Geraghty family photographs
Collection — Folder: SP071
Identifier: SP071
Scope and Contents
This collection includes photographs of Thomas J. Geraghty and his children in Hollywood, California ranging from circa 1920 to 1934 and undated. The image of Thomas Geraghty shows him outside his home, while Carmelita appears in another in her wedding dress.
Dates
- circa 1920-1934, undated
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Thomas Jefferson Geraghty was born to James (1838-1911) and Mary (Lynch) Geraghty (1844-1908) on April 10, 1881 in Rushville, Indiana. He married Ethel Carmelita Dale (1883-1932) on May 2, 1900 in Rusvhille and they had 4 children: Carmelita (1901-1966), Sheila Gladys (1904-1968), Gerald (1906-1954), and Maurice Jean (1908-1987).
Geraghty started in the newspaper industry as editor of the Rushville Republican, before moving to New York City to work for the New York Herald. He switched careers and entered the film industry, starting as a scenario writer. The family moved to Hollywood, California. Geraghty worked closely with actor, director, screenwriter, and producer Douglas Fairbanks and became a well-known screenwriter and movie producer.
At the start of World War II, he was producing films in Great Britain, prompting his return to the United States. He became the head of the Hollywood censorship bureau of the Office of War Information after the U.S. joined the war. Geraghty died on June 5, 1945 in Hollywood and was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, Los Angeles County, California.
Three of the 4 children made names for themselves in the film industry. Carmelita Geraghty (1901-1966) became a leading actress by 1925, starring in Alfred Hitchcock's first film as well as over 70 other motion pictures, and married Carey Wilson (1886-1962), a writer for Metron-Goldwyn Mayer, on May 1, 1934, with fellow actress Jean Harlow as her maid of honor. She retired from film in 1936 and became a successful painter.
Gerald Geraghty (1906-1954) began his career as a screenwriter in 1930, specializing in Westerns. He worked for most studios in his career before his death from a cerebral hemorrhage at age 48. Maurice (1908-1987) also became a film writer and worked on numerous westerns as well as TV shows, and eventually directed and produced them. He wrote the script for Elvis Presley's first film, Love Me Tender (1956).
Sources:
Ancestry.com. "Thomas J. Geraghty." Indiana, U.S., Marriages, 1810-2001. Accessed October 13, 2021. http://wwww.ancestrylibrary.com.
"Carmelita Geraghty." IMDb.com. Accessed October 13, 2021. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0313867.
Findagrave.com. "Carmelita Geraghty." Find A Grave Memorial. Accessed October 13, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6657775/carmelita-geraghty.
Findagrave.com. "Thomas J. Geraghty." Find A Grave Memorial. Accessed October 13, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11534/thomas-j-geraghty.
"Maurice Geraghty." IMDb.com. Accessed October 13, 2021. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0313884.
"Obituaries: Gerald Geraghty." Variety, July 14, 1954, 71. Accessed October 13, 2021. https://archive.org/details/variety195-1954-07/page/n136/mode/1up?view=theater.
"Thomas J. Geraghty of Film Industry Dies in Hollywood." Rushville Republican, June 6, 1945, 1. Accessed October 13, 2021. Newspapers.com.
Wikipedia. "Carmelita Geraghty." Wikipedia.org. Accessed October 13, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmelita_Geraghty.
Geraghty started in the newspaper industry as editor of the Rushville Republican, before moving to New York City to work for the New York Herald. He switched careers and entered the film industry, starting as a scenario writer. The family moved to Hollywood, California. Geraghty worked closely with actor, director, screenwriter, and producer Douglas Fairbanks and became a well-known screenwriter and movie producer.
At the start of World War II, he was producing films in Great Britain, prompting his return to the United States. He became the head of the Hollywood censorship bureau of the Office of War Information after the U.S. joined the war. Geraghty died on June 5, 1945 in Hollywood and was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, Los Angeles County, California.
Three of the 4 children made names for themselves in the film industry. Carmelita Geraghty (1901-1966) became a leading actress by 1925, starring in Alfred Hitchcock's first film as well as over 70 other motion pictures, and married Carey Wilson (1886-1962), a writer for Metron-Goldwyn Mayer, on May 1, 1934, with fellow actress Jean Harlow as her maid of honor. She retired from film in 1936 and became a successful painter.
Gerald Geraghty (1906-1954) began his career as a screenwriter in 1930, specializing in Westerns. He worked for most studios in his career before his death from a cerebral hemorrhage at age 48. Maurice (1908-1987) also became a film writer and worked on numerous westerns as well as TV shows, and eventually directed and produced them. He wrote the script for Elvis Presley's first film, Love Me Tender (1956).
Sources:
Ancestry.com. "Thomas J. Geraghty." Indiana, U.S., Marriages, 1810-2001. Accessed October 13, 2021. http://wwww.ancestrylibrary.com.
"Carmelita Geraghty." IMDb.com. Accessed October 13, 2021. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0313867.
Findagrave.com. "Carmelita Geraghty." Find A Grave Memorial. Accessed October 13, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6657775/carmelita-geraghty.
Findagrave.com. "Thomas J. Geraghty." Find A Grave Memorial. Accessed October 13, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11534/thomas-j-geraghty.
"Maurice Geraghty." IMDb.com. Accessed October 13, 2021. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0313884.
"Obituaries: Gerald Geraghty." Variety, July 14, 1954, 71. Accessed October 13, 2021. https://archive.org/details/variety195-1954-07/page/n136/mode/1up?view=theater.
"Thomas J. Geraghty of Film Industry Dies in Hollywood." Rushville Republican, June 6, 1945, 1. Accessed October 13, 2021. Newspapers.com.
Wikipedia. "Carmelita Geraghty." Wikipedia.org. Accessed October 13, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmelita_Geraghty.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by subject.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2021/10/13 by Brittany Kropf. EAD finding aid 2021/10/13 by Brittany Kropf.
- Title
- Geraghty family photographs
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
