CHERYL CRAWFORD - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED CIRCA 1980 - HFSID 301061

CHERYL CRAWFORD
Handwritten postcard letter to Theatre World editor John Willis, regretting that she can't attend the annual awards event
Autograph Letter signed: "Cheryl", 5½x3½ postcard addressed in her hand to John Willis, New York City, postmarked New York, N.Y., May 13, 1980, in full: "Wish I could be at the award but I fly to Florida on May 20th to help a friend drive north. I'll try to plan better next year. Best regards". Influential theatrical producer CHERYL CRAWFORD (1902-1986) co-founded (with Harold Clurman and Lee Strasberg) the Group Theatre in 1931. In 1947, with Eva Le Gallienne, she founded the American Repertory Theatre, and she was a major force in creation of the Actors Studio. While producing such Broadway hits as Porgy and Bess (1942), Brigadoon (1947), Paint Your Wagon (1951), Sweet Bird of Youth (1959) and Yentl (1975), she boosted the careers of many actors.Theatre World, founded in 1945 by Daniel Blum, is America's oldest annual record of Broadway, Off-Broadway and regional theatre, referenced by industry professionals, historians, students and theatre fans worldwide. Until 1998, when a separate nonprofit corporation was established, Theatre World's editorial staff bestowed the prestigious Theatre World Awards for outstanding Broadway and Off-Broadway debuts. Screen World (from 1950) and Dance World (from 1966), administered from the same office, furnished comprehensive information on those entertainment genres. John A. Willis (1916-2010), active in Theatre World from the beginning, became its chief editor in 1965, holding that position until 2008. Willis is regarded as one of the foremost theatre and film historians of the 20th century. While producing (and presenting) the annual Theatre World Awards, Willis also served on the nominating committee for the Tony Awards. Theatre World, which received its own Tony for Excellence in Theatre in 2001, continues under chief editor Ben Hodges. Fine condition.