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.

W. C. FIELDS Three-page autograph letter to his mistress Carlotta Monti, signed by Fields as "Continental Claude", calling Hitler "full of mierda" and confiding, "like the three monkeys I see nothing, know nothing, and won't drink anything 'cept Beer." Autograph Letter signed: "Continental Claude", 3 pages, 8½x11. Bel Air, Labor Day. To "Katrinka & Claudia". ["Katrinka" was Fields' pet name for Carlotta Monti.] In full: "I suppose you are wondering why you have not received your packard as yet. And telling your friends I am not a man of my word. Give me time and I can explain anything. Practically all nations will be in the war by the time this missive arrives. But you, unfortunately for yourself contended the whole world would be at war. It was then I accepted your wager 'I'll bet you the whole world will be at war by 1940. If not you give me a packard.' It was a bet made in all fairness. I forget what I was to receive had you lost. However all is fair in something or other and war. I will pay off if it becomes real serious. I firmly believe it will be of short duration, in which case you will receive a small packard.

W. C. FIELDS Agreement with the J. Walter Thompson advertising firm setting strict rules for Fields' script for a radio broadcast, co-signed by producer and ad executive Norman Blackburn Document signed: "W. C. Fields", "Norman Blackburn", 1 page, 8¾x14. Hollywood, California, 1946 March 13. Agreement with the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency, acting as agent for Standard Brands, Inc., governing Fields' forthcoming appearance on the Chase and Sanborn radio program, March 24, 1946. The agreement stipulates that Fields must adhere strictly to a script approved in advance by the firm and by Fields himself, and that Fields shall not "improvise, extemporize or use unapproved material." It further stipulates that Fields shall be held blameless from any claims for "slander, libel, copyright infringement, etc." arising from the program. Fields is to receive $3,500 for his performance. 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.

W. C. FIELDS Letter to his mistress Carlotta, lambasting New York weather, music lovers, and his latest movie, which he calls "an abortion." Fields signs ironically as "The Great Man." A vivid example of Fields' view of the world! Autograph Letter signed: "The G. Man", 3 pages, 8½x11. No place, no date, but mailing envelope is postmarked postmarked April 13, 1939, with his handwritten return address of "Bel Air, Cal". To "Dear Katrinka" [Carlotta Monti], in full: "Thanks for your letter which was despondent indeed. N. Y. will make one so. I do not want to go all over these items, again, and again, but I must divest myself of a few more - more weather pro[g]nostications. Spring in N.Y. is most capricious. One day it will snow, and the next day it will be real warm. Warm sunshine will greet you in the morning and a cold rain will follow within a few hours or vice versa. Therefore you need a light coat and my suggestion would be no sweater. The brown overcoat I gave you is ideal for an eastern spring coat. It is semi rain proof and will keep out the chill wind.

WILLIAM F. "BUFFALO BILL" CODY 6¾x9 black and white photograph mount with an exceptional quality image of the western icon, signed "W.F Cody, 'Buffalo Bill'" Inscribed Photograph Mount signed: "W.F Cody,/"Buffalo Bill"/To- W.S. Metz", B/w 6½x8 image, 6¾x9 overall. Photographer imprint at lower mount reading: "Prince/Parisian Panel/31 Union Square. New York/Penna Ave. & 11th St. Washington D.C."William Frederick Cody (1846-1917) earned the name "Buffalo Bill" for killing thousands of buffalo as a hired hunter in 1867 and 1868. Cody had begun his Wild West career herding cattle at age nine. Five years later, he became the Pony Express' youngest rider. Throughout the Civil War, Cody worked as a government scout, extracting from life and the West all it had to offer. His western notoriety grew with his adventures, including those during the Sioux War, in which he purportedly fought a duel with Chief Yellow Hand. Cody's theatrical career was launched that same year with his re-enactments of such Indian battles.

W. C. FIELDS and FLO ZIEGFELD Both sign and initial a typed documentary letter (1924) extending Fields' contractual obligation to a Ziegfeld production. Documentary Letter signed: "W. C. Fields", "F. Ziegfeld, Jr." , 1 page, 7¼x10½. New York City, 1924 November 12. On Ziegfeld's New Amsterdam Theatre letterhead to W. C. Fields, New York City. Both have initialed a one-line ink addition in Ziegfeld's hand. Noting that Fields' current Equity Run-of-the-Play Contract for J. P. McEvoy's "Comic Supplement" expires on June 1, 1925, Fields agrees to extend his commitment after that date at the rate of $1,750 per week, provided that Fields is successful through the Actors Equity Association in getting released from a conflicting commitment with Phillip Goodman. Fields' weekly salary is to rise to $2,000 per week if "Comic Supplement" should continue running into 1926. Red-nosed, gravel-voiced, bottle-hitting American comedian W. C. FIELDS (1880-1946), born William Claude Dukenfield, began his career in silents, later excelling in such films as David Copperfield (as Micawber), My Little Chickadee (with Mae West) and The Bank Dick.

WILLIAM F. CODY Autograph letter to General Nelson Miles (1896), introducing a friend, signed "Your old Scout/W.F. Cody" ALS: "Your old Scout/W.F. Cody", 1 page, 6x9½. New Hampshire House, New York, 1896 January 29. To General Nelson A. Miles, Washington, D.C. In full: "Please permit me to introduce Mr. J.L. Cunningham and (sic, an) old personal friend who wishes to speak to you. If you will give him a hearing. You will greatly oblige." Both NELSON MILES and BILL CODY overlapped in their time of military service during the western campaigns against the Indians. Cody was Chief Scout for the 5th Cavalry and Miles commanded the 5th Infantry. They served under Philip Sheridan. In 1896, the year of this letter, Cody's Wild West Show was extensively touring and he was also developing his land in Cody, Wyoming; while Miles was Commander in Chief of the Army. Great associations, worthy of further research. Lightly creased. ¾-inch separation at upper left blank horizontal fold. 2-inch separation at lower left horizontal fold touches 1 word (all intact).

WILLIAM F. CODY Readying his TE Ranch and stating that his Wild West Show is "doing big". ALS: "Col" with "Cody" in text, 1p, 8¼x11¼. New York, no year April 7.With an original "Buffalo Bill's/Wild West" envelope addressed by Cody to: "Mattie & Eli Jer[?]/TE Ranch/Ishawood/Big Horn Co W[yoming]." Postmarked Owensboro, KY, May 10, 1901.In 1895, Cody began moving cattle to Wyoming. He received a large herd from his friend and hunting companion, Mike Russell. The herd wore the TE brand. Thus Cody named his ranch the TE Ranch. The TE was once rated at 4600 acres, but Cody added other ranches to it and the conglomerate was considered his Big Horn Basin Holdings. He was about 50 when he bought the TE and he considered it a haven from the world. To Mattie & Eli.In full: "The wild west show doing big. Now my dear good friends-the next two months you have got lots to do-hire plenty men-to get the crops in-plow lots of new ground-get in every acre you can-Make a good big garden-clean up all the deadwood in the timber pasturers (sic)-And plant grass seed among the trees-don't cut any green bushes or trees.

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.