COLLECTION NUMBER:
C039.
COLLECTION TITLE:
James E. Dillon Theater Collection.
CREATOR(S):
James E. Dillon.
DATES OF MATERIAL:
ca. 1901-1933.
EXTENT:
1,015 photographic prints: gelatin silver; 11 x 14 in. or smaller.
LOCAL CONTROL NUMBERS:
Photographic prints: OP10771/0-1011.
REPOSITORY:
San Diego History Center
Booth Historical Photograph Archives
P.O. Box 81825
San Diego, CA 92138
1-619-232-6203
ACQUISITION INFORMATION:
Gift of James and Ruth Dillon, 1953.
RESTRICTIONS:
Open for research.
COPYRIGHT:
For permission to reproduce or publish, contact the curator of the Booth Historical Photograph Archives at the San Diego Historical Society. Reproduction or publication of any part of this collection must include the following information next to the image(s) or in a special section of credits: James E. Dillon Theater Collection, San Diego History Center, Booth Historical Photograph Archives.
GENERAL NOTES:
Arranged in alphabetical order by play title. Many photographs stamped on verso or otherwise marked White Studio (New York, N.Y.), occasionally with the photographer’s last name. Includes alphabetical index. Some images badly faded. Forms part of the San Diego History Center Original Print Collection.
BIOGRAPHICAL OR HISTORICAL NOTE:
Born in Reno, Nevada, James E. Dillon (1886-1972) began his stage career in Los Angeles as an actor in light opera and drama. He came to San Diego in 1912 as part of the World’s Fair Stock Company. That same year he married fellow actress Ruth Van Deusen on stage during rehearsals. They settled in San Diego and had a daughter. Dillon performed as an actor at various theaters and apparently managed the Grand Theater, and perhaps others, before moving on to radio in the 1930s.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE:
The James E. Dillon Theater Collection contains publicity photographs collected by San Diego actor and theater manager James E. Dillon. They were used to advertise various New York plays appearing in San Diego theaters early in the 20th century. These production stills show original cast, costumes, and stage settings for almost 200 theatrical productions written by George Ade, George M. Cohan, Victor Herbert, J. Hartley Manners, and others. Probably performed by local repertory companies, the plays include: Peg O’ My Heart, Little Women, Under Two Flags, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Get Rich Quick Wallingford, Cave Girl, Daddy Long Legs, Fortune Hunter, Naughty Wife, Rose of the Rancho, Trail of the Lonesome Pine, Too Many Husbands, and many others.
SUBJECTS INDEXED:
Theatrical productions.
Actors.
Actresses.
CONTENTS LIST:
Dates indicated are when photograph(s) were taken and not when play appeared in San Diego.
| Number(s) | Title | Author | Theater | Date |
| Box 1 (oversize) | ||||
| Folder 1 | ||||
| 0-7 | The Littlest Rebel | Spreckels | ||
| 8-10 | Amazons | 1913? | ||
| 11-16 | Oh Boy! | |||
| 17-20 | Madame X | Alexandre Bisson | Empress | |
| 21-26 | Marrying Money | |||
| Folder 2 | ||||
| 27-30 | At 9:45 | |||
| 31-35 | A Voice in the Dark | Ralph E. Dyar | Strand | ca. 1919 |
| 36-42 | Sis Hopkins | |||
| 43-46 | Arms and the Girl | |||
| 47-49 | The Man from Mexico | |||
| 50-55 | Pollyanna | |||
| Folder 3 | ||||
| 56-61 | Jerry | |||
| 62-66 | Jim’s Girl | |||
| 67-71 | Kick In | Willard Mack | Strand | ca. 1914 |
| Folder 4 | ||||
| 72-73 | Saturday to Monday | |||
| 74-80 | The Trail of the Lonesome Pine | John Fox Jr. | ||
| 81-85 | Little Shepard of Kingdom Come | Strand | ||
| 86-90 | Please Get Married | |||
| 91-94 | A Regular Feller | |||
| 95-99 | The Show Shop | |||
| 100-105 | Sinners | |||
| Folder 5 | ||||
| 107-116 | The Spoilers | Rex Beach | ca. 1907 | |
| 117-121 | A Successful Calamity | |||
| 122-129 | Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway | |||
| Folder 6 | ||||
| 130-134 | Way Down East | |||
| 135-139 | Walkoffs | |||
| 140-146 | Clarence | Strand | ||
| 147-151 | The Concert | |||
| Folder 7 | ||||
| 152-156 | Peg O’ My Heart | J. Hartley Manners | Spreckels | |
| 157-162 | Which One Shall I Marry? | Lyceum | ||
| 163-173 | Within the Law | ca. 1915 | ||
| 174-179 | Sick a Bed | |||
| Folder 8 | ||||
| 180-185 | Nothing but the Truth | |||
| 186-192 | The Brat | |||
| 193-199 | A Pair of Sixes | Lyceum | ||
| 200-203 | A Pair of Queens | |||
| 204-209 | The Thirteenth Chair | |||
| 210-216 | Pals First | |||
| Folder 9 | ||||
| 217-229 | Maggie Pepper | |||
| 230-234 | Johnny, Get Your Gun | Edmund L. Burke | Strand | ca. 1917 |
| 235-238 | Law of the Land | Spreckels? | ||
| 239-243 | On Trial | |||
| 244-247 | The Old Homestead | |||
| 248-254 | Our Little Wife | |||
| 255-259 | One of Us | |||
| Box 2 (oversize) | ||||
| Folder 10 | ||||
| 260-264 | Little Miss Brown | |||
| 265-276 | The Easiest Way | |||
| 277-281 | Lombardi Limited | |||
| 282-285 | Get Rich Quick Wallingford | George M. Cohan | Empress | ca. 1910 |
| 286-290 | Seven Chances | |||
| 291-296 | Country Cousin | Isis | ||
| Folder 11 | ||||
| 297-305 | What Happened to Mary | |||
| 306-312 | Alma, Where Do You Live? | Strand | ||
| [Note: 313-330 not used.] | ||||
| Folder 12 | ||||
| 331-337 | Broadway Buttermilk | Strand | ||
| 338-347 | Going Some | |||
| 348-355 | Good Gracious, Annabelle | |||
| 356-361 | The Great Divide | Utah | ||
| 362-364 | Help Wanted [with Charles Ruggles] | |||
| 365-369 | Gypsy Trail | |||
| 370-374 | Lilac Time | |||
| 375-379 | Grumpy | Strand | ||
| 380-385 | Mary Awake | |||
| 386-391 | Miss Leading Lady | |||
| Folder 13 | ||||
| 392-398 | Daddy Long Legs | Jean Webster | Strand | ca. 1920 |
| 399-404 | The Unkissed Bride | |||
| 405-411 | Some Baby | |||
| Folder 14 | ||||
| 412-418 | The Yellow Ticket | |||
| 419-425 | What’s Your Husband Doing | |||
| 426-430 | Business Before Pleasure | Strand | ||
| 431-446 | Potash and Perlmutter | Montague Glass | 1913? | |
| Folder 15 | ||||
| 447-452 | Nancy Lee, the Small Town Girl | |||
| 453-454 | The Gorilla | Savoy | 1924 | |
| 455-456 | The Deserter | |||
| 457-463 | Bunker Beau | 1916? | ||
| Folder 16 | ||||
| 464 | Ready Money | |||
| 465-470 | Yes or No | |||
| 471-475 | Forever After | Strand | ||
| 476-479 | Polly with a Past | |||
| 480-484 | Fair and Warmer | |||
| 485-489 | Five Million | |||
| 490-491 | Polly of the Circus | |||
| Folder 17 | ||||
| 492-494 | The County Chairman | George Ade | Isis | |
| 495-499 | Divorcons | |||
| 500-504 | Branded | |||
| 505 | Believe Me, Nannette | |||
| 506 | Naughty Wife | |||
| 507-512 | Song of Songs | 1914 | ||
| 513-519 | Captain Red, Jr. | |||
| 520-524 | Friendly Enemies | Samuel Shipman | Strand | |
| 525-528 | Too Many Husbands | |||
| 529-530 | The Fight | |||
| 531-535 | Common Clay | 1915 | ||
| Folder 18 | ||||
| 536-540 | The Ouija Board | Crane Wilbur | Strand | ca. 1920 |
| 541-545 | The Hawk | |||
| 546-547 | Saturday to Monday | |||
| 548-551 | The Only Girl | Victor Herbert | Savoy | 1933 |
| 552-556 | Deluxe Annie | |||
| 557-560 | Damaged Goods | Empress | 1913 | |
| 561-563 | Such a Little Queen | Spreckels | ||
| Folder 19 | ||||
| 564-568 | Come Seven | Octavus R. Cohen | Strand | ca. 1920 |
| 569-574 | Why Marry? | |||
| 575-585 | Cave Girl | George Middleton | Strand | ca. 1920 |
| 586-591 | Broadway Jones | |||
| 592-600 | Girls | |||
| 601-605 | The Girl in the Taxi | |||
| Box 3 (oversize) | ||||
| Folder 20 | ||||
| 606-611 | Rose of the Rancho | David Belasco | ||
| 612-619 | Pair of Silk Stockings | |||
| 620-624 | Nearly Married | Strand | ||
| 625-634 | Bought and Paid For | Strand | ||
| 635-640 | Eyes of Youth | |||
| 641-644 | Elevating a Husband | |||
| Folder 21 | ||||
| 645-650 | Little Women | |||
| 651-658 | Under Two Flags | Paul M. Potter | ca. 1901 | |
| 659-663 | Stop Thief | |||
| 664-670 | Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch | San Diego H.S. | 1931 | |
| 671-675 | Mother Carey’s Chickens | Kate Wiggin | ||
| 676-681 | Polly of the Circus | |||
| Folder 22 | ||||
| 682-687 | Under Cover [with Rockcliffe Fellowes] | |||
| 688-692 | Winning of Barbara Worth | Harold Bell Wright | Strand | |
| Folder 23 | ||||
| 693-697 | Rich Man, Poor Man | Maximilian Foster | ||
| 698-702 | Three Faces East | |||
| 703-708 | Never Say Die | |||
| 709-710 | Officer | |||
| 711-716 | Romance of the Underworld | |||
| 717-722 | Nothing but Lies | |||
| 723 | Blind Youth | |||
| 724 | The Big Idea | |||
| 725-730 | Baby Mine | |||
| 731-735 | Believe Me, Xantippe | |||
| 736-740 | Wedding Bells | Salisbury Field | Strand | ca. 1919 |
| 741-744 | No More Blondes | Strand | ||
| 745-748 | The Woman in Room 13 | |||
| Folder 24 | ||||
| 749-756 | Rolling Stones | |||
| 757-760 | College Widow | |||
| 761-765 | Cinderella Man | |||
| 766 | So Long, Letty | Empress | ||
| 767 | Up in Mabel’s Room | |||
| 768 | Under Orders | |||
| 769 | The Only Girl | |||
| 770-773 | Naughty Wife | |||
| 774-780 | The Price [with Helen Ware] | George Broadhurst | ca. 1911 | |
| Folder 25 | ||||
| 781-786 | Happiness | Strand | ||
| 787-790 | High Cost of Living | |||
| 791-795 | House of Glass | |||
| 796-801 | Here Comes the Bride | |||
| 802-804 | Miss Hobbs | |||
| 805-806 | Kindling | |||
| Folder 26 | ||||
| 807-814 | Love Route | |||
| 815 | Marriage of Kitty | |||
| 816-821 | The Little Teacher | 1917? | ||
| 822-831 | It Pays to Advertise | Strand | 1918 | |
| 832-833 | The Heir to the Hoorah | Paul Armstrong | Strand | |
| 834-838 | Excuse Me | |||
| Folder 27 | ||||
| 839-844 | Romance | |||
| 845-850 | Stitch in Time | |||
| 851-855 | Cappy Ricks | Isis | ||
| 856-857 | Your Neighbor’s Wife | Frederic Hatton | Empress | ca. 1916 |
| 858-864 | Upstairs and Down | |||
| Box 4 (oversize) | ||||
| Folder 28 | ||||
| 865-869 | The Miracle Man | |||
| 870-875 | Innocent | |||
| 876-879 | A Prince There Was | |||
| 880-889 | The Man from Home | Isis | ||
| 890-894 | Heart of Watanna | |||
| Folder 29 | ||||
| 895-907 | Fifty Miles from Boston | |||
| 908-911 | Fortune Hunter | |||
| 912 | A Trip through China | |||
| 913-919 | Full House | |||
| 920-923 | Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | Kate Wiggin | ||
| 924-931 | Blue Envelope | |||
| Folder 30 | ||||
| 932-937 | A Cure for Curables | Earl Derr Biggers | Strand | |
| 938-948 | The Very Idea | |||
| 949-954 | Civilian Clothes | Strand | ||
| 955-961 | Cheating Cheaters | |||
| 962-965 | Parlor, Bedroom and Bath | Strand | ||
| 966 | Turn to the Right! | Winchell Smith | Strand | |
| 967 | When Dreams Come True | |||
| 968 | Old English [with George Arliss] | John Galsworthy | ca. 1924 | |
| 969 | Mutt and Jeff’s Dream | Spreckels | ||
| Folder 31 | ||||
| 976 | Twinkle, Twinkle [with Joe E. Brown] | ca. 1926 | ||
| 977 | Carmen | 1924 | ||
| 970-975 | Seven Keys to Baldpate | George M. Cohan | 1917 | |
| Folder 32 | ||||
| 978-1006 | [Unidentified productions] | |||
| Folder 33 | ||||
| 1007-1011 | [Unidentified actors and actresses] |
