[ Frank Pettingell, English film actor. ] Four Autograph Letters Signed, one unsigned Autograph Note and nine Christmas Cards, to theatrical bookseller Barry Duncan, with carbon copies of three of Duncan's letters.

The collection of seventeen items in fair condition, with light signs of age and wear. Two of the letters are signed 'Frank Pettingell', the others signed 'Frank (P.)' and 'Frank'. Two of the letters are in their original envelopes. They total 5pp., 12mo. On 22 August 1947 he writes regarding his collection of playscripts, mostly acquired from the son of the comedian Arthur Williams, and now at the Templeman Library, University of Kent: 'We are on holiday here [in Broadstairs] since "Fifty-Fifty" finished [...] When I get back next month I would like to sort the old M.S. (26 feet high) of which we spoke so if you are still desirous of assembling the plays to match your assignment book from Arthur Williams I will be glad to help'. The letter of 13 August 1954 finds Pettingell doing a some book business himself: 'I am expecting to return soon to do a television show [...] I must very certainly pull my "Eras" - Sketches - and other items out for disposal - and have to make out a list of items to get out and submit eventually to Alec Clunes (!!) and another prospective purchaser.' He asks for the return of 'the 4 vols of "Era" I loaned you', as it is 'essential I should have these to include in the run I possess. | I am charging 2 : 10 : 0 per volume for these and 5/- to 7/6 for the Sketch. This, I fear, will be too dear for you to contemplate purchasing - please forgive the remark - [...] I will be busy with the television play at rehearsals and studying until transmission, so will not be able to sort things until I'm through with this.' An undated letter and the unsigned note both concern Duncan's gift of a necklace, with the note asking Duncan to bring it 'to stage door'. The nine undated Christmas cards are variously signed 'Frank', 'Frank and Family', 'The Pettingells' and 'Frank Ethel and the Family'. The carbon copies of Duncan's three letters to Pettingell (each 1p., 4to) date from between 1945 and 1954. The first discusses Gladys Colthorp, as well as 'the Arthur Williams scripts': 'I do hope that when you have time to look them (and any of the other items) over, that you will decide you can spare some of them, if not all, for me to purchase. For that matter, if for sentimental reasons, you really want to keep some of the scripts, which you very well might, I could tempt you in the matter with the offer of the Assignments of the ones you would like to keep, couldn't I?' And replying to Pettingell's letter of 13 August 1954: 'Twenty-six feet high eh? What a job you're going to have with the MSS. I'd love to be able to do something in the matter of them and the assignment book [...]'. Previously, on 4 August 1954, he writes regarding a legal action against Clunes: 'I had so much trouble on top of me just at the time that I lost that case that Clunes brought against me - the man I got to take the shop over instead turned out to be a dreadful person too and I can't get rid of him! [...] C. at the moment is threatening to put the bailiffs in or make me bankrupt! for the £50 and costs of £39 (my own were £27 or so). Did you hear that he was in Minorca or somewhere like that before the case and he flew here and back for it at a cost of over £70 to try to get £50! If I had emphhasized that "feeding the cats" was automatically included in "looking after them" the Judge would have decided in my favour! [...]'