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Chamberlain and Lyman Brown Papers
Sub-series 2 – Actors’ Equity Association, 1922 – 1955
1 box
Arrangement: Chronological
Included in this series is correspondence relating to salary and commission
matters, claims against the agency, and against actors by the Brown brothers.
Of particular note is the correspondence relating to the controversy surrounding
the production Chamberlain Brown’s Scrap Book (1932). Equity ruled the
production should be deemed a revue, thus limiting it to eight performances per
week, while Chamberlain Brown and cast argued the show should be classified as
vaudeville. Actors were ordered to give two weeks’ notice. The ruling was then
reversed but the orchestra’s demands to be paid before performances ultimately
closed the production one week after the victory over Equity.
Sub-series 3 – Soldiers and Sailors, 1928 – 1953
3.5 boxes
Arrangement: Alphabetical
This series consists of correspondence between Chamberlain Brown and young
servicemen and their families during World War II. In some instances, Brown
appears to have found stories on these soldiers and sailors in newspapers or
muscle magazines and wrote to them, sometimes asking for an autograph,
sometimes with the promise of a theatrical career. Others worked in the theater or
for the Brown agency before the war and their earlier correspondence is also filed
here. His 1945 letterhead listed service men represented by Mr. Brown “for
stage, screen and radio for which many have been placed.” Some servicemen
continued to correspond with Brown after the war.
Occasional references to more personal relationships between Chamberlain
Brown and the men can be found in the correspondence. There are also a few gay
serviceman writing to him, for example, one of his former employees. All of the
letters provide a valuable window into the life of a serviceman during World War
II.
Sub-series 4 – Prisoners, 1926 – 1955 and undated
2.5 boxes
Arrangement: Alphabetical
This series contains Chamberlain Brown correspondence with prisoners, most of
whom he had known before their incarceration. There is also some
correspondence with prison personnel, for example, a request by Brown to attend
an execution at New Jersey State Prison. Prisoners sometimes wrote to
Chamberlain Brown asking for money and/or jobs, which he promised them when
they came up for parole. A large amount of the correspondence is with Arthur
Chalmers, a New York City mounted policeman who worked near the Browns’
West 45 th Street office. Chalmers was convicted of murdering his alleged mistress
around 1938. Chamberlain Brown arranged several benefit performances of the
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