W. C. FIELDS and FLO ZIEGFELD Both sign a contract for Fields' appearance in the play "J. P. McEvoy's Comic Supplement". Not a standard form contract, this one has been written with Fields in mind. Contract signed: "Flo Ziegfeld", "W. C. Fields", 4 pages, 7¼x10½. Also initialed by both at a minor correction: "F.Z.", "W. C. F." New Amsterdam Theatre, New York, N.Y., 1924 November 10. On Ziegfeld's personal letterhead, Fields signs his acceptance of a commitment to appear in a play bearing the temporary title "J. P. McEvoy's Comic Supplement," to be produced on or before January 15, 1925. Fields is guaranteed top billing in the play credits and all advertising, and will receive $1, 750 per week for the full run of the play. He must attend five weeks of rehearsals without compensation. Clause 5 is of special interest: "You agree to get in touch promptly after the execution of this agreement with the author of this play, Mr. McAvoy and to aid and facilitate him and co-operate with him in every matter to the end that the parts to be assigned to you shall be adapted to your special talents and ability. You agree to render such services without any additional compensation. read more...

W. C. FIELDS 11x14 sepia photo of Fields in the stage version of his skit, "The Caledonian Express," signed and inscribed to author and publisher Arthur Samuels. Field's inscription includes one of his famous lines from the stage and screen skit: "You'll ha to git oot/o' the compartment." Oversized Photograph inscribed and signed: "To My friend/Arthur -you'll ha to git oot/o' the compartment,/from his friend/Bill Fields/Oct 11 - 1928." Sepia, 11x14. Remarkable studio portrait inscribed to Arthur Samuels, who was involved with the publishing of "Ladies Home Journal" and authored Poppy. Half-view left profile by Hal Phype. Fields has quoted one of his lines from the Earl Carroll's Vanities sketch "The Caledonian Express" (1928), in which the legendary comedian played four Scottish characters trying to remove an uninvited guest from a train compartment. Fields repeated the skit in the film Follow the Boys (1945), but that time played the intruder. Samuels' Poppy made Fields a Broadway star in 1923, and he reprised the role in two film versions. Surface creases at upper right corner with fraying at that corner, else fine, handsome and rare. read more...

WALT DISNEY The business pioneer has inscribed and signed this printed illustration of Goofy. It's framed with an unsigned photo of Disney surrounded by many of his beloved animated characters Printed Illustration Inscribed and Signed: "To/ Ann/ Sincerely -/ Walt Disney". B/w, 7¼x9¼. Image of two cartoon drawings, one full-size and one of the head of "Goofy". Goofy, who became the symbol of "Everyman" in Disney cartoons, first appeared over six decades ago in "Mickey's Revue" (1932). Then a bit player, he was named Dippy Dawg until he got his "official" name for his goofy work in "Orphan's Benefit" (1934). Goofy became a star in the 1935 cartoon, "Moving Day", and his popularity resulted in his own line of Disney merchandise. Teamed with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck in a number of cartoons, Goofy had his first starring role in 1939's "Goofy and Wilbur". Goofy later went on to appear in his own series of comic books (1953). read more...

JOHN WAYNE Cavalry gloves he wore in The Horse Soldiers Ephemera Unsigned. Leather, US Cavalry-style riding gloves worn by Wayne in the dramatic Civil War film, The Horse Soldiers (1959). Inside the left-hand glove is a sewn M-G-M label with John Wayne's name typed on it. John Wayne (1907-1979) is considered one of the greatest actors of all time, most famous for his many Western film roles. He made his debut in the 1926 silent film Brown of Harvard in an uncredited role. His first lead role came just four years later in Raoul Walsh's The Big Trail (1930), where Wayne portrays a trapper who is part of a settlement group travelling along the Oregon Trail. This role did not lead to stardom, but he continued to appear in B-movies throughout the 1930s. John Ford's 1939 film Stagecoach is the film that rocketed the actor to fame. Wayne's films tend to be either Westerns or military-themed. His most famous Westerns, including The Searchers (1956), Red River (1948), Rio Bravo (1959), and True Grit (1969), helped define the genre. As he grew more read more...

STEVEN SPIELBERG He contracts to direct the blockbuster adventure, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Document signed: "Steven Spielberg", 2p, 8½x11. Los Angeles, California, 1980 April 1. Signed on p2. On behalf of Raiders Company, Spielberg signs an agreement with Amblin' Enterprises, Inc. loaning Spielberg to Raiders Company to direct the film Raiders of the Lost Ark. The most commercially successful filmmaker in Hollywood history, Steven Spielberg (born in 1946) is lifelong cinema buff who began directing his first short movies while still a child. He earned an Oscar nomination for Raiders. He later won Academy Awards for Best Director for Schindler's List (1994) and Saving Private Ryan (1999), and Spielberg was additional Best Director Oscar nominations for Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982). His long list of feature films includes Jaws (1975), The Blues Brothers (1980), The Color Purple (1985), Back to the Future (1985), Cape Fear (1991), Hook (1991), Jurassic Park (1993), Twister (1996), Men in Black (1997), Amistad (1997), The Mask of Zorro (1998), read more...

JAMES CAGNEY Signed letter filled with recollections of playing George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy, and of Cohan's reaction to the film. Cagney's account, brimming with colorful anecdotes, illuminates a landmark of film history. Typed Letter signed: "J. Cagney", 2 pages 7¼x10½. Verney Farm, Staffordville, New York, 1979 July 3. To "Dear Mr. McGilligan", in full: "In answer to your recent letter, all the information you mention regarding the Cohan contribution to 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' is quite accurate. There was never a script submitted to Mr. Cohan. He sent a friend out, who was a lawyer, to view the rough cut. My brother Bill escorted Mr. Raftery to a projection room, and sat him down in a big comfortable chair. Inasmuch as the script had not been submitted, my brother was full of misgivings, feeling the lawyer would step all over it. My brother was wrong. About twenty minutes into the film it really got to Mr. Raftery. As he sat on the other end of the room, my brother could feel the lounge vibrating as he realized Mr. Raftery was crying. Bill knew he was home free then. The other obstacle was in reference to Cohan's first wife, Ethel Levy. read more...

W.C. FIELDS Original Prohibition-era W.C. Fields comedy sketch. Manuscript Comedy Sketch titled and signed: "One of the six best Cellars/By/W.C. Fields", 13¼p, 6x8¼, separate sheets. No place, no date. The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect on January 16, 1920. As of that date, "the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited." Prohibition is the topic of this comedy sketch, One of the Six Best Cellars, which is written with a bit of satire. The phrase "six best cellars" was an expression first used in 1920 referring to the best hideaways where liquor was stored during Prohibition. The phrase was used in a "Los Angeles Herald" story on December 8, 1920 stating that actress Mabel Normand, known to be a heavy drinker, had one of the "six best cellars" of Prohibition liquor in the Hollywood film colony. Although not dated, this comedy sketch was likely written during the Prohibition era. In the early 1920s Fields wrote many comedy sketches while performing in New York's vaudeville, most notably in the Ziegfeld Follies read more...

W.C. FIELDS The legendary comedian pens this letter to his mistress Carlotta in 1941 Autograph Letter signed: “W.” in black ink, 1p front and verso, 8x10½. Saturday, Bel Air. Original mailing envelope included. Addressed to “Miss Carlotta Douglas/ Hotel Paso del Norte/ El Paso/ Texas” on W.C. Fields' personalized envelope. Postmarked Los Angeles, California, December 3, 1941. To “Dear Carlotta”. In part: “I recd. your curt wire some weeks ago, saying send me $1000.00. You made no mention of the book Shoes of Happiness I had sent you several weeks previous nor made any comment on the article 'Sing Sucker Sing.' Ignored everything. It felt to me as though you had one of those real intelligent palsie walsies with you and you were going to show them the way you did things. Consequently I ignored it. I had a phone message from Weikert saying the case had been postponed until late in June and that he had, had word from you that you would be present for the trial. I shouldn't say trial. It will be the same sort of affair as the last one no press permitted. read more...

W. C. FIELDS Preparing for his role as "The Great Man" in his last starring role, later titled Never Give a Sucker an Even Break, Fields hires his own writer, to be paid by him, not by the studio. The writer (John T. Neville) has also signed. Documentary Letter Signed: "W. C. Fields", "John T. Neville", 1 page, 8½x11. Universal City, California, 1941 February 22. Neville acknowledges that he has been hired personally by W. C. Fields in connection with Fields' pending movie for Universal Studios, and understands that is to be compensated by Fields, owed nothing by Universal. Fields signs his "approval and consent to the foregoing." Ink note at top left (unknown hand), underlined in red: "The Great Man". W.C. FIELDS (1879-1946) began entertaining as an amusement park juggler at the age of fourteen. He was a vaudeville headliner before he was twenty and toured Europe in 1901, giving a command performance at Buckingham Palace. His Broadway debut in The Ham Tree (1905) was followed by appearances in the Ziegfeld Follies (1915-1921) and in George White's Scandals (1933). Fields starred in Poppy on Broadway (1923) and the next year made his first film, Janice Meredith (1924). read more...