News
Events
Blogs
Traynor Ora Halftown photographs and papers
Traynor Ora Halftown (1917-2003), also known as Chief Halftown, was an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation and a popular children's television entertainer in Philadelphia. He was born in 1917 on the Cattaraugus Reservation, outside of Buffalo, New York. During World War II, Halftown served in...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Contributors: | |
| Collection: | Traynor Ora Halftown Photographs and Papers |
| Collection Number: | 4624 |
| Format: | Manuscript |
| Language: | English |
| Subjects and Genres: | |
| Online Access: | Link to finding aid |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Item Description: |
Processing Information: Photographs in albums were transferred to archival sleeves and albums. Binders were disassembled, and the materials were placed in archival folders and boxes. Newspaper clippings were copied onto acid-free paper. |
|---|---|
| Physical Description: |
5.2 Linear feet ; 11 boxes, 16 volumes |
| Access: |
The collection of open for research. |
| Summary: |
Traynor Ora Halftown (1917-2003), also known as Chief Halftown, was an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation and a popular children's television entertainer in Philadelphia. He was born in 1917 on the Cattaraugus Reservation, outside of Buffalo, New York. During World War II, Halftown served in the U. S. Army, which put his nascent singing career on hold. Prior to the conflict, he had been billed as “The Singing Seneca.” After being honorably discharged in 1946, his search for employment eventually brought him to Philadelphia for radio work. When the radio station changed hands, he applied for jobs and also pitched a children’s television show, with himself as host, to Philadphia's Channel 6 (WFIL-TV, later WPVI). From 1950 to 1999, he hosted “The Chief Halftown Show,” which is recognized as the world's longest running, local television show for children. As Chief Halftown, he also regularly spoke at schools throughout southeastern Pennsylvania; made appearances at Dutch Wonderland, a theme park in Lancaster; and visited hospitals and nursing homes. Halftown was also a professional bowler and a longtime ambassador for Brunswick Bowling. In this capacity, he served as a bowling instructor, running clinics and starting bowling clubs for children and teenagers. The Halftown family resided for many years in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. In the early 2000s, Chief Halftown and his wife moved to Brigantine, New Jersey, and he passed away in 2003. The collection materials represent Halftown’s professional life after World War II, consisting of photograph albums, clippings, correspondence, certificates, scrapbooks, Seneca Nation of Indians newsletters, and a small selection of books and printed materials from Halftown’s library on Native American history and culture. This collection is comprised of materials that mostly document Chief Halftown's professional life. Making up the majority of items are large albums of photographs and binders of clippings, ephemera, and correspondence related to Chief Halftown's television, radio, and bowling work and public appearances. The photograph albums feature vibrant 8" x 10" black and white publicity stills, where Halftown is often pictured with other celebrities, such as Jesse Owens, Tug McGraw, and Yogi Berra. A few pictures include family members. In addition to photographs, the collection also contains plaques, VHS tapes and DVDs (of his television show and a school assembly), handwritten music, certificates, scrapbooks, Seneca Nation of Indians newsletters, and books and printed materials from Halftown's library of Native American history and culture, some of which focus on the Seneca Nation. There is also a folder of promotional material for the Holy Rosary Mission and Red Cloud Indian School from 1963 (Box 5 folder 6); a scrapbook presented by Monuk Boyd of Petersburg, Alaska (Volume 1); and a set of 80 “Indian trading cards” (Box 1, folder 3). |