[Eric Maschwitz, writer and broadcaster.] Typed Letter Signed ('Eric') to 'Mac' [W. J. MacQueen-Pope], suggesting that he write a history of His Majesty's Theatre.

Author: 
Eric Maschwitz [Albert Eric Maschwitz] (1901-1969), writer, lyricist, screenwriter and BBC broadcaster [W. J. MacQueen-Pope [Walter James MacQueen-Pope] (1888-1960), theatre historian]
Publication details: 
8 September [no year]. On letterhead of 23 Bruton Street, W.1. [London]
£150.00
SKU: 23244

Maschwitz wrote the lyrics to 'A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square' and 'These Foolish Things', and was nominated for an oscar for co-writing the screenplay of 'Goodbye, Mr Chips'. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. Twenty-nine lines of text. In fair condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Maschwitz begins by congratulating him 'on a really enthralling book! Loved every page of it!' With reference to Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, he explains that the previous day he 'had a talk with old Dennis Grayson who with Mrs Corey Wright is one of Tree's executors. He told me that they had recently opened a dusty old Pall Mall Safe Deposit box containing masses of records etc of His Majesty's Theatre - the complete works from 1897 to 1917 and there was so much of interest among them'. Included is an item relating to Claude Rains: 'a call boy's note book with C. Rains written inside it in a boyish hand'. Grayson 'wondered whether you would be interested in doing a book on the Theatre. Of course it wouldn't make anything as grand as Drury Lane but certainly something grander than Daly's'. He makes a few suggestions about topics MP might wish to include in the book, including the play 'Balalaika', with 'the cops coming for the backer on the opening night'. If MP is interested, 'Grayson who lives up North and comes to town occasionally, would be delighted to lunch you and tell you what he has. Let me know and I'll fix it'. MacQueen-Pope does not appear to have taken Grayson up on his offer, unless the letter dates from before the 1947 publication of 'Carriages at Eleven'.