first name, acted and danced in Hollywood films in the 1940s and
1950s. Scrapbooks were compiled by Violet and Catherine Ralstin and Catherine's husband,
Paul Murphy, friends from growing up together in Ohio. Correspondence in the collection
is between them and their families and Vera-Ellen and her mother, Alma Rohe. Additional
items such as recital programs, ticket stubs, and handwritten dance routines document
the dance activities and training at the Hessler Dance Studio. The career of Vera-Ellen
and several other notables trained by the Hessler studio are documented in magazine and
newspaper articles.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Kaye, Danny.
Murphy, Catherine Ralstin, 1920-2011--Correspondence.
Murphy, Catherine Ralstin, 1920-2011.
Murphy, Paul, 1919-1985--Correspondence.
Murphy, Paul, 1919-1985.
Porter, Violet Ralstin, 1920-1977--Correspondence.
Porter, Violet Ralstin, 1920-1977.
Rohe, Alma, 1891-1980--Correspondence.
Vera-Ellen, 1921-1981--Correspondence.
Vera-Ellen, 1921-1981.
Organizations
Hessler Dance Studio (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Subjects
Dance schools--Ohio--Cincinnati.
Dancers--United States.
Motion picture actors and actresses--United States.
Titles
Scrapbooks on Vera-Ellen and the Hessler Dance Studio, 1929-2010 (bulk 1935-1952)
Vera-Ellen and the Hessler Dance Studio, 1929-2010
Form/Genre
Articles.
Clippings (Information artifacts)
Clippings--1930-1960.
Correspondence.
Photographic prints--1930-1960.
Photographic prints.
Portrait photographs--1930-1960.
Programs (Documents)
Programs--Ohio--Cincinnati.
Promotional materials.
Scrapbooks--1930-1960.
Scrapbooks.
Provenance
Gift; Catherine Ralstin Murphy; 2006-2010
Custodial History
The collection was acquired by the Library of Congress Rare Book and Special Collections
Division over a span of years (2006-2010); custody of the collection was transferred to
the Music Division in 2018.
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Processing History
Clark Evans of the Rare Book and Special Collections Division created a list of
correspondence, biographical essay, and summary of materials comprising the Scrapbooks
on Vera-Ellen and the Hessler Dance Studio. In 2018, these inventories were adapted by
Libby Smigel for the Music Division's finding aid template and coded by her in EAD
format.
Transfers
The two books included with the collection have been cataloged as part of the Performing
Arts Reading Room (PARR) Reference Collection: [
Jack Manning: A Biography
] by Ruth Eleanor Howard, and [
Vera-Ellen: The Magic and the Mystery
] by David Soren.
One 45 rpm disc recording that Paul Murphy made and sent to Catherine while he was
stationed on the West Coast has been transferred to the Library of Congress
Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division where it is identified as
part of the Ralstin/Murphy Collection (MAVIS no. 17589).
Related Material
The Music Division of the Library of Congress houses special collections and items
related to the content of this collection. For example, the [Danny Kaye
and Sylvia Fine Collection] documents the career of one of Vera-Ellen's major
co-stars, Danny Kaye. As Vera-Ellen's roles onstage and in film were typically those in
musical theatre, many musical theatre collections in the Music Division document these
stage and film productions.
Copyright Status
Materials from the Ralstin/Murphy Collection Relating to Vera-Ellen and the Hessler
Dance Studio are governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.)
and other applicable international copyright laws.
Access and Restrictions
Materials found in the Ralstin/Murphy Collection Relating to Vera-Ellen and the Hessler
Dance Studio are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Music Division
before visiting to determine whether the desired materials will be available at that
time.
Certain restrictions to use or copying of materials may apply.
Restriction: Original scrapbook pages are too fragile to be
served. Patrons must use the scans or reference copies.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information:
[item, date, container number], Ralstin/Murphy Collection Relating to Vera-Ellen and the
Hessler Dance Studio, Music Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Cincinnati native Vera-Ellen was one of America's leading
dance stars of the 1940s and 1950s. She was born Vera Ellen Rohe on February 16, 1921,
the only child of Alma Westmeier and Martin Rohe. (The hyphen was not used in her name
until the early 1940s.) Shortly after her birth, the family moved to the Cincinnati
suburb of Norwood. Fearing their daughter was undersize and lacking in physical
activity, her parents enrolled her in dance lessons at the Hessler Dance Studios,
beginning around 1930 when she was 9 years old. Rapidly establishing herself as an
excellent student, Vera-Ellen's experiences at the Hessler Studios kindled her ambition
to become a professional dancer.
In October 1936, she departed Norwood with her mother to study at the Segovia School of
Dance in New York City. Established as a protegé of tap master Jack Dayton, Vera-Ellen
won first prize on the January 21, 1937, broadcast of the Major Bowes Original Amateur
Hour, one of the most popular radio programs in the United States. Not yet 16,
Vera-Ellen was immediately signed to tour with one of the Major Bowes "units" then
popular in vaudeville. Additional vaudeville training came in 1937 when she toured with
the Ted Lewis Orchestra. Lewis was renowned at that time for his top-selling recording
of "Me and My Shadow" and the catch phrase "Is Everybody Happy?"
At age 18, Vera-Ellen's first professional engagement as an adult performer occurred in
April 1939 when she danced at Billy Rose's Casa Mañana nightclub in New York. Additional
club appearances and chorus work in several Broadway musicals followed; some of these
casts included dancer Robert Hightower, to whom she was married from 1941-1948.
Vera-Ellen achieved a major success on Broadway in November 1943 with
The Connecticut Yankee
, a revival of the Rodgers and Hart musical originally produced in 1927. This
engagement led to contract offers from several Hollywood studios. Vera-Ellen signed with
independent producer Samuel Goldwyn.
Newly arrived in Hollywood in mid-1944, Vera-Ellen made her film debut in
Wonder Man
, a Danny Kaye musical comedy released by Sam Goldwyn in 1945. She starred in
another Kaye vehicle titled
The Kid from Brooklyn
(1946), and was loaned to 20th Century Fox for two musicals,
Three Little Girls in Blue
(1946), which garnered her Arthur Murray's "year's most versatile dancer"
award, and
Carnival in Costa Rica
(1947). In late 1946, Goldwyn turned down entreaties from 20th Century Fox to
either buy out or share in Vera-Ellen's contract. This along with Goldwyn's declining
interest in producing musicals brought Vera-Ellen's film career close to a standstill.
Once free of her contract with Goldwyn, Vera-Ellen considered a return to Broadway when
MGM procured her services as Gene Kelly's dance partner in the "Slaughter on 10th
Avenue" ballet from
Words and Music
(1948). Her success in this film led to a long-term contract with MGM, the
period of her greatest fame. Among the musicals in this period were
On the Town
(1949),
Three Little Words
(1950),
The Belle of New York
(1952),
Call Me Madam
(1953), and
White Christmas
(1954). In addition to Gene Kelly, her dance partners in this period included
Fred Astaire and Donald O'Connor.
With the movie musical waning as a genre in the mid-1950s, Vera-Ellen turned to stage
and television to close out her career. Her final professional appearance was on the
Dinah Shore Chevy Show
(NBC television) in February 1959. Having earlier married Victor Bennet
Rothschild in 1954 (they divorced in 1966), Vera-Ellen retired to her Los Angeles home.
Her daughter died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) at age 3 months in 1963.
Vera-Ellen died of cancer on August 30, 1981, at age 60.
Biographical narrative by Clark Evans, adapted for the finding aid by Libby Smigel in
2018.
Scope and Content Note
The Ralstin/Murphy Collection Relating to Vera-Ellen and the Hessler Dance Studio
documents the activities of the Hessler Dance Studio of Cincinnati, Ohio, during the
1930s and also the career of one of the studio's most famous pupils, Vera-Ellen, who
acted and danced in Hollywood movies of the 1940s and 1950s. The scrapbooks were
compiled initially by twin sisters Violet and Catherine Ralstin, who took classes and
performed in recitals and local events with their friend, Vera-Ellen, and other Hessler
Dance Studio students. In adulthood when Violet married George A. ("Curly") Porter,
Catherine continued the collecting aided by her husband, Paul Murphy.
In addition to two scrapbooks, the collection includes loose materials, including
correspondence between the Ralston twins and Vera-Ellen and her mother, Alma Rohe;
programs and related studio notes; informal and studio photographs; and ephemera such as
ticket stubs.
The Scrapbooks series includes one for the years the children
studied dance at the Hessler Studio and one predominantly celebrating Vera-Ellen's
career. The scrapbook of the mid-1930s focuses on the Hessler Dance Studio classes and
recitals as well as souvenirs and newspaper clippings related to performing arts events
in the Cincinnati area. The Hessler studio items include recital records and class
schedules, invoices and receipts for classes taken, newspaper features and calendars.
The second scrapbook includes print coverage and published photos of Vera-Ellen (local
and national), beginning in the 1940s through the 1950s. Sets of reference copies of the
pages of both scrapbooks have been created as the fragility of the paper precludes
handling by patrons.
A small amount of loose material related to the scrapbooks is divided between the Hessler Dance Studio Papers series and Vera-Ellen Papers series. Some of these items were at one time attached to
scrapbook pages, but were removed or came loose at some point. Of particular interest
amongst the Hessler materials are handwritten notes by both Catherine and Violet that
describe recital routines for tap dancing, toe (pointe), and other dances, along with
adaptations of popular song lyrics that accompanied the recital routines. The Vera-Ellen
materials include correspondence between the Ralston family and Vera-Ellen or her
mother, informal photographs and studio portraits, clippings and articles not affixed to
scrapbook pages, an autograph book of Paul Murphy containing only the single inscription
from Vera-Ellen, and such.
The Miscellany series include reference materials on the
Ralstins and the Rohes. Two books in the collection are now in the reference collection
of the Music Division's Performing Arts Reading Room: an illustrated biography of
dancer-producer Jack Manning who visited the Hessler studio as guest artist, and a 2003
biography on Vera-Ellen.
Organization of the Ralstin/Murphy Collection Relating to Vera-Ellen and the Hessler
Dance Studio
The Collection is organized in four series:
-
[ Scrapbooks, 1934-1953](scr)
-
[ Vera-Ellen Papers,
1935-1981](ver)
-
[ Hessler Dance Studio Papers,
1929-2010](hes)
-
[ Miscellany](mis)
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/2014572572]
Container List
Container
Contents
3-4
Scrapbooks, 1934-1953, undated
1934-1953, undated
Two scrapbooks: one for the years the children studied dance at the Hessler Dance
Studio and one predominantly celebrating Vera-Ellen's career. The Hessler
scrapbook of the mid-1930s focuses on classes and recitals as well as souvenirs
and newspaper clippings related to performing arts events in the Cincinnati area.
The Hessler studio items include recital records and class schedules, invoices and
receipts for classes taken, newspaper features and calendars. The second scrapbook
includes print coverage and published photos of Vera-Ellen (local and national),
beginning in the 1940s through the 1950s. Reference copies of both scrapbook
contents were created as the fragility of the paper precludes handling by patrons.
Arranged chronologically.
3/1
Scrapbook, 1934-1936
1934-1936
1 scrapbook of approximately 89 items
Assortment of clippings about Hessler Dance Studio, its students, or
Cincinnati-area performances, programs, ticket stubs, invitations, handwritten
notes about class schedules, and other materials related to the Hessler Studio
or the Ralstin twins
Please consult the set of Reference photocopies, as this scrapbook is too
fragile to be handled
Items originally in this scrapbook that arrived unglued or separated are housed
in the folders of the Hessler Damce Studio Papers series
4/1
Scrapbook, 1939-1953, undated
1939-1953, undated
1 scrapbook of approximately 259 items
Magazine and newspaper articles, photographs, and notices of Vera-Ellen, many
undated or without identifying publication information
Please consult the set of Reference photocopies, as this scrapbook is too
fragile to be handled
Items originally in this scrapbook that arrived unglued or separated are housed
in the folders of the Vera-Ellen Papers series
3/2-3
Reference copies for Hessler and Vera-Ellen
scrapbooks
420 photocopies
Copies of each page, with items on the page
numbered, along with a separate photocopy of each item on the page
1-3
Vera-Ellen Papers, 1935-1981
1935-1981
Correspondence (letters, holiday cards, and postcards) between the Ralstin family
and Vera-Ellen and her mother; photographs (including photographs during
Ralstin-Murphy visits to Vera-Ellen in California; magazine and newspaper
clippings (including coverage of Vera-Ellen's visit to Norwood, Ohio), among other
items that became separated from or were kept separate from the scrapbooks.
Arranged by format: Articles and clippings, correspondence, photographs, and
miscellaneous autographed items.
1, 3
Articles and Clippings, 1938, 1949-1953
1938, 1949-1953
1/1-2
Magazine issues, 1938, 1949
1938, 1949
2 issues
1/3-15, 3/4-6
Articles, 1949-1953, and undated
1949-1953, and
undated
17 articles
Features on and photos of Vera-Ellen published
in Movies, Movies Stars
Parade, News Weekly, and Movie Life magazines as well as some in
unidentified publications. Includes one photo published in Buckeye Action and articles in Cincinnati
publications.
1
Correspondence, 1936-1981
1936-1981
1/16-20
Letters, 1936, 1945-1952, 1959, 1974,
1981
1936, 1945-1952,
1959, 1974, 1981
36 items
1/21-22
Holiday cards, 1945-1960
1945-1960
27 items
Most are Christmas cards; some have
notes
1/23
Postcards, 1936-1937, 1946-1953
1936-1937,
1946-1953
8 cards
1
Photographs, 1935,
1944-1948, undated
1935, 1944-1948, undated
1/24-31
Studio photographs, undated
undated
7 black-and-white prints; 1
photocopy
Headshots or mid-shots; some autographed or
inscribed to the Ralstins
1/32
Professional photographs, undated
undated
14 black-and-white small-size
prints
Some staged poses; many in small
groups
1/33
Postcard photographs, 1944, 1948
1944, 1948
2 items
Commemorative Hollywood postcard photographs,
in which Vera-Ellen appears
1/34-36
Personal photographs, 1935, 1944, and
undated
1935, 1944, and
undated
5 black-and-white photographs
1, 2
Autographed items, 1945, 1952, undated
1945, 1952, undated
1/37
Autograph book, undated
undated
1 item
2/1
Roy Rogers rodeo program, 1945
1945
1 item
Cover autographed by Vera-Ellen
2/2
Event program, 1952
1952
1 photocopy
Autographed by alumnae of the Hessler
Studio
2
Hessler Dance Studio Papers, 1929-2010, and undated
1929-2010, and undated
Most materials are printed items, such as advertisements of the Hessler Dance
Studio or recital programs. One piece of music is marked for accompaniment of an
unidentified performance. Some of the programs and clippings reference Vera-Ellen,
artists employed by the dance studio, or other studio classmates who became
famous. A number of items are handwritten, such as drafts of the program order,
receipts for class fees, and such. Important amongst the items are handwritten
notes of dance routines. Most items are undated.
Arranged by format, and by date therein.
2/3-8
Programs, 1934-1939
1934-1939
9 programs; 1 handwritten draft
Recital programs of Hessler Dance Studio and
guests
2/9-15
Promotional materials, 1929-1937, undated
1929-1937, undated
17 items
Class schedules, correspondence, advertising
artwork, invitations, business cards and ticket stubs
2/16-21
Performance notes and records, undated
undated
14 items
Recital dance routines (Spanish dance, soft shoe,
toe / pointe dance, carbon copy of rhythm tap routine attributed to Jack
Manning), adapted lyrics of popular songs, piano piece titled Patriotic Medleymarked with cues
2/22-24
Photographs, 2010, undated
2010, undated
3 items
Recital photograph marked with arrows
Published photograph of four children performers
Former Hessler student Doris Day name inscribed in cement; date on verso likely
for a later reprint
2/25
Clippings, 1936, 2009, undated
1936, 2009, undated
5 items
Assortment of newspaper clippings on Hessler
associates (teacher, students)
2
Miscellany
Items not directly related to Vera-Ellen or the Hessler Dance Studio, such as the
ancillary materials prepared by Library of Congress archivist Clark Evans and
biographical data on the Ralstin and Rohe families compiled from online
databases.
Arranged by format.
2/26
Descriptive inventories and narratives, 2010
2010
3 items
Descriptive inventories of loose items in the
collection, an essay titled "The Girls of Hesslers," and a narrative biography
of Vera-Ellen, prepared by Library of Congress archivist Clark Evans
2/27
Family data
Printouts of census and other data regarding the
subjects and collectors of this collection