W. C. FIELDS Handwritten letter to his mistress Carlotta Monti, signed as "The Great Man". Monti is not spared Fields' caustic wit: "You say your voice has improved ... Thank Christ you never took up the cornet." Autograph Letter signed: "The Great Man", 2 pages (integral leaf), 8½x11. No place, 1939 January 11. To "Dear Carlotta". In full: "You say your voice has improved, but if you cannot commercialize on it, it will do you very little good, and cause others who have to listen to it quite a bit of business. Thank Christ you never took up the cornet. I will ask mickey mouse or pals to meet you at the station with station wagon. So look for either upon your arrival. [next 3 sentences written in cramped script in margin.] I will call you up at 8th St. Don't be fretting about your birthday. You know money is very good and I hate to hear anyone mention it. I will be out of town as the painters come in Monday. We will be most anxious to see you and have you tell us about London, Berlin, Paris, Moscow, etc. Carlo-Ta-Carlo-Ta". W.C. Fields (1879-1946) began entertaining as an amusement park juggler at the age of fourteen. read more...

VERDI WRITES TO MARIA WALDMANN WHO APPEARED IN HIS FIRST PRODUCTION OF AIDA IN MILAN   GIUSEPPE VERDI. ALS: "G. Verdi", 1p, 4½x3½. Sant'Agate, 1889 November 18. To his close friend, Maria Massari Waldmann. In Italian, partially translated. In part: "Thank you, my dear Maria, and thanks to your kind Duke for the affectionate remembrance...Greetings to the Duke and a warm handshake...." On February 8, 1872, mezzo-soprano MARIA MASSARI WALDMANN starred as Amneris in the Milan premiere of Aida under Verdi's direction. At the time of this letter, Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) spent part of the year at the Villa Verdi at St. Agata diBusseto, close to his birthplace in Le Roncole, and part in Genoa in an apartment in the Palazzo Doria. Inscription on verso of Verdi's letter, in Italian: "To my dear/friend Margherita/from/Maria Massari/Zavaglia/Ferrara, 22-1-905". There is a collection of nearly 100 letters from Verdi to Waldmann in La Biblioteca del Conservatorio "G.B. Martini" in Bologna, Italy. Lightly stained. Overall, fine condition. 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...

BUDDY HOLLY His handwritten answers to an English test at Lubbock High School, 1953 Autograph Manuscript signed: "Buddy Holley", 1p, 8x10½. Lubbock (Texas), 1953 March 17. An English grammar test. Holly (original spelling "Holley") has headed the page, signing his name in the upper left and writing "English 22v (2)" beneath his name. At the upper right, he has penned "Lubbock High School" and the date "March 17, 1953". Headed: "Test" by Holly, the test had 40 questions; just the answers are written. Holly had to identify parts of speech ("adv", "noun", "pronoun", "conjunction") and types of sentences ("run-on", "phrase", "sub. clause"). Only one answer (the first) is marked wrong. Holly was graduated from Lubbock High School in 1955 and within a year was recording for Decca Records. He was an innovator who wrote his own material and was among the first to use such advanced studio techniques as double-tracking. Holly pioneered and popularized the now-standard rock-band lineup of two guitars, bass and drums. He began experimenting with orchestration shortly before his death in 1959. His first song recorded with the Crickets in 1957 was "That'll Be the Day". "Peggy Sue" followed. read more...

JAMES DEAN Ever wonder what a 1950s icon looked like in high school? Ever wonder if he really was a "Rebel Without a Cause"? This incredibly rare piece is a 1948 yearbook from Fairmount High School in Fairmount, Indiana, signed "Jim Dean" in blue ink shows the budding actor as a budding basketball player. Also signed by Dean's friends, coaches and teachers. Comes in an 11¼x14½x2¼ black-and-gold-colored frame with bio plate. Signed pieces from this early in Dean's life are highly desirable! Book signed "Jim Dean" on page 56 in blue ink, "Paul Weaver" in blue ink on page 11, "Adaline "Nall/Brookshire" in black ink on page 11 and "Edith Thomas" in pencil inside back cover. B/w, 68 pages with numerous signatures in black and blue ink and lead pencil, all in unknown hands, bound with two staples in gold-colored cardstock covers. Comes in an 11¼x14½x2¼ black-and-gold-colored frame with bio plate. Titled: "Black and Gold/1948". read more...

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 read more...

BUDDY HOLLY Notebook page with his handwritten answers to a high school English quiz, signed by him at the top with the original spelling of his name ("Holley") Autograph Manuscript signed: "Buddy Holley" at upper margin, 1 page, 8x10½ lined sheet. Holly's answers to a ten-question test, likely for an English class as the answers refer to types of sentences. He answered seven questions correctly. Holly, who was graduated from Lubbock High School in 1955, was recording for Decca Records within a year. Born on September 7, 1936 in Lubbock, Texas as Charles Hardin Holley, the future recording star became known as "Buddy". His first record contract dropped the "e" in Holley, and he adopted the spelling. Before going to Lubbock High School, Holly had attended Lubbock's J.T. Hutchinson Junior High, where he met Bob Montgomery. The duo quickly became known for their musical talent and lack of stage fright. Buddy, Bob and a friend, Jerry Allison, began performing at school functions, and by September of 1953, Buddy had a regular show on Lubbock radio station KDAV. It was in Allison's home that "The Crickets" were born (with Niki Sullivan on rhythm guitar, Allison on drums and Joe B. read more...

JULES MASSENET He has signed these autograph music and lyrics, the last four measures of his religious cantata, The Virgin, and dated it himself (1880) Autograph Musical Quotation signed: "J. Massenet/Paris 17-8-80", 1p, 10¾x3½. Inscribed by Massenet in French: "To Miss Eugenie Hautier/souvenir with respect". Massenet has identified the four long measures as the last measures of "Holy Friday", Third Scene of his religious cantata The Virgin scored by Massenet for four voices, one for each long measure, identified by Massenet as "Marie Salome", "Marie Magdalena", "Jean" and "Simon", with words penned in his hand. French composer Jules Massenet (1842-1912) made his name with the comic opera Don César de Bazan (1872). read more...

WILLIAM F. CODY The famous Wild West showman pens a hopeful letter to his friend, stating "New England was never big for me. But wait till we start west. I predict a big season." The letter was written during the downfall of Cody's show empire due to outside expenses draining the immense profits from his show Autograph letter signed: "Col.", 1 page, 8½x11 framed to an overall size of 25½x18½. Buffalo Bill's Wild West combined with Pawnee Bill's Great Far East. May 29, 1911. Portsmouth, [New Hampshire]. In full: "Dear Mayor Glad Light, Your letter which found me is fine health. We had two bad towns last week. Fitchburg & Newburyport. No one ever done business in either. The week hurt us at least $2000 in Lowell-sent your bank 5100 today to take up one of my notes. Been getting good deposits from the mines. Been getting in shape [illegible] or any one. I believe I'll walk a sale of the [illegible]. Note if good are doing. [illegible]. While I telegraph you for now we are all OK here-now. And barring accident we will be OK. New England was never big for me. But wait till we start west. I predict a big season. read more...