At the Bryant Library Local History Collection, our evergreen mission is to promote our holdings widely and spark new interest in the tales of Roslyn’s past. Many of the narratives we share are drawn from binders of news clips, oversized scrapbooks, vertical files of vintage photos, and boxes of family papers and documents. These tangible treasures are housed in a special place known as the Bryant Room — a public resource for library patrons interested in researching historical topics.
However, some of the most detailed accounts of Roslyn’s past are preserved in our oral history collection, recorded in the 1970s. These digitized interviews feature individuals whose memories of Roslyn paint a vivid portrait of the area in the early 20th century. Within that collection is a series of interviews that pertain specifically to Christopher Morley, whose 135th birthday will occur this year on May 5th. The interviews are as colorful and motley as Morley, himself, and include conversations with his daughter, Louise Morley Cochrane, local historians David and Doris Marcus, sportswriter Allison Danzig, and neighbors such as the Teichners who remember his good-spirited nature and penchant for cognac.
Though the literary world today may not recall Morley as clearly as other writers of his time, his influence, especially on early modern journalism, is undeniable. We hope that by listening to these recordings, our patrons will gain insight and curiosity about the man whose legacy endures through the park that bears his name.
Click here to listen to a curated playlist of oral history clips pertaining to Christopher Morley
Here’s some teaser quotes from those who were interviewed about their relationship with Mr. Morley:
“You don’t meet a man like Christopher Morley everyday, you were immediately
impressed with the magnitude of this man’s mind…” – Allison Danzig
“His suits looked like he slept in them…and they were good suits, tailor-made suits…but I don’t think he ever had them pressed.” – Rudolph Teichner
“Mr. Morley never wrote a book in [the Knothole], all he did was carouse and get drunk, and escape from his wife and kids.” -David Marcus
“I remember his taking us in (the Bryant Library)…and registered us, and showed us how to use a library and how the tickets worked.”
“And we had a magic lantern, a great special treat…he made slides for the magic lantern which showed various stories…and he encouraged us to make picture stories on cards.” – Louise Morley Cochrane
