FILM

1p, 4to. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-creased paper, with two small punch holes to one margin. Pencil notes at foot of page, with more notes in ink and pencil on the reverse. He begins: ‘I too a looking forward to my visit to Cheltenham on April 4th. I shall, as you say, be bringing my records with me which include both 78 r.p.m. and 33 1/3 r.p.m. As you say it will be necessary for me to have overnight accommodation and I should be grateful if you could make the booking.’ He gives details of the train he will be travelling on from Paddington, and asks where to go.

A good firm signature, and not a common one. While hugely popular (see his entry in the Oxford DNB), Sims was an intensely private man, who refused to give autographs. 1p, landscape 12mo. In fair condition lightly aged and with slight rust spotting from paperclip; folded for postage. Reads: ‘Dear Adza Vincent, / My wife and I both thank you for sending Christopher’s Bedford talk. I have taken the liberty of typing a copy for own archives, and can now return the one you sent. / With renewed thanks, / Yours sincerely, / Alastair Sim’.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, small 4to. On laid light-brown paper. In good condition, with fold for postage. Reads: ‘Dear Miss Cond, / Your nice letter was mislaid in my flitting from the Whitehall to the Victoria Palace, hence the delay in acknowledging it. / Many thanks for your good wishes / Sincerely / Greer Garson.’ Eileen Cond was an enthusiastic autograph collector.

Few copies of this ephemeral item can have survived. (No copies appear to show up on Jisc or WorldCat.) 20pp, 4to. Small print. Stapled. In very good condition for such a publication: lightly browned paper, with one off-centre horizontal fold. The item can be dated from the films listed on the two pages of ‘Talkie Film Songs’ seem to all date from the 1930s (e.g. ‘The Cowboy and the Lady’ and ‘Song of the Saddle’). Title page has box containing a list of ‘Immortal Melodies by Victor Herbert’.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) 1p, 4to. Aged and creased, on discoloured high-acidity paper. Folded twice for postage, and with closed tear at head of vertical fold. Slight damage and rust staining from removal of staple. The letterhead incorporates two photographic portraits of Lauri, with press comment from ‘Everyone’s Magazine’ and career resume beginning: ‘Ernest Lauri / (The Singing Anzac) / STARRED IN AUSTRALIAN PICTURES / Versatile Vocalist and Monologist’. Macqueen-Pope is not named, but is presumably the recipient.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The three items are in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The first has slight wear to one edge, the second and third are pinned together. ONE: BA to MP, 10 January 1956. 1p, 4to. Folded for postage. Begins: ‘I wonder if I may introduce myself by means of the enclosed press notices? I am also noted in Whos Who in the Theatre and have letters of personal recommendation from Sir Desmond MacCarthy, Sir Beverley Baxter, J. C.

Clearly produced for an autograph collector. On one side of a 12.5 x 8.5 cm cream card. In good condition, lightly aged. The inscription reads: ‘For Janis / Merry Xmas to you / Sincerely / Noah Beery’. Affixed in the top right-hand corner, partially covering the word ‘you’ in the inscription, is a black and white stamp, with photographic portrait captioned at foot ‘NOAH BEERY’. Dated in pencil at bottom-right ‘Dec 1936’.

Nash made around 70 films between 1912 and 1927, and was a key figure in the creation of Elstree Studios. His career as a film maker was effectively ended following the screening of his 1921 film 'How Kitchener was betrayed'. See Bernard Ince, ' “For the Love of the Art”: The Life and Work of Percy Nash, Film Producer and Director of the Silent Era’, ‘Film History’, September 2007. See also Macqueen-Pope’s entry in the Oxford DNB. The collection of eleven items is in fair overall condition, with minor creasing and aging to some items.

The present item is producer Hugh Burnett's own copy, from his papers, of the transcript of Stevenson's interview with Freeman, broadcast in the groundbreaking BBC television series 'Face to Face' on 22 July 1959. The single-spaced typed transcript was produced for inclusion in Burnett's book 'Face to Face / Edited and introduced by Hugh Burnett' (London: Jonathan Cape, 1964), and is marked up with printing instructions in pencil and red ink, with a few proof corrections in pencil and green ink. 2pp, foolscap 8vo, on two leaves.

See the entries for Warner and Macqueen-Pope in the Oxford DNB. Such was the popularity of Warner’s portrayal of George Dixon, that the Queen told him it had become part of ‘the British way of life’, and he was carried to his grave by six real officers from Paddington Green Police Station. LETTER: 1p, 4to. Folded twice. In good condition, lightly aged. Signature ‘Jack.’ and salutation to ‘My dear Popie’ in Warner’s hand; the rest typed. Letterhead with his name. He is sending ‘the long promised photos’, delayed because he ‘had to get some new prints of the “pipe” one.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 9.5 x 11.5 cm leaf of blue paper, with rounded outer corners, torn from an autograph album. In good condition, lightly aged, with spotting on reverse. Reads: ‘Best Wishes / Tom Walls.’ Good bold writing, with stylistic flourish linking the cross-stroke of the T in ‘Tom’ with the S of ‘wishes’, and two small vertical strokes at the centre of the underlining of the signature. See image

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. On grey paper. In fair condition, with a few light creases and two punch-holes to inner margin. Good large signature (‘Anna Neagle.’) in black ink. She thanks him for his letter and kindness in sending the photographs: ‘I think they are excellent.’ She is glad that she was ‘able to get along to the Party’, and thanks him ‘and the Committee’ for making her visit so pleasant.

A true great: Mancini won four Oscars, a Golden Globe and twenty Grammies. No place or date. Black and white 19 x 23.5 cm print on 20 x 25.5 cm glossy photographic paper. In fair condition, with slight creasing at one corner. In sports jacket and tie, Mancini stares over his piano with the merest of smiles. On the left-hand side of his jacket, in Mancini’s autograph, is the inscription, in black felt-tip pen: ‘to / Ray / Henry / Mancini’. See image.

See Ashton’s entry in the Oxford DNB. Both items in good condition, lightly aged, with evidence of mount to blank reverse of photograph. ONE: TLS. 17 January 1922. 1p, 12mo. Folded once. Signed ‘Clemence Dane’. Addressed to G. Railton Barnard, 6 The Crescent, York. She thanks him for his ‘interesting letter’: ‘If the same question had not already crept up once or twice, I should not have thought it possible for anyone so to misunderstand Legend, but I know people do, clear as I thought I had made it.’ Barnard is ‘absolutely right’: ‘Madala Grey is head over ears in love with her husband.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. In good condition, with light dabs of glue from mount on reverse. On 11.5 x 9 cm card with rounded edges. Clearly in response to a request for an autograph, he writes: 'For Louis Frewen / with all good wishes / from / Anthony Asquith / December 1931'.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In fair condition, but a little brittle and discoloured (unobtrusive repair to one corner with archival tape). The recipient is not named. Reads: ‘Dear Sirs / I shall be pleased to see your Ramblers June the 6th. Let me know details of them & numbers a week before. / Yours truly / Hubert Herkomer’.

1p, 8vo. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. Folded once. Salutation ('My dear Popey -') and valediction ('My love to you both - | Anna.') in her autograph; the rest typed. Good bold signature. Reads: 'It was so very kind of you to think of me on Saturday.

2pp, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with crease lines from having been folded into a packet. The letter is from a batch of letters written following Ivor Novello's death in 1951, in Macqueen-Pope's personal papers. He writes to send his new address ('after April 14th.'), having been forced after eight weeks to move from the Holmwood Hotel, 'to seek a little relaxation at a guest house where there will be less noise and Jubilation'.

See the entries for Smith and MacQueen-Pope in the Oxford DNB. Walt Disney had read The Hundred and One Dalmatians earlier in the year in which the present letter was written, and had immediately begun negotiations for the rights, much to Smith's delight, as she had hoped that he would make it into a film. 2pp, 8vo. A long letter, in a close and elegant hand. Writing on behalf of herself and her 'friend' and business manager Alec Macbeth Beesley, and on receipt of his latest book, she begins: 'Dear Popie, | How very, very kind of you to send us Give me Yesterday! Thank you so much.

1p, 8vo. On aged and worn paper, with spots of rust staining from paperclip. Folded twice. Addressed to MP at 359 Strand, WC2. Reads: 'Dear Popie, | Children's Theatre | Sound | This is just to acknowledge your rough draft of the article you suggest. I have not had time to look at it yet, but I will do so as soon as I possibly can. Meanwhile, perhaps your secretary will let my secretary know the latest date for returning it.' MP's reason for sending the article to Donat is not immediately apparent. Donat's papers are in the University of Manchester Special Collections.

An interesting period piece. Two synopses of Percy Nash's review 'The Charm', the second dated by him to 1951, and with reference to the nationalisation of the coal industry. Together with the typescript of a song from the play about the 'Man of Might' Winston Churchill, and the Labour Party, who 'Have sullied the Fair name | of dear old England'. Also present is a watercolour drawing by Percy Nash's nephew the Bournemouth artist Eustace Nash of the intended backdrop to the first act of the review, together with an ALS discussing his ideas for the design of the piece.

The three letters in good condition, lightly aged, tipped-in onto a leaf removed from an album. The first 1p, 12mo; the other two each 1p, 8vo. All three signed 'Edmund Gwenn'. In the first he thanks him for his 'great courtesy during my visit', and for reproducing 'that old programme'. In the second letter he acknowledges 'a further proof of your kindly interest', received at his hotel after sending his first letter. The article was 'extremely interesting', as was 'the Photograph of Irving in his robes', a copy of which, he asks to purchase.

2pp, 12mo. On grey paper with letterhead of his name. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with slight staining tape staining to two corners from mount. Addressed to 'Mrs Richard Eyre, | Bullsmead, | Maiden Newton, | Dorset.' The subject of the letter is the preparation for the 1948 British film 'Scott of the Antarctic', in which Mills starred in the title role. The recipient is the mother of the noted English director Sir Richard Eyre (b. 1943), whose father Charles Royds was Scott’s First Lieutenant.

Seven items from the Christopher Fry papers, relating to the film 'A Queen Is Crowned', which was a British box office hit in coronation year, and was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. At the time of writing Fry was at the height of his popularity: around this time he had four plays running in the West End at once.

Seventeen lines of text, on both sides of a piece of grey card. In good condition. Written in felt-tip pen, and difficult to decipher in places, as for example the Paris address and name of recipient. Begins: 'Surprise, surprise, dear [?], it is no longer true that I have not answered a single letter. Dear Nadia was so popular a person that I am still struggling with an Everest of condolences, and this far happier event has given me a momentary pause in my labours'.

Postcard with printed stamp. In good condition, on aged paper. Address by her to 'Miss Johnson [identified in pencil as Isa Johnson] | 23 Weltje Road | Hammersmith | London - W'. The card reads: 'My thanks for your letter - I am sorry I did not see you to speak to the other day. I hate leaving here in next few days it has done me such a lot of good.'

In addition to his distinguished career as a playwright, Fry had some success in Hollywood. He completely rewrote (uncredited) the screenplay of 'Ben-Hur' (1959), and was responsible for the screenplay of the Dino De Laurentiis epic 'The Bible: In the Beginning' (1966), directed by John Houston. The present item is a treatment for a film that did not make it into production. It is [1] + 71pp, 8vo. Each page on a separate loose leaf. With thin card covers, also loose, the front cover carrying a duplication of the title-page, and the back cover blank. In good condition, lightly aged.

Photostat pages of the first part of Christopher Fry's screenplay of the lavish 1966 American-Italian 20th Century Fox religious epic film 'The Bible: In the Beginning...', produced by Dino De Laurentiis and directed by John Huston. [2] + 7pp, 4to. Photostats of a typescript, on seven leaves.

Both items in good condition, but the postcard (of a Viennese street scene) with stamp torn off. ONE: ALS. Signed 'Walter (Rilla)'. Vienna; 7 November 1966. 1p, 8vo. Twenty-six lines of text, in a neat close hand.

A total of twenty-eight items of correspondence, comprising: nineteen Autograph Letters Signed (two on the backs of cards), two Typed Letters Signed, and seven Autograph Cards Signed. In good condition. All signed 'Mary', and the large part addressed to 'Christopher', with a few to 'Kit' and one to 'Dear Phyl [i.e. Fry's wife Phyllis], dear Christopher'. The correspondence indicates a deep affection and long-standing intimacy.