GEORGE D. CUKOR - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 01/24/1977 - HFSID 286906

GEORGE CUKOR
Affectionate TLS thanking Joan Crawford for a Christmas gift. Five months later, he read a tribute at her memorial service!
Typed Letter signed: "My dearest Joan/all love/always George", 1 page, 7¼x10½. No place, 1977 January 24. In full: "I'm sorry that - as usual - it takes me until the end of January to get around to thanking you for my Christmas present. The wreath, made by some Eyetalian called Della Robbia, is lovely. You and Mr. Robbia gave a Christmasy atmosphere to my house. Grateful thanks to you both, my dearest Joan. One of the reasons I've been delinquent is that I've been running a Filipino Boarding House - fast turnovers. In fact the beds aren't permitted to grow cold. This year I've done very good business - including our mutual friend, Don Smith. He certainly is lively, cheery, and very sweet. It's refreshing to see that real enthusiasm - excitement - and a love of people. I'm not making him sound saintly - he's not quite that - just a Boston mick, really. I hope your plans for '77 include trips to California so we can see each other. If by chance I'm in New York, you'll see me there. Dearest Joan, I hope the new year is a splendid one for us all. My devotion always, and loving regards". George Cukor (1899-1983) moved from stage directing to Hollywood in the early 1930s. One of the greatest film directors, he was especially gifted at getting the most from actresses. He earned a Best Director Oscar for My Fair Lady (1964) and was nominated for four others: Little Women (1932-33), Philadelphia Story (1940), A Double Life (1947) and Born Yesterday (1950). Among his other highly praised efforts were Dinner At Eight (1933), David Copperfield (1935), Gaslight (1944) and Love Among the Ruins (TV, 1975). Cukor directed Crawford in four MGM films, most notably The Women (1939), a spicy comedy which showed Crawford at her venomous best and boosted her career after some box office failures. In her autobiography, Crawford called Cukor "the last of my father-figures at Metro, and the most important." Five months after signing this letter, Cukor read a tribute at her memorial service (June 24, 1977). Five horizontal fold creases. Fine condition.