Harriet Lundgren Papers, 1917-1991

Gift of Harriet Lundgren, 1991, 1995.

The Harriet Lundgren Papers are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room; 1 box at a time (Priority III).

The Harriet Lundgren Papers are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce any materials from this collection, contact the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections.

Harriet Lundgren Papers, The Newberry Library, Chicago.

Virginia H. Smith, 2007.

Chicago ballet dancer.

Of Swedish descent, Harriet Lundgren, daughter of Ida Lundgren and artist Martin Lundgren, was born in Chicago in 1907. Lungren started her training at the Hazel Wallack Studio, later joined the Pavley-Oukrainsky Ballet, and still later the Adolph Bolm Company.

For a number of years, Lundgren was a principal performer, most notably with the Chicago Civic Opera Company, where she was prima ballerina from 1922 to 1932. She toured both in America and in Europe, and appeared with the Ruth Page Ballet at Ravinia Park, the Capitol Theatre in New York, the Century of Progress International Exposition, and at many other venues.

Harriet Lundgren was not only a well-known performer, she was also a teacher. She was on the faculty of the Bush Conservatory, a school of dramatic arts and dancing, where her teaching was described along the lines of Russian and Italian ballet, emphasizing toe, character, Oriental and interpretive techniques. Among other activities, she taught at the traveling normal school conducted by the Chicago Association of Dancing Masters.

After a busy career being involved in numerous Chicago events, Lundgren left the stage in the 1950s and opened a dance school in the Edgewater Beach Apartments. She retired in the 1960s and died in 1996.

Collection is mainly scrapbooks containing newspaper and magazine clippings, programs and other memorabilia relating to dancers, opera singers and their performances in Chicago during the 1920s and 1930s. Also, a few articles, magazines and loose programs, including a souvenir program of Anna Pavlova, a catalog for the Bush Conservatory, and numerous photographs, many signed by celebrities. Also, there is a large oil painting of Lundgren posed in costume done by Salvatore Salla.

Arranged by type of material.

• Names
  • Bolm, Adolf, 1894-1951
  • Bush Conservatory (Chicago, Ill.).
  • Chicago Civic Opera (Chicago, Ill.).
  • Lundgren, Harriet, 1907-1996
  • Pavley-Oukrainsky Ballet.
  • Salla, Salvatore
• Subject
  • Chicago
  • Dance
  • Manuscripts, American -- Illinois -- Chicago
  • Photographs
  • Women