Guide to the Papers of Albert Arlen and Nancy Brown, 1924-2001

Summary

Collection number:

MS 6311 and MS Acc06.172

Creator:

Albert Arlen and Nancy Brown

Extent:

4.38 metres and (26 boxes + 1 folio box + 1 folder + 11 sound/av carriers + 1 digital carrier)

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Albert Arlen and Nancy Brown, National Library of Australia, [class number, box number and series/file number]'.

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

The papers comprise correspondence, manuscripts and typescripts of plays, musical scores, programs, photographs, newspaper clippings, memorabilia and biographical material, mostly relating to the theatrical and musical careers of Arlen and Brown. The correspondence includes letters from many well-known people in the theatrical, literary and arts scene over many years. The papers provide a good insight into the extensive careers of both artists.

Correspondents include Sir Frederick Ashton, Werner Baer, Leslie Bailey, Alan Barker, Arthur Benjamin (Nancy Brown's cousin), Alec and Rosemary Bolton, Harold Bowden, Russell Braddon, Marie Burke, George Campbell, Gordon Chater, Manning Clark, Cedric Cliffe, Sir Zelman Cowen, George Dreyfus, George English, Cedric Flower, Hayes Gordon, Doris Geddes, Lynda Gloria, Radclyffe Hall, Sir Robert Helpmann, Sheila Helpmann, Brett Hilder, Alfred Hill, Reg Hines, Dulcie Holland, Harold Holt, Tom Hungerford, Frank Hutchens, Dorothy Gordon Jenner (Andrea), George Johnston, George Kleinsinger, Joyce Koch, Jack (John) Lanchbery, Evelyn Laye, Vernon Lisle, Edward Lockton, Compton MacKenzie, John McCallum, Dot Mendoza, Sir Robert Menzies, Charles P. Mountford, Robert Nesbitt, Beverley Nichols, John Olsen, Pixie O'Harris, Laurence Olivier, Tessie O'Shea, Jill Perryman, Charles Pettit, Linda Phillips, Ainslie Roberts, William Ricketts, Frederick Rosse, Edmond Samuels, Stephen Sondheim, Joyce Owen Starr, Sophie Stewart, Sir Frank and Lady Tait, Florence Taylor, Wilfrid Thomas, C.K. Thompson, Lloyd Thomson, Tiny Tim, Geoffrey Townshend, Wendy Toye, Sophie Tucker, Nancy Wake, Joy Warren, Trafford Whitelock, Thornton Wilder, Emlyn Williams, Bill (William) Willis and Googie Withers.

Biographical Note:

Nancy Brown and Albert Arlen both had long and successful careers in the theatrical and musical fields, Brown as a singer, stage performer and playwright and Arlen as a composer and playwright.

Nancy Brown

Nancy Brown was born in Brisbane in 1909. In 1923 her parents divorced and her mother took Nancy, her brother Frank and sister Shirley to live in England.

In 1925 Nancy attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Her first professional role was in 1926 when she was understudy to Rosalind Courtneidge in The unfair sex at the Savoy Theatre, London. From 1926 to 1947 she had roles in a number of stage plays, toured Britain and Ireland as a solo singer and appeared in several films. During this time she also travelled to America and Canada with a role in the Noel Coward production of Bitter Sweet.

In 1948 Brown returned to Australia where she met Albert Arlen, whom she married in 1949.

Albert Arlen

Albert Arlen was born Albert Aarons in Sydney on 10 January 1905, his parents having emigrated from Turkey. From 1929 he was known professionally as Albert Arlen, changing his name officially by deed poll in 1948. He was educated at Cleveland Street Public School, Crown Street High School and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

In 1924 Arlen sailed to England. He lived in London, playing with dance bands and in cinema theatre orchestras. In 1929 he studied at the Ecole Normale in Paris. Subsequently, he played various roles in London West End repertory productions, as well as writing his own musical compositions and plays.

In 1939 he joined the R.A.F. and saw service as a pilot in the Middle East and Far East, before being discharged in 1947 and repatriated to Australia. While serving with the R.A.F., Arlen continued with his theatrical pursuits, writing and producing plays and composing musical pieces including the El Alamein Concerto and Song of England which he dedicated to Winston Churchill.

In 1949 Brown married Nancy Brown and together they returned to England. However, they were disillusioned with life in London and decided to return to Australia, which they were to make their permanent home.

In Australia, Arlen and Brown continued their involvement with the theatre, collaborating on a number of plays and musicals, including the musical adaptation of the C.J. Dennis work The sentimental bloke (1961). Arlen composed extensively during his career and a large number of his works have been published and recorded. In 1991 he was awarded an Order of Australia in recognition of his services to music and the performing arts.

Albert Arlen died on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland in 1993.

Collection Retrieval Advice:

Please note: each consignment in this collection has a separate box number sequence (i.e. there are multiple Box 1's). Please cite the relevant Class number as well as the Box number when requesting retrieval of material from the collection.

Indexed terms

Names:

Albert Arlen and Nancy Brown

Conditions Governing Access:

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2110642) for the access conditions.

Conditions Governing Use:

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Albert Arlen and Nancy Brown, National Library of Australia, [class number, box number and series/file number]'.

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

Contact us