Frank Schiffman Apollo Theatre Collection
name: label: Collector
content: Schiffman, Frank, 1894-1974
label: Donor
content: Schiffman, Jack
label: Names
content: Apollo Theatre (New York, N.Y.)
label: Names
content: Schiffman, Robert
place: label: Place
content: Harlem (New York, N.Y.) -- 20th century
label: Place
content: New York (N.Y.) -- 20th century
topic: label: Topic
content: African American entertainers -- 20th century
label: Topic
content: African American musicians
label: Topic
content: Concerts -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: Entertainers -- 1930-1980
label: Topic
content: Music-halls -- 1930-1980
label: Topic
content: Theaters -- New York (State) -- New York
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated to the Archives Center by Jack and Robert Schiffman in January 1996. An addendum was added to the collection in 2014.
creator: label: Collector
content: Schiffman, Frank, 1894-1974
label: Donor
content: Schiffman, Jack
setName: label: See more items in
content: Frank Schiffman Apollo Theatre Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: The Frank Schiffman Apollo Theater Collection contains records, correspondence, photographs, and recordings concerning Frank Schiffman's business activities and the Apollo Theater's influences on American culture.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: The Apollo Theater is located in the Harlem section of New York City, New York. A prominent and influential institution, the Apollo Theater hosted numerous performances by popular entertainers who were primarily African-American, including Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday, Smokey Robinson, and the Temptations from the early 1930s to the present. It became best known as the site of "amateur night" programs, which catapulted many of its winners (and losers) to national and international acclaim. To this day, the Apollo Theater remains an important fixture in both the music industry and the African-American community.

The son of Austrian immigrants, Frank Schiffman began his career in the promotion and distribution of motion pictures in New York City. As his career grew, he managed various New York theaters such as the Lafayette and the Harlem Opera House. In 1934, Frank Schiffman became the first manager of the Apollo Theater. Soon thereafter, he became co-owner, and retained the management position until the early 1960s. Schiffman's lack of racial bias as well as his keen business sense helped the Apollo Theater to become a cultural icon within the performance industry. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, Schiffman's sons, Jack and Robert assisted him with the management of the theater, and later took over management upon Frank Schiffman's retirement. Frank Schiffman died in 1974 at the age of eighty.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 8 Cubic feet (23 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1900-2009, undated
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0540
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Awards
label: Type
content: Handbills
label: Type
content: Ledgers (account books)
label: Type
content: Photographs
label: Type
content: Publicity photographs
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged into eight series.

Series 1: Correspondence, 1938-1985, undated

Series 2: Business Records, 1931-1980, undated

Series 3: Publicity, 1927-1993, undated

Series 4: Photographs, 1904-1970, undated

Series 5: Background and Historical Materials, 1900-2006, undated

Series 6: Audio Recordings, 1921-1986, undated

Subseries 6.1: Reel to Reel Tapes, 1972, undated

Subseries 6.2: Records, 1921-1951, undated 

Subseries 6.3: Audio Cassette Tapes, 1970s-1986, undated

Series 7: Performers Materials, 1940-1976, undated

Series 8: Office Files, 1926-2009, undated
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Danielle Synder, intern, 2002. Addendum processed by Sarah Gediman, intern, 2019; Lauren M. Janik, intern, 2019; and Savannah Hildre, intern, 2019 supervised by Vanessa Broussard Simmons, archivist, 2019.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Awards
label: Genre/Form
content: Handbills
label: Genre/Form
content: Ledgers (account books)
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Publicity photographs
label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks -- 20th century
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Collection documents the business endeavors of Frank Schiffman, and the Apollo Theater's contribution to American culture. The collection includes sound recordings, personal and business correspondence, photographs, business records, and printed material.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History:


Ella Fitzgerald Collection, NMAH.AC.0584


Frank Driggs Collection of Duke Ellington Photographic Reference Prints, NMAH.AC.0389


Duke Ellington Collection, NMAH.AC.0301


Ruth Ellington Collection of Duke Ellington Materials, NMAH.AC.0415


Edward and Gaye Ellington Collection of Duke Ellington Materials, NMAH.AC.0704


John and Devra Levy Collection, NMAH.AC.1221


Program in African American Culture, NMAH.AC.0408


Smothers Brothers Collection, NMAH.AC.1437


International Sweethearts of Rhythm Collection, NMAH.AC.1218


Duncan Schiedt Photograph Collection, NMAH.AC.1323 


International Sweethearts of Rhythm Collection, NMAH.AC.1218


Bobby Short Papers, NMAH.AC.0946


John and Devra Levy Collection, NMAH.AC.1221


Leonard Gaskin Papers, NMAH.AC.0900


Charismic Productions Records of Dizzy Gillespie, NMAH.AC.0979


Bobby Tucker Papers, NMAH.AC.1141


W. C. Handy Collection, NMAH.AC.0132


Ramsey Lewis Collection, NMAH.AC.1126


Mongo Santamaria Papers, NMAH.AC.0893


Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Theater, NMAH.AC0060


Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Motion Pictures, NMAH.AC0060


Other Repositories:

Apollo Theater Archives, archive@apollotheatre.org


Apollo Theater, concertarchives.org