Format: PDF
Finding aid URL: https://archives.lafayette.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/strong.pdf
Austin Strong (1881-1952) was an early twentieth century American playwright who had many of his plays performed on Broadway. Several of Strong’s plays also became films, some with more than one version. The 1927 silent film version of Seventh Heaven had notable success, receiving three Academy Awards in 1929, including Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Director. In 1995, Seventh Heaven was inducted into the National Film Registry by the National Film Preservation Board. The Austin Strong collection documents the development of his play about the Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834) entitled Liberty: being the biography of Lafayette told in dramatic form. The play takes place primarily during the American Revolution but also depicts the French Revolution and its aftermath in France. Main characters include historical figures such as the Marquis de Lafayette, his wife Adrienne, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Marie Antoinette, Robespierre, and Napoleon. The collection consists of drafts, background sources related to the composition of the play, set designs, and correspondence.