University of Texas at Austin

Tennessee Williams:

Photography Collection Literary File at the Harry Ransom Center

Creator: Harry Ransom Center
Title: Tennessee Williams Literary File
Dates: Circa 1880-1970s
Extent: 2,117 items
Abstract: The Tennessee Williams literary file consists of 2,117 items, including black-and-white prints, negatives, and contact sheets, color prints and transparencies, two tintypes, and some clippings. Images depict Williams, his family, and various productions of his plays.
Call Number: Photography Collection PH-02858
Language: English
Access: Open for research


Scope and Contents


The Tennessee Williams literary file consists of 2,117 items, including black-and-white prints, negatives, and contact sheets, color prints and transparencies, two tintypes, and some clippings. The images include portraits of Williams, his father Cornelius Williams, his mother Edwina Dakin, his brother Walter "Dakin" Williams, his sister Rose Isabel Williams, his maternal grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Walter Dakin, and various friends and associates. There are also numerous images of both stage and screen productions of his plays, as indicated by the list below, including photos of the stage productions, film stills, promotional images, portraits of the actors, and photos of the movie sets including the directors and Williams. These prints of stage and film productions include images of many famous actors, including Tallulah Bankhead, Marlon Brando, Richard Burton, Vivien Leigh, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and Elizabeth Taylor. Prints and negatives are all black-and-white unless otherwise noted. Access prints made by the HRC are available for all negatives without corresponding vintage prints. An index at the end of this guide lists photographers whose work is featured in this file. Further descriptions of some items are available in a card catalog in the repository.
  • Baby Doll (U.S. screen production, P1546-P1560)
  • Boom! (U.S. screen production, P1570-P1590)
  • Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (U.S. screen production, P866-P884, P887-P890)
  • The Fugitive Kind (U.S. screen production of Orpheus Descending, P908-P1119)
  • The Glass Menagerie (U.S. stage productions, P269-P316, P318; foreign stage productions, P320, P323-P353, P355-P361, P364, P367-P372, P375-P380, P385-P411; U.S. screen production, P1141-P1177; U.S. television production, P1648-P1649)
  • In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel (U.S. stage production, P761-P768)
  • Last of the Mobile Hot-Shots (U.S. screen production, P1591-P1646)
  • Night of the Iguana (unidentified stage production, P778; U.S. screen production, P1353-P1444; U.S. premiere stage production, P1650-P1663)
  • Orpheus Descending (U.S. stage production, P730-P733; Dutch stage production, P735-P736; U.S. screen production, P908-P1119)
  • Period of Adjustment (U.S. screen production, P1319-P1350)
  • The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (U.S. screen production, P1120-P1140)
  • The Rose Tattoo (U.S. stage productions, P624, P626-P672; unidentified stage production, P677-P692; foreign stage productions, P693-P726; U.S. screen production, P816-P864)
  • A Streetcar Named Desire (U.S. stage productions, P426-P435, P437; Mexican stage productions, P438-P544; other foreign stage productions, P548-P590, P592-P611, P615-P622; U.S. screen production, P786-P812)
  • Suddenly Last Summer (U.S. screen production, P891-P907)
  • Summer and Smoke (Brazilian stage production, P756-P759; unidentified production, P760; U.S. screen production, P1183-P1240)
  • Sweet Bird of Youth (German stage production, P740-P748; U.S. screen production, P1242-P1317)
  • This Property Is Condemned (U.S. screen production, P1445-P1545)
  • You Touched Me (unidentified stage production, P421-P423)

Related Material


The Ransom Center also holds manuscript materials by Tennessee Williams and artworks related to the Tennessee Williams collection.

Item List