Richard Burton Archives: Richard Burton Collection

Richard Walter Burton (1925-1984) was a Welsh stage and cinema actor.

The collection comprises a diverse range of material which spans the length of his career in theatre and film. It brings together papers that he created and material relating to and accumulated by him, forming a comprehensive research resource. 

The Collection includes:

• Burton's diaries covering the years 1940, 1960, 1965-1972, 1975, 1977, 1980 and 1983
• a large amount of both professional and personal correspondence (although Burton's side of the correspondence is largely unrepresented)
• photographs including prints of Burton in costume, film stills, studio portrait prints and family prints
• audio-visual material comprising recordings for film, television and radio
• film posters
• press cuttings
• scripts
• Burton's address book and various personal items such as his book bag, name stamp and various drama awards.

Within the deposit is Burton's personal library, containing books reflecting his own interests and pursuits along with biographies and other publications relating to him, and a collection of vinyl records.

Richard Burton's diaries, held in the Archives, have been transcribed. They have been edited by Professor Chris Williams, and published by Yale University Press. For more details see Yale's website.