Rita Bernard Archive

Promotional Items

Scope and Content

Contains outsize printed promotional poster for the double-act. Poster reads Bernard and Brown Variety Star Comedy Team

Rita Bernard Publicity Photographs

Scope and Content

Contains the following, all black and white and sepia, 4 of which are signed by her;

• 7 studio and stage photographs of Rita Bernard as an Ugly Sister.
• 6 studio head shots of Rita Bernard.
• 13 studio and stage photographs of Rita Bernard in a variety of costumes including tophat and tails outfit, oriental tunic and lederhosen outfit. Productions unknown.
• 2 studio photographs of Rita Bernard as Alice Fitzwarren.

Two Little Girls in Blue Photographs

Scope and Content

Contains 7 black and white and sepia studio photographs of Rita Bernard and Lena Brown in police-woman costume, appearing as their characters. There are 9 onstage photographs of the same.

Ugly Sisters Photographs

Scope and Content

Contains:

• 3 sepia studio-shots of Rita Bernard and Lena Brown in character as Ugly Sisters Buttercup and Daisy, in Cinderella. Venue and year of production unknown.
• 4 sepia and black and white on-stage photographs of Bernard and Brown as same. Venue and year of production unknown.
• 1 sepia studio-shot of Bernard and Brown as same, printed on a promotional postcard. Labelled Theatre Royal, Glasgow, 1945-46. Scottish press reviews are printed on the other side.

Bernard and Brown Publicity Photographs

Scope and Content

Contains 8 black and white and sepia studio publicity shots of Bernard and Brown. Also contains 1 shot of the pair taking a bow onstage, performance unknown.

Lena Brown Publicity Photograph

Scope and Content

Contains 1 black and white, studio head-shot of Lena Brown.

Maggie Duggan Cabinet Card

Scope and Content

Contains 1 sepia A4 cabinet card of English variety and music-hall performer Maggie Duggan (d.1919) dressed as Principle Boy character. Inscribed "Yours while Maggie Duggan / To Frank A Gondyn"

Scripts

Scope and Content

Contains predominantly hand-written loose-sheet scripts for comedic sketches performed by Bernard and Brown. Includes typed sketch for a Visitors in Variety broadcast, as well as scripts for such sketches as Two Little Girls in Blue, Little Girl and Mama and Wrens. Scripts have been grouped together where appropriate. Also included are 3 notebooks more sketch outlines and a bag of sketch fragments. Fragments are such that cannot be identified due to illegible handwriting, or those which do not seem to be complete.

Lyrics

Scope and Content

Contains predominantly hand-written lyrics for songs to be included in Bernard and Brown shows. Song titles include Front Line Sally, You've Got me Walking on Air and Olga Swing the Volga.

Running Orders

Scope and Content

Contains handwritten sketch, song and band parts running lists for Bernard and Brown shows.

Costume Lists

Scope and Content

Contains handwritten costume lists for Bernard and Brown shows.

Personal Ephemera

Scope and Content

Contains an address book and various collected individual address scraps, correspondence (including 2 fan letters), receipts of payment, some examples of Bernard and Brown headed paper, and other miscellaneous papers.