[ Dulcie Gray, actress. ] Copy of typescript of 1991 autobiography 'Looking Forward, Looking Back'; corrected typescript of first part of unpublished book 'Four Years'; prompt copies for her and her husband of their autobiographical play 'Curtain Up'

Author: 
'Dulcie Gray' [ Dulcie Winifred Catherine Savage Bailey ] (1915-2011), actress, wife of actor Michael Denison [ (John) Michael Terence Wellesley Denison ] (1915-1998)
Publication details: 
None of the three items with place or date. 'Looking Forward, Looking Back' published in 1991. 'Four Years', 1940s or 1950s. The prompt copies for production of 'Curtain Up' at the Guildford Theatre, 1998.
£650.00
SKU: 18966

Gray - who in addition to her acting career was a crime novelist and lepidopterist - has an excellent entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, which also carries details of Denison. ONE: Typescript of 'Four Years | By | Dulcie Gray'. [2] + 63pp., 4to. Stapled. With front brown-paper cover with red label bearing title, with stamp of typewriting agency Ethel Christian, 36-38 Southampton Street, Strand. Signature of 'Michael Denison' at head of title-page. On aged and worn paper, and lacking the last couple of leaves and back cover. With a handful of minor manuscript emendations at the start. Page 40 has been torn out, and part of it pinned to p.39, with manuscript note: 'Roger | The part underneath goes in at the bottom of p 41.' The biographical novel is told from the point of view of a young English girl named Winifred (Gray's second name), with a brother named Nigel. It does not appear to have been published. TWO: Photocopy of typescript of Gray's 1991 autobiography Back'. On loose 4to leaves, with the main text complete and paginated 1-262, but with several leaves inserted. In good condition, lightly aged. Photocopied manuscript additions and deletions throughout, but with the addition of five pages in Gray's handwriting (genuine, not photocopied), three of them on the back of leaves of playscript for 'Howards' Way' (in which Gray acted), one of them headed 'Studio 5 | Rehearsal Schedule | April 6th-16th [1990]'. One of the Autograph pages carries a passage concerning 'the ludicrous difficulties of conducting an affair' in the Victorian period. It carries a pencil note, signed 'G.' from the actress Gwen Cherrell. THREE: Matching hardback notebooks, labelled 'D' (for 'Dulcie') and 'M' (for 'Michael'. Containing prompt copies of their parts in the 1999 autobiographical 'evening of reminiscences' titled 'Curtain Up', whose production at the Jermyn Street Theatre in London in April 1998 was Denison's last before his death later that year. Both in good condition, lightly aged. The volumes are both signed by 'John Dickenson' and mainly comprise manuscript text, with emendations and deletions, with typed passages on slips of paper taped in. The volumes include the 'Guildford Running Order', and passages intended for a production at the Theatre Royal in Bath. Included are reminiscences of Noel Coward, Edith Evans, Lawrence Olivier.