MACQUEEN-POPE

See Wendy Trewin, ‘The Royal General Theatrical Fund: a history, 1838-1988’ (1989), and Macqueen-Pope’s entry in the Oxford DNB. ONE: Carbon copy of letter from Macqueen-Pope to Allen, 15 May 1953, with three drafts of advertisement. 4pp, 4to. On four leaves. The letter, on the first page, is somewhat grubby, with rust spotting from paper clip, the other three leaves, each of which carries a proposed version of the advertisment, in good condition, lightly aged. The letter begins: ‘Dear Jack Allen, / Herewith three rough samples for the proposed advertisement concerning the Fund.

See her entry and his in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded for postage. Signed ‘Ruby’. Begins: ‘Popie, darling, / What are we coming to? / You - as a pierrot with the “Fol-de-Rols”! / BBC/TV must be mad not to let you do a talk on the St. James’s. / But after the Gaiety fiasco I can believe anything of them.

See her entry and his in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and slightly creased at extremities. Addressed to ‘My Dear Mr. MacQueen Pope’ and signed (in block capitals) ‘BERTA RUCK’.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. His entry in the Oxford DNB describes how, in the 1950s, he was ‘in demand as a lecturer on the theatrical subjects he loved, and he appeared often in the same capacity on radio and on television. Ironically he regarded these two forms of public entertainment, and television in particular, as representing a serious threat to the survival of theatre, about which he cared passionately’.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Eleven items, in fair overall condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. All six of Arnold’s communications are signed ‘Tom Arnold’. Arnold’s two TLsS are dated 2 October 1942 and 23 July 1959. In the second of these (1p, landscape 8vo) he thanks MP for a producing a piece of writing which ‘suits the mood’: ‘I appreciate your doing this, and the speed with which you tackled it for me.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Known by his nickname ‘Popie’, Macqueen-Pope was widely regarded as the leading theatre historian of his day. His many books (from histories of individual theatres to a biography of Ivor Novello) sold well, and his broadcasts on the BBC were extremely popular. Eighteen items, providing something a glimpse of his working methods. The last two of the eighteen items are TLsS to MP: one from the editor of ‘Everybody's’ Greville Poke (also see his Oxford DNB entry), and the other Pauline Carter, ‘EDITORIAL’.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) The seven items are in good condition, though one of Denham’s letters has slight wear to one edge. All date from the same period. The four Denham letters total 5pp, foolscap 8vo; three are signed ‘Reg’ and the other ‘Reginald’; two are on his letterhead. The fully-dated Denham letter (8 June 1951) is the longest at 2pp, 8vo. Addressed to ‘My dear Mac’, he gives details of a visit he is paying to England to settle his late mother’s affairs (‘She was 83.’) He is also going to ‘confer with Edward Percy.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry, and those of Foyle and Mackenzie, in the Oxford DNB.) Apart from damage and rust staining from paperclips, the seven items are in good condition. The correspondence mainly concerns a Foyles Literary Lunch for Macqueen-Pope, which Mackenzie was unable to chair because of an attack of bronchitis. All items 1p, 8vo. Mackenzie’s two letters signed ‘Compton Mackenzie’ and Foyle’s signed ‘Christina Foyle’. ONE: Foyle to MP, 26 February 1951. She is forwarding a letter from Mackenzie.

From the papers of theatre historian Walter James Macqueen-Pope (1888-1960). (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) The three items are in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Her two letters are pinned together. The letter to Kerby has the large and firm signature ‘Suzette Tarri’; the letter to Horsfield is evidently signed ‘Suzette Terri’ on her behalf by her husband. ONE (ST to P. W. Kerby): 23 January 1944. Letterhead of ‘“Suda” / 25 Manor Drive, Southgate, N. 14’ (‘SUZETTE TARRI / RADIO COMEDIENNE / WITH / DAVID JENKINS / THE POPULAR PIANIST-VOCALIST’). 1p, 4to.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) 2pp, 4to. Signed ‘Michel Kovatchévitch’. On aged and worn paper. Folded twice for postage, with closed tears at edges of vertical fold, and nicks and creasing along one edge. He is working on a biography of Frederick Aldridge, ‘tragédien noir de langue anglaise (1807-1867)’, and asks for help in establishing the date of his debut, ‘dans le rôle d’Othello, au Royalty Theatre’.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. See his entry, and that of Brooke, in the Oxford DNB. The five items are in good condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: Carbon of Typed Article titled ‘London Was Unlucky to Him / The Story of Gustavus Brooke, The Tragic Tragedian’. 11pp, 4to, on eleven leaves. Begins: There is nothing so ephemeral as the art of the actor. Very very few of the names live on. Yet there are some, who in their day were of the first magnitude and are now forgotten, save for the delving historian.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. MP is not named as the author, but there is no doubt that he is. Item one has corrections in his hand. Both versions are simply titled ‘Will Fyffe’. The two versions exhibit a number of differences from one another. It is not clear where the obituary was published, but it was probably the London magazine ‘Everybody’s’, for which MP contributed a weekly column. ONE: 4pp, 4to, double-spaced, on four leaves.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged and folded for postage. Addressed to ‘My dear Popie’ and signed ‘Yours / Clarke’ [sic]. In the previous year CR had published his autobiography ‘With a Twinkle in my Eye’, and he is now looking for an ‘opinion’ from MP that he can use for publicity purposes.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Three items: a page with a quotation from Dickens, and list of characters in MP’s autograph; and two copies of the speech. Text entirely legible throughout, but on worn and creased paper MP is not named as the author, but the item is undoubtedly his work: one of the two copies has autograph emendations in pencil. ONE: Typed Notes for ‘Dickens Fellowship Speech’. 2pp, 4to. Begins: ‘Comment on previous speaker’s points. / Dickens the great Englishman - more than that the great man of the Middle Classes.

See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. From the Macqueen-Pope papers. Each item in good condition, lightly aged, with creasing and rust staining to one corner from a paperclip. ONE: Swaffer to MP. TLS, signed ‘Swaff’. 1p, 4to. ‘Dear Popey, / Do you know anything about this woman? [From the context he is sending MP an enquiry he has received from ‘Mr. Le Poer Trench’] I presume she was a legitimate actress.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) On 20 October 1922 Millais broadcast on 2LO radio, becoming the first comedian on what was later to become the BBC. In a performance on 21 November 1922 she became the third entertainer to appear on the week-old BBC. All three items in good condition, lightly aged, though the autograph letter has pin holes to a corner, and the typed letter rust from a paperclip. Both letters signed ‘Helena Millais’. ONE: TLS. 3pp, 12mo. Having met him ‘at various C.A.A. evenings, she asks him for advice about several books.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) A nice piece of theatre and photographic ephemera. Vickers has five items in the National Portrait Gallery, which provides the following information: ‘John Vickers began his career by working as assistant to photographer Angus McBean in the 1930s. From 1939 until the time of his death, he ran his own studio. After the war he became well known as a theatre photographer working for theatres including the Old Vic.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry and that of her father in the Oxford DNB.) 6pp, the first four on two 4to leaves, the last two on a 12mo leaf. Signed ‘E. Winnie Parsons / nee / Winnie Burnand’. In fair condition, lightly aged and with some creasing, particularly to the last (12mo) leaf. Slight rust staining from paperclip. A delightful letter, written in a strong and energetic hand, with various words underlined in red pencil for emphasis. She is staying with Desmond Lysart, ‘who in his lovely study has all your delightful books’, and they are both great admirers of MP.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) Letter: 1p, 4to. On cream paper. In good condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded twice for postage. The letterhead, headed ‘”The Meaning of Versatility” / Fred Lewis / Creating a good impression.’, has an illustration of a series of footprints up the left margin, some with faces in them, and such slogans as ‘Mirthful Medleys’ and ‘Brilliant Burlesque’. The feet creating these ‘impressions’ are disappearing at the head of the page.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) Both items in fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Pinned together. ONE: DM to MP. Signed ‘Mollie and Donovan Maule. / (Mollie Shiells)’, but the husband is clearly the author. 1p, 4to. Folded twice for postage. He thanks him for his ‘inspiring book’ on the Haymarket Theatre. ‘My wife and I (both ex-Haymarket artists) feel inseminated ith fresh optimism and jope while battling with the municipal authorities and Kenya Government to establish the first professional theatre ever known here.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) The subject of MP’s article is the press agent and publicist Guido Orlando who came to the United States from Italy with his family in 1917. (MP may have come into contact with Orlando in his own position as press agent for Drury Lane and other theatres.) He was most active in Hollywood from the 1930s to 1960s. His papers are in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Margaret Herrick Library.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) 1p, 16mo. Signed ‘Bill Owen’. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Hailing him as ‘the greatest living authority on British Theatre’, he asks for advice. ‘My job is acting, and it has always been an ambition of mine to portray the life of Dan Leno, either on film or TV.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) 1p, 4to. On light-blue paper, with letterhead in dark-blue and red. Signed ‘Ralom’, with ‘RALOM & ROSA’ typed beneath. In good condition, lightly aged. Writing to MP at the Evening News, London. ‘There has [sic] been quite a few remarks passed by critics of the “paucity” of Acts in the Variety profession.

From the papers of the evident recipient, theatre historian Walter James Macqueen-Pope. See his entry, and hers and her husband’s, in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. Large bold signature ‘Sybil’. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded once for postage. The letter almost certainly relates to the unveiling ceremony of the Ivor Novello Memorial at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 2 May 1952. The bust, by Clemence Dane, was unveiled by Thorndike with the reading of a poem by Mary Ellis. The preent item reads: ‘My dear. Of course I[’]ll do anything you want me to do for our beloved Ivor.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) Interesting London ephemera: the plans for the Refectory Club were clearly ambitious, but there is little to be gleaned about it, and it is unclear whether it even opened. Zinkeisen and her sister Dora are the subject of a 2022 monograph by Philip Kelleway, Emma Roodhouse and Nicola Evans. The four items in good condition, lightly aged, but with rust staining from a paperclip. Folded for postage. ONE: Typed Letter to MP, signed ‘D Mallett’ (but with ‘For Secretary’ typed beneath this). 1p, 4to.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) 1p, foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Begins: ‘Dear Mac, Im going great and I dont use THE MIKE. I enclose Bill of Last Week / I first Worked 60 Years ago. Mac I want to get. to Broadcast. THIS. IS. Your. LIFE / I Started when I was 9 Year Old. Im now 82. Can anyone beat my Record.’ He gives details of booking at the ‘Metropoliton [sic] Music Hall Edgware Rd. I was first there. 1901. NOVEMBER 4 Weeks / Of cours [sic] I was There many Times. Mac you ought to try and get me on Television. or. Radio.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. See MP’s entry and those of various members of the Harmsworth family in the Oxford DNB. The three items are in good condition, lightly aged, with the first with rust staining from paperclip, and all three folded twice. Each signed ‘Geoffrey Harmsworth’. ONE: 9 August 1951. 1p, 8v. He doubts whether MP will remember their previous meeting. He is ‘engaged on a full-length Life of Northcliffe’ (written with Reginald Pound, and appearing in 1959), and is having to do ‘much digging to find out information about the early days’.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. The present item relates to the 1952 RSC production of ‘Much Ado about Nothing’, directed by Gielgud and with him playing Benedick. 1p, landscape 8vo. Red-ink letterhead ‘JOHN GIELGUD’. Signed ‘John Gielgud’ and addressed to ‘Dear Popie’. In good condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded twice. He thanks him for his ‘good wishes and thought of me.

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, and evidently received by him. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) Of Dunn an online source states: ‘On the 10th of November 1917, the Stage Gossip feature in the Yorkshire Evening Post recounted the career of Finlay Dunn, a stage actor. According to the report, Dunn performed as what he refers to as a stand-up comedian.