William Paterson, born on July 7, 1919, in Buffalo, New York, graduated from Brown University in 1941, with honors in English Literature. While at Brown University, he joined the Sock and Buskin Drama Club and spent his summer breaks acting in productions at the Pine Grove Playhouse in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania. After graduation, he joined the United States Army for four years, including nine months of active combat in Europe. He earned a Bronze Star for meritorious service and a Purple Heart after being wounded during the Battle of the Bulge. He was also awarded five Campaign Stars. During this period, Paterson was briefly married to Patricia Best.
After his return home from military service, Paterson joined the Cleveland Playhouse. During his fourth year there he married Cora Beams, a hair stylist who sometimes worked on Playhouse productions. In addition to performing in various Playhouse productions, he took time out to act in four national tours of his own one-man biographical shows, portraying Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. and Benjamin Franklin, among others.
In 1967, Paterson joined the American Conservatory Theatre during its inaugural season, at the request of its founder and then artistic director, William Ball. He performed in works ranging from William Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw to Harold Pinter and Sam Shepard. For 14 years, he played the part of Ebenezer Scrooge in the theatre's holiday production of
Paterson received numerous awards during his acting career. He also served on both the San Francisco Arts Commission and the American Conservatory Theatre Commission. He died of lung cancer on September 3, 2003, at his home in San Francisco.
Filmography:
The Paterson Papers were received in 2004.
The title page photograph is William Paterson as George Moore in Tom Stoppard's Jumpers at the American Conservatory Theater in December, 1974.
There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
William Paterson papers, Ms. 2005.1, Brown University Library.
A collection of miscellaneous materials chiefly documenting the acting career of William Paterson from his start at the Cleveland Playhouse in 1947, where he remained for 20 seasons, to his 30-plus year stay at the American Conservatory Theatre, which he joined in its inaugural season in 1967. The bulk of the collection consists of photographs, mostly documenting Paterson in various acting roles. It also includes three unpublished manuscripts of plays, two of which were written by Paterson; a bound, typescript autobiography; reel-to-reel audio tapes of theatrical productions and one voice demo. In addition, the collection comprises such articles as a pen and ink portrait, various acting awards, military decorations, and other documents.
This collection is organized into the following series:
Brown University Library catalog record for this collection:
Studio portraits, personal photographs, and publicity photographs of Paterson in various acting roles.
Head-shots, publicity photos of Paterson, including two framed.
Clippings (publicity advertisements from periodicals, photocopy of theatrical reviews from newspapers); photocopy of obituary; and photographic retrospective pamphlets from A.C.T.
Bound typescript of Paterson autobiography, Solid seasons, includes photographs, index of roles played, and general index.
The Demi-Gods by William Paterson (from an idea of Cora Paterson and with the aid of her research). Partisan Ostrich by William Paterson. The Murder of Thursday Last, or, The Decline and Flop of a Nepotist by deHayen Burns.
Reel-to reel audio tapes (voice demo and theatrical recordings).
Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award; Dean Goodman Choice Award; Signum Laudis from City of San Francisco for Exemplary Service Award; poster from American Embassy Theatre.
Stock certificate (Sterling Mining and Milling Company)