GEORGE O'BRIEN - INSCRIBED SIGNATURE CIRCA 1948 CO-SIGNED BY: JACK PAAR - HFSID 324055

GEORGE O'BRIEN and JACK PARR
Signatures from O'Brien and Parr on their respective sides, with O'Brien inscribing his to a fan
Inscribed signature: "To Violet/George O'Brien", "Jack Parr", 5¾x4¼. The collector has dated the signature of O'Brien circa 1948. GEORGE O'BRIEN (1900-1984), a college athlete, was the heavyweight boxing champion of the US Pacific Fleet during World War I. Entering films as a stunt man, O'Brien was picked by director John Ford to star in his silent Western The Iron Horse (1924). O'Brien starred in silent and talking Westerns until World War II, when he re-entered the service and won many decorations fighting in the Pacific. Forty years after The Iron Horse, O'Brien came out of retirement to appear in another epic John Ford Western: Cheyenne Autumn (1964). Television talk show pioneer JACK PARR (1918-2004) hosted his own shows in 1953-1954 and 1955-1956 before succeeding Steve Allen as host of The Tonight Show (1957-1962). On February 11, 1960, Paar walked off his show when NBC censors deleted a joke that made reference to a "water closet".After a flurry of media speculation, he returned to the show that March. Paar then hosted a weekly prime-time variety show, The Jack Paar Program (1962-1965), and produced documentaries before returning briefly to the air opposite Johnny Carson (his successor on The Tonight Show) on ABC in 1973. He and his wife, Miriam, to whom he was wed from 1943 until his death, owned Dolphin Productions. Binding holes in left margin, with the top portion separated. Creased throughout. Toned on front and verso from previously touching documents. Unsigned photographs affixed to front and verso. Torn on bottom right corner in multiple places. Corners and edges slightly worn and creased. Otherwise, fine condition.