David Bernard Guralnik (1920-2000) was an internationally known lexicographer and the editor of the Webster's New World Dictionary that at the time of his retirement in 1985 had sold over 70,000,000 copies. He was also a leader in Cleveland, Ohio, Jewish communal organizations and activities, particularly known for his work preserving and using the Yiddish language.
Born in Cleveland, Guralnik graduated from Glenville High School and received both his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Western Reserve University. Following graduation in 1941, Guralnik was employed by the World Publishing Company in its dictionary department. With the exception of his military service during World War II, Guralnik worked in that department until his retirement in 1985. He became dictionary editor-in-chief in 1948 directing the production of various editions of Webster's New World Dictionary.
Guralnik was active in numerous non-profit organizations. His interests ranged from libraries and educational institutions to Jewish communal agencies. He served as vice president of the Cleveland Jewish News (1974-1983) and president of the Jewish Community Center of Cleveland (1976-1979). His knowledge and love of the Yiddish language was manifested in talks, radio presentations, and theater, where for a fifty-year period (1948-1997), Guralnik performed in various Yiddish productions staged by the Jewish Community Center.
The David Bernard Guralnik Photographs, 1926-1997 and undated, consist of 189 prints, 117 of which are black-and-white and 72 are color. About one third of the photographs are stage stills. A smaller, but significant number, are portraits of Guralnik.
The collection is of value to researchers interested in American amateur theater, and particularly in ethnic and Yiddish theater in Cleveland, Ohio. Of note are theater stills featuring David Guralnik, Shirley Nashkin Guralnik, Philip Nashkin, Sam Neshkin, and Reuben and Dorothy Silver. Also of interest are the World Publishing Company group portraits and interior office shots, images during Guralnik's tenure as president of the Jewish Community Center of Cleveland, and Guralnik's company in the United States Army during World War II.
The collection is arranged in three series. Each series is arranged by image content, then alphabetically by subject, and then chronologically.
The researcher should also consult MS 4853 David Bernard Guralnik Papers; and PG 502 The Jewish Community Center Photographs, Series II.
Processed by Stanley Lasky in 2001.
None.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] PG 518 David Bernard Guralnik Photographs, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Gifts of Shirley Guralnik in 2000 and 2001.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.