Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Boudini Brothers Vaudeville Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.1426
Creators:
Boudini, Phil
Boudini Brothers
Boudini, Dan, 1891-
Dates:
1909-1928
Languages:
Collection is in
English
. Some items are in
Italian
.
Physical Description:
1.25 Cubic feet
4 boxes
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers document the Boudini Brothers Vaudeville act. They include letters, postcards and telegrams, mostly of a business nature (such as relating to bookings); business papers including contracts and papers relating to expenses; photographs of the family and of the act; programs; scores and sheet music; music manuscripts; advertisements for appearances; magazines; periodicals; clippings and articles; calendars; scrip; and miscellaneous.

Arrangement

Arrangement
1 series.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Phil and Dan Boudini (original names: Filippo and Domenico D'Agostino) were accordionists. Phil was born in Ireland, Dan in Italy. As children, they and their parents moved to Paris. After an apprenticeship, Dan worked in an accordion store. After immigrating to America, they appeared as a vaudeville act during the 1910s and 1920s, performing on the Orpheum Circuit. Initially, the act was called the Boudini Brothers. Their agent was also Harry Houdini's agent and suggested that they adopt the similar name. Phil left the act in 1917, and Dan Boudini's wife, Adele Bernard, joined the act. That act ended in 1928 and Dan and Adele lived the rest of their lives in Wallingford, Connecticut.

Administration

Author
NMAH Staff
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Division of Culture and the Arts.
Processing Information
The collection is unprocessed.
Custodial History
Collection transferred to the Archives Center in 2017 by the Division of Culture and the Arts (now Division of Cultural and Community Life).

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Boudini Brothers Vaudeville Collection, 1909-1928, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Performing arts Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clippings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Vaudeville Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Accordion Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Accordionists Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Business records Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Advertisements Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Accordion music Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Periodicals Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Contracts Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Entertainers Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Postcards Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sheet music Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Programs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scores Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Magazines (periodicals) Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Telegrams Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Music -- Manuscripts Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrip Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Orpheum Circuit Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bernard, Adele Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
archivescenter@si.edu