Wimperis

[‘One of the very best comedians of the generation.’] Autograph Note Signed by Nelson Keys, with holograph poem by ‘G. L.’ and Signed Note by ‘Gordon’ for actress playing ‘Spirit of Spring’ in Arthur Wimperis revue at C. B. Cochran's London Pavilion.

Author: 
Nelson Keys [Nelson Waite Keys, ‘Bunch’] (1887-1939), actor and comedian, father of the film-maker John Paddy Carstairs (1910-1970) [Arthur Wimperis; C. B. Cochran; London Pavilion]
Keys
Publication details: 
Poem by ‘G[ordon]. L.’ dated 20 June 1921. [London Pavilion.]
£80.00
Keys

Keys features in his son’s entry in the Oxford DNB. (John Paddy Carstairs was christened Nelson John Keys.) Three theatrical autographs - Nelson Keys, ‘G. L.’ and ‘Gordon’ - on one side of a 25 x 20.5 cm piece of card. Apparently a gift from fellow cast-members to the actress playing the ‘Spirit of Spring’ in the Arthur Wimperis sketch ‘The Queen of Hearts’, in the C. B. Cochran London Pavilion revue ‘London, Paris and New York’, which ran for 366 performances between 1920 and 1921. J. P.

[ Printed item. ] Souvenir of The Hundredth Performance of Bric-a-Brac. [ With tipped-in photographs of seven actors including Gertie Millar; Teddie Gerrard; Arthur Playfair; Nelson Keys.

Author: 
Sir Alfred Butt, Managing Director, The Palace Theatre, London [ Norman Keene; Herman Finck; Arthur Wimperis; Basil Hood; Lionel Monckton; Gertie Millar; Teddie Gerrard; Arthur Playfair; Nelson Keys ]
Publication details: 
The Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, W. [ London ] Wednesday, December 15th, 1915.
£56.00

Ten unpaginated 26 x 22 cm. leaves, comprising three leaves of letterpress (cover, title and back cover), and seven leaves each with a 17 x 14 cm black-and-white photograph laid down. A frail survival, with the photographic portraits in good condition, but the brittle leaves chipped and discoloured. One bifolium intact (with remains of string binding), all the other leaves detached and loose, making it difficult to ascertain whether the item is or is not complete. (The entry for the only copy traced on OCLC WorldCat, at the Universitätsbibliothek Bayreuth, describes it as ' 6 Bl.

[ Frank E. Tours, Hollywood composer and musical director. ] Typed Letter Signed ('Frank Tours') to the theatre historian W. J. Macqueen-Pope, containing reminiscences of his London theatre days (George Dance, Marie Lloyd, Stanley Logan).

Author: 
Frank E. Tours [ Frank Tours; Frank Edward Tours ] (1877-1963), English-born Hollywood composer and musical director (Marx Brothers; Citizen Kane; The Emperor Jones) [ W. J. Macqueen-Pope (1888-1960)]
Publication details: 
South Laguna. 20 January 1951.
£200.00

3pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with slight staining to one corner from paper clip. A good letter, filled with detail. Apart from brief opening and closing paragraphs the whole of the letter is devoted to reminiscences of his life before leaving England for America. At one point he comments: 'it is only when one is thinking back, as I am now, that one realizes the speed with which time fugits; it is now 21 years since I have been home, and 30 years since Bob and I were in "Irene" at the Empire.' The reminiscences begin: 'Barring a trip to U. S. and Australia with G. P.

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