COMEDY

[ Frank Marcelle; with the "sea-lion comedian" ] Autopgraph Letter Signed "F. Marcelle" to a Mr Raffin

Author: 
Frank Marcelle, comedian
Publication details: 
Headed Notepaper "Frank Marcelle and his Unique Partner 'Jackie' The Sea-Lion Comedian" adding in MS present engagements("Cine Magique, Rue Convention", etc) and date, 31 Dec. 1921.
£35.00

One page, 4to, good condition. He's sorr y to be slow in answering Raffin's letter. "We stay at St Denis until Monday night and then we go to the Rue Convention. Jackie [the sea-lion comedian) was a very big success here and the People like him very much indeed. | Are you having a nice time in Paris? [...]"

[ George Grossmith junior. ] Unpublished autograph family reminiscences by his younger daughter, with two Autograph Letters Signed by her ('Rosa George' and 'Rosa George. | (Grossmith)') to W. Macqueen Pope, praising her father in the fondest terms.

Author: 
George Grossmith junior (1874-1935), actor-manager and comedian, his daughter Rosa Mary George (1907-1988) [ W. Macqueen-Pope [ Walter James Macqueen-Pope ] (1888-1960), theatre manager and historian]
Publication details: 
The reminiscences without place or date. The letters from 26 Lawnbodle Road, Hampstead, NW3 [ London ]. 30 October and 4 December 1950.
£220.00

ONE: Autograph family reminiscences by Rosa Mary George (née Grossmith). 19 pp., 12mo. Rough pencil notes, on ruled pages torn from a notebook. Seventeen pages on George Grossmith junior, with a page apiece on 'His Father' and 'His Uncle'. TWO: The two letters, totalling 9pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper.

Typescript, marked 'Producer's Copy', of the play 'Ghost for Sale', with manuscript addition to ending.

Author: 
Ronald Jeans (1887-1973), British playwright over five decades
Publication details: 
In manuscript on front cover: 'Return to 40c Palace St: London S.W.1'. Undatd. From Pinker's Play Bureau, Talbot House, Arundel Street, Strand, London, WC2.
£220.00

147pp., 8vo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with rusty binding, in worn covers. In manuscript on the cover are the return address and 'Producer's Copy'. In the same hand is an addition to the ending: 'Judy | Then there is a ghost' | Geoffrey | Not a word to your father'. 'Who's Who in the Theatre' records a production of the play in 1938, but there is no reference to it on either OCLC WorldCat, or on COPAC.

[ Sophie Tucker, American entertainer. ] Autograph Signature.

Author: 
Sophie Tucker [ born Sonya Kalish ] (1887-1966), 'The Last of the Red Hot Mamas', Ukrainian-born American singer, comedian, actress, and radio personality
Publication details: 
No place. 1936.
£23.00

On 6.5 x 12 piece of ruled paper. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads 'With Compliments Sophie Tucker 1936'.

[ Guy Bolton and Fred Thompson. ] Early uncensored typescript draft of 'Song of the Drum' ('A New Musical Comedy | Book'), before the setting was changed from India to 'Huzbaria' because of political unrest.

Author: 
Guy Bolton [ Guy Reginald Bolton ] (1884-1979), Anglo-American writer of musical comedies, associated with P. G. Wodehouse; Fred Thompson [ Frederick A. Thompson ] (1884-1949), English librettist
Publication details: 
With typed address of 'Fred Thompson | 419, East 57th Street | New York City. | (Plaza 2018)'. Stamp of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane Ltd. London, W.C.2. Undated [ circa 1931 ].
£450.00

Jeffrey Richards, in his 'Imperialism and Music: Britain, 1876-1953' (2001), pp.272-274, discusses this piece at some length, beginning: 'There was a late entry in the imperial cycle, the now-forgotten The Song of The Drum, written by Fred Thompson and Guy Bolton, which opened at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, on 9 January 1931. It starred Derek Oldham as Captain Anthony Darrell, Bobby Howes as comic relief Chips Wilcox, Peter Haddon as silly-ass "Goofy" Topham and Marie Burke as glamorous spy Countess Olga von Haulstein.

Autograph draft of a circular letter by the comedian Tommy Trinder urging Equity members to vote in favour of Sunday opening in a wartime ballot on that question. With a typescript of the circular, and a printed facsimile of Trinder's signature.

Author: 
Tommy Trinder [Thomas Edward Trinder] (1909-1989), English stage, screen and radio comedian with the catchphrase 'You lucky people!' [C.A.S.T., Campaign of Actors for Sunday Theatres, 1943]
Publication details: 
Undated [1943].
£120.00

The three items are stapled to one another, in good condition on lightly-aged paper. The first item is the typescript, which is 1p., 4to. It is addressed to 'Dear Brother Artist,' and begins: 'You will possibly be rather surprised to receive a letter from me, but after having spent most of my life in the Provinces, I now find myself landed in London. I am surprised at the amount of discussion and activity that takes place here regarding the "politics" of the theatre - and realise how you in the Provinces are apt to get left out.

Black and white original publicity photograph: signed, dated, and inscribed to 'Peggy'.

Author: 
Max Wall [Maxwell George Lorimer] (1908-1990), English music-hall comedian and actor
Wall
Publication details: 
1932
£120.00
Wall

Dimensions of paper 23 x 17 cm. White border of 0.25 cm. A little grubby and with slight silvering at base, but overall a very good impression. A striking head and shoulders shot, with a clean shaven young Wall, neatly dressed in evening wear with black bow tie, and wearing a white sailor's hat at an angle, staring straight at the camera, with glossy lips, eyebrows raised and deadpan expression. The words 'Max Wall' printed in bottom left-hand corner. The inscription reads 'To Peggy | Sincere good wishes | [signed] Max Wall | 1932'.

Autograph Signatures ('Gertrude Lawrence.', 'Ivy St. Helier' and 'Joyce Carey').

Author: 
Gertrude Lawrence (1898-1952), Ivy St Helier (1886-1971); Joyce Carey (1898-1993); English actresses associated with Noel Coward
Publication details: 
Dates and places not stated.
£45.00

On a leaf of cream paper, 8.5 x 12 cm, part of a bifolium taken from an autograph album. Very good. All three signatures are bold and clear. The signatures of Lawrence and St Helier are on one side of the leaf, and that of Carey is on the other. Lawrence's signature is in ink, and the other two in pencil. Three signatures,

Photograph signed,

Author: 
W. H. Berry
Publication details: 
1921
£20.00

Comic actor. A charming photograph, 5 inches by 3 inches, of a winking Berry in sailor suit and cap of "H.M.S. CISSY", his arms folded across his chest. Inscribed "Yours. v. truly / W. H. Berry / 1921". Mounted on pink paper docketed "Very Popular Actor". In good condition.

Autograph letter signed to [?] Pemberton,

Author: 
Edward Compton
Publication details: 
20 March 1890, 96 Great Victoria Street, Belfast, on letterhead of the Compton Comedy Co. on Tour.
£20.00

English actor-manager (1854-1918). One page, 8vo. "My dear Pemberton / We had a beastly passage over here, have both been seedy ever since, & only just able to crawl through our routine work I shall not attempt to sit down to the Play until Sunday, but on that day I will write you all about the new Scenario."

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