EUGENIE LEONTOVICH - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 11/05/1947 - HFSID 201672

EUGENIE LEONTOVICH
The Russian Broadway star send letter to friend, updating him on her current activities and thoughts, signs name in blue ink
Autograph letter signed: "Eugenie" in blue ink. 1 page front and verso, 7¼x10½. Addressed to producer "Robert Reud" of New York City. Original envelope included. November 5, 1947. In full: "Dear Robert-ovich! How are you my dear? I loved your letter so - It's long and fresh and young - I have read it over and over - I hope you'll write me more - of them. Last night I've been listening to some lovely music - a very fine pianist - played a piano-concerto No. 2 - by Rachmanioff - also his variations on Pagganini's music - I know the both pieces so well. Mr. Rachmanioff used to come to our home - quite often. And sometimes he played - I wish you and I go to hear more music. Music brings people together - Of course of this people who like to be with each other. To-day I was working on "Romance" when my little rewriting is finished - I shall send you the copy. Read it, please, with no intention to do it - but - as the play which I think, still has glamour. And a rich mello-draamatic [sic] Theatre in it. What else have you seen recently? How are you? Do you still remember your little Russian? Please let me know - you think of me - Please be well for my sake. I miss you so much - Oh it's so nice I can write to you and wait for your letter to come. It is so nice to have a friend - a real person you can trust to. Be well my dear one. Tell me to hurry up my returns to you - or maybe you'll come to us. Robert it's lovely in here - My love and blessings". Broadway producer and press agent Robert Reud, whom these letters are addressed to, was involved with New York theatre for over twenty years, including productions of Hello, Daddy (1929), Our Town (1938), The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1943), Ramshackle Inn (1944), The Odds on Mrs. Oakley (1944), and Duet for Two Hands (1947); he was friends with many actresses including Elisabeth Bergner and Greta Garbo. EUGENIE LEONTOVICH (1900-1993) was a Russian-born American stage actress who also appeared on film and television, described as "one of the most colorful figures of the 20th-century theatre, a successful actress, producer, playwright and teacher". Born in Moscow, after studying at the city's Imperial School of Dramatic Art and the Moscow Art Theatre, Leontovich suffered tragedy when her father and brothers, officers in the Russian Imperial Army, were murdered by the Bolsheviks during the Revolution; she eventually found her way to New York and mastered English, leading her to Broadway stardom. She was first noticed as the dancer Grusinkaya in Grand Hotel (1930), and went on to appear as Lilly Garland in Twentieth Century (1932), and on the West End as Archduchess in Tovarich (1935). Leontovich originated the role of the Dowager Empress in the Broadway production of Anastasia (1954), the Queen in Cave Dwellers(1957) for which she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in 1958, and Mademoiselle Kuprin in A Call on Kuprin (1961), and in 1972 wrote her own adaptation of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, going on to star and direct the production. She often appeared on film in productions of The Rains of Ranchipur (1955) and The Rains Came (1939). She spent the rest of her life as a teacher, referred to as "Madame" at her schools in New York and Chicago. Normal mailing folds. Lightly toned. Light surface creases. Ink corrections throughout. Otherwise, fine condition.