Research Catalog

Title

Josephine Nichols papers, 1948-1990.

Author

Nichols, Josephine.

Supplementary Content

Finding Aid

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

1.25 lin. ft. (3 boxes)

Summary

The Josephine Nichols Papers consist of papers regarding her career.

Subjects

• Nichols, Josephine
• Teachers > United States
• Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 > Study and teaching
• Actresses > United States

Access (note)

• Collection is open to the public. Library policy on photography and photocopying will apply. Advance notice may be required.

Source (note)

• Holtzschue, Karl B.

Biography (note)

• Josephine Nichols (1913-1996), actress and teacher of theater, was born Josephine Landsittel in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Indexes/Finding Aids (note)

• Finding aid available in repository and on the Internet.

Processing Action (note)

• Cataloged

Call Number

*T-Mss 1996-001

OCLC

NYPW03-A63

Author

Nichols, Josephine.

Title

Josephine Nichols papers, 1948-1990.

Restricted Access

Collection is open to the public. Library policy on photography and photocopying will apply. Advance notice may be required.

Biography

Josephine Nichols (1913-1996), actress and teacher of theater, was born Josephine Landsittel in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her married name was Josephine Holtzschue but she was known professionally as Josephine Nichols throughout her career. She received her BFA, with a major in dramatic art from the University of Oklahoma.

After graduating, she spent a year in California working with the Pasadena Community Playhouse Productions, acting in their productions while pursuing radio and advertising jobs. She moved back to the Midwest and spent the next ten years engaged in many forms of theater activities including directing several plays for the Little Theatre of Wichita, Kansas while radio acting for the local station. In 1945, Josephine Nichols moved to New York to join the group Stage for Action and took a course on radio announcing at Columbia University. She earned an M.A. in speech and communication from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1948.

In 1949 Nichols became an adjunct professor of speech and communication at Adelphi College and director of its Reader's Theater until 1955 when she left to pursue her own acting career. She remained the director of the Reader's Theater until 1966. Meanwhile, she had been working on a Shakespeare seminar program for Adelphi students that she was able teach at other institutions. She also offered private lessons on Shakespeare. Nichols continued her theatrical education becoming a licensed teacher of the Alexander Technique. She also followed the Bahai' Faith, giving lectures at various locations. She took a one year guest lecturer position at Temple University in 1976 where she taught speech and the Alexander Technique.

After leaving Adelphi, Josephine Nichols' acted in touring productions, small theaters, off-Broadway productions and regional theater. She developed her own one-woman production called Sonnets and Scenes from Shakespeare which she took on tour to different venues in the United States including: The Hartford Stage Company and the Jewel Box Theatre in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Regional theater was a great part of Nichol's acting career. She was a member of the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco from 1966-1969 acting in several productions including: A DELICATE BALANCE, THE SEA GULL, and THE CRUCIBLE. She later joined the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre from 1971-1973 acting in among others: THE CHERRY ORCHARD, SCENES FROM AMERICAN LIFE, and CAT AMONG THE PIGEONS. Her other regional appearances included: THE SHOW-OFF (1977), for the Seattle Repertory Theatre, FOXFIRE (1985), at the Missouri Repertory Theatre and LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES (1988), at the Virginia Stage Company. In addition to regional theater, Nichols participated in summer and winter stock productions. She spent 6 seasons at the Totem Pole Playhouse, directed by William Putch, taking part in SOUTHWEST CORNER (1971) and other productions. She also took roles at the Meadow Brook Theatre, the Barter Theatre and Summerstage at Trinity College in Connecticut. Nichols's theater activities in New York included the Broadway production of SKIN OF OUR TEETH, (1975) and CLOTHES FOR A SUMMER HOTEL (1980) both directed by Jose Quintero. She participated in several off-Broadway productions as well, including: The GOLDEN SIX (1958) and UNCOMMON WOMEN (1977).

Nichols's work in film and television ran concurrently with her theater career. Her most noted roles in television include Mrs. Plumm in the televised version of UNCOMMON WOMEN (1978), the Countess in THE ELEPHANT MAN (1982), and matriarch Kate Marshall in NBC's soap opera, TEXAS (1980-1982). In film, she played the mother of James Caan in HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT (1980). She had other roles in film productions of PETULIA (1968) and RIVERRUN (1968). She retired in the early 1990s and died in 1996.

Indexes

Finding aid available in repository and on the Internet.

Connect to:

Request Access to Theatre Division Special Collections material

Finding Aid

Research Call Number

*T-Mss 1996-001