BASIL RATHBONE - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED - HFSID 486

BASIL RATHBONE
Basil Rathbone sends an autograph letter inviting Miss Andreyeff over.
Autograph Letter Signed: "Cordially/Basil Rathbone", 1p, 6½x9. Selwyn Theatre (New York City), no date but circa early 1932. To "Dear Miss Andreyeff". In full: "I should be very happy to see you any - time you like - about 6 pm any - night Plaza. 301455." On January 4, 1932, Rathbone opened in The Devil Passes at the Selwyn Theatre (229 W. 42nd Street; renamed American Airlines Theatre in 2000). The play ran for 96 performances. British actor Basil Rathbone (1892-1967), who appeared on Broadway 23 times and won the 1948 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (The Heiress), is also known for his film work in period costume dramas. He was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for playing Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet (1936) and King Louis XVI in If I Were King (1938). He also appeared as Murdstone in David Copperfield (1934), Evremonde in Tale of Two Cities (1935), Pontius Pilate in The Last Days of Pompeii (1936), Karenin in Anna Karenina (1936) and Guy of Gisbourne in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). In 1939, Rathbone was cast as Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles, the first of 14 screen appearances as Conan Doyle's master detective. He also played Holmes on radio from 1939-1946. Lightly soiled, stray ink marks at margins. Paper clip rust stain at upper blank margin. Pinhead sized holes at upper and lower left. Bottom third of letter has separated at horizontal fold and been reattached with clear tape on verso. ¾-inch at right of this fold is still separated.