Agate

[?I feel his animosity so strongly.? Sir Donald Wolfit complains about the News Chronicle theatre critic Alan Dent.] Autograph Letter Signed (?Donald?) to the theatre critic W. J. Macqueen-Pope (?Popie?), explaining why he is barring Dent.

Author: 
Sir Donald Wolfit (1902-1968), English Shakespearian actor-manager [W. J. MacQueen-Pope [Walter James MacQueen-Pope] (1888-1960), theatre historian; Alan Holmes Dent (1905-1978), Scottish critic]
Publication details: 
4 November 1948. On his letterhead, from the New Theatre, Hull.
£45.00

See the entries on author and recipient in the Oxford DNB. The subject of the letter Alan Dent, began his career as a prot?g? of James Agate. Although a somewhat histrionic figure, Wolfit's reputation rivalled that of Gielgud and Olivier, and his influence was acknowledged by both Harold Pinter and Peter O?Toole, and Ronald Harwood based his play and film ?The Dresser? on him. 1p, 4to. In fair condition, on lightly-aged and wrinkled paper, with slight nick to bottom-right, and evidence of paper clip. Folded once.

[ The Savage Club, London. ] 53 signatures of members, including those of James Agate, C. R. W. Nevinson, Aubrey Hammond, Reginald Arkell and John Ansell, sent to the composer Herman Finck in his final illness. ]

Author: 
[ The Savage Club, London; James Agate; C. R. W. Nevinson; Aubrey Hammond, John Ansell; Reginald Arkell; Herman Finck [ born Hermann Van Der Vinck ] (1872-1939), composer and conductor ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of The Savage Club, 1 Carlton House Terrace, London, S.W.1. April 1939.
£250.00

4pp., 12mo. On bifolium of grey paper. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. 53 signatures over four pages, written after the following: 'April 1939 | Dear Herman: Keep up your Heart & Get well soon. We need your kingly, cheery presence'. One signatory has written a bar of music, another has drawn a face, another has written after his name 'now then – up beat!' The first signature is that of the Punch cartoonist Bert Thomas (1883-1966), after which he has written '(BLIMEY)'. Among the other signatories are the theatre critic James Agate (1877-1947), the artists C. R. W.

Signed copies of two long Typed Letters from James Agate to Montague Shearman, regarding the 'Controversy' surrounding Noel Coward's 1931 play 'Cavalcade', forwarded with two covering notes by Agate's secretary Alan 'Jock' Dent to E. F. Gye.

Author: 
James Agate (1877-1947), critic [Alan Dent [Alan 'Jock' Dent; Jock Dent] (1905-1978), journalist; Montague Shearman (1886-1940), art collector; Ernest Frederick Gye (1879-1955), diplomat; Noel Coward]
Signed copies of two long Typed Letters from James Agate
Publication details: 
The copies of Agate's letters to Shearman, 5 and 6 November 1931; Dent's notes to Gye of the same dates; all four items on letterheads of 25 Palace Court, London, W2.
£145.00
Signed copies of two long Typed Letters from James Agate

A total of 8 pp, 4to, all on Palace Court letterheads. Dent's notes both signed 'Jock Dent.', and the copies both signed 'James Agate'. Two important, energetic and vivid letters by Agate, totalling 6 pp, 4to, defending Coward's play and his position on 'the intellectual and the popular', against the 'pseudo-intelligentsia' of the barristers Shearman and 'Jack' St John Hutchinson (1884-1942).

Typed letter signed to L. E. Berman,

Author: 
Bronson Albery
Publication details: 
7 July 1943, on the letterhead of the New Theatre, St Martin's Lane.
£20.00

English theatre manager (1881-1971). One page, 4to. He thanks him for his note about "A Woman of No Importance". In an apparent reference to a letter written by him to The Sunday Times about that newspaper's drama critic James Agate (1877-1947) he writes: "My letter was somewhat emasculated, as not only was a sentence left out in the middle, but the concluding sentence ran as follows: - / "Mr. Agate will never cease being provocative but his influence will necessarily diminish in proportion to the contempt he feels for his job.

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