DAVID HOLLIDAY - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 06/09/1973 - HFSID 314853

DAVID HOLLIDAY
The actor pens a letter to John Willis, Editor of Theatre World
Autograph letter signed: "David Holliday", in black ink, 1 page, 6¾x10½. To John Willis, chief editor of Theatre World, New York City. In full: "I have just returned from England where I was doing a 4 week stint on the Granada T.U. series 'Coronation Street' and found your kind invite to the award presentations! Missed it again much to my dismay. Guess the dates are against me. Isn't fair. Hope all is well and happy with you and those close to you. I'm [illegible] toward home to Milwaukee, soon to do 'Applause' with Gretchen Wyler and will play ''Tommy' in 'Brigadoon' with Jane Powell at the melody Zoo. So far that's all I've lined up so far, but I may play Frank in 'Annie Get Your Gun' again (out California way) but not in Danish this time I'm glad to say! Best of all good things and thanks again for your kindness. [Post script] Saw Stitch do 'Small Craft Warnings' on 't'other side'...spectacular!" Hand addressed envelope included. David Holliday (1932-1999) was an American actor of stage fame, most well-known for his role in Man of La Mancha (1965) as the day matinee version of Don Quixote. However, this was not his only role, as he appeared in several other Broadway and off-Broadway plays, including a starring role as Tony in London's West End version of West Side Story. Stage work was truly his passion, and it showed, earning a number of nominations and wins for his work, including four wins for Carbonell Awards for Best Actor in a musical. He never made many screen or film appearances, though he did appear as Vigil Tracy in the television series Thunderbirds (1965). Sadly, Holliday passed away in 1999 from cancer. 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.