IRVING BERLIN - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 02/15/1963 - HFSID 156833

IRVING BERLIN. TLS: "Irving", 1p, 7¼x10½. No place, but likely New York, 1963 February 15. On stationery imprinted with his name to Harry Ruby, Pacific Palisades, California. In full: "I was glad to get your letter. As you must know, I'm pretty scared about the dinner on March 3rd, but I just spoke to Jessel and he assures me everything is set and all I have to do is get up and say 'thank you'. In any event, Ellin and I will be in Hollywood within a week and we are looking forward to seeing you and Eileen. Love to you both, As always." IRVING BERLIN (1888-1989), born Israel Isidore Baline in Tumen, Siberia, Russia, was such a force in American music that in 1924, when Berlin was just 37, songwriter Jerome Kern gave this assessment: "Irving Berlin has no place in American music. He is American music." If the only song he ever wrote was "God Bless America", made famous by Kate Smith, Berlin would be an important part of American music. But Berlin wrote more than 900 songs, including the classics "A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody", "There's No Business Like Show Business", "Always", "Easter Parade" and "Blue Skies", 19 musicals, including Annie Get Your Gun and Call Me Madam, and the scores of 18 movies, including Holiday Inn, which featured his 1942 Academy Award-winning song, "White Christmas". In 1963, the year of this letter, two-time Tony Award winner Berlin was honored with a special Tony Award for his contributions to the theater. Songwriters Berlin and HARRY RUBY (1895-1974), born Harry Rubinstein, were lifelong friends, starting from their Tin Pan Alley Days in New York. The hits written by Ruby, who had a long partnership (1923-1947) with Bert Kalmar (1884-1947), include "I Wanna Be Loved By You", "Who's Sorry Now" and "Three Little Words". Multi-talented vaudeville performer, actor and comedian GEORGE JESSEL (1989-1981), who often spoke at special events, was dubbed the "Toastmaster General of the United States". Jessel had appeared in a 1941 Ruby/Kalmar Broadway show, High Kickers. Ellin was Berlin's second wife, the former ELLIN MACKAY, whom he had married in 1926. The wedding of the 37-year-old composer and the 22-year old daughter of a Long Island telegraph company magnate had caused tabloid headlines as she was disinherited by her father, Clarance Mackay, a staunch Catholic, but the union lasted until her death in 1988. Regular folds. Fine condition.