KIRK ALYN - COLLECTION - HFSID 297554

KIRK ALYN
From the Kirk Alyn Archives Collection, four black and white movie stills showing Alyn as the original Superman, his memoir A Job For Superman with handwritten notations and corrections for a revised edition and an assortment of letters and documents telling the story of Alyn's involvement and eventual omission from the 1978 film Superman.
Collection: 1) Book unsigned, Kirk Alyn's memoir A Job For Superman, 118 pages, 5½x8½. Los Angeles: First Printing, 1971. Paperback. This personal copy of his memoir book has many added notations and correctionsfor a revised edition. Overall, fine condition. 2) Photographs unsigned, B/w 8x10, 10x8 (x3), a group of four vintage publicity stills, all featuring Kirk Alyn as Superman, from Kirk's own personal files. One includes Noel Neill as Lois Lane. All four have Columbia markings on the reverse sides, and were dated 1949. Lightly worn and creased. Three filing holes at edges. Otherwise, fine condition. 3) Documents unsigned, 9x11½ folder containing eight documents: A) A photocopy of a typed letter, 1 page, 8½x11, dated November 18, 1976, from Bea Bernstein Public Relations in Gardena, California and written to film producer Alexander Salkind in Beverly Hills, California. She reminds the producer of Alyn, the Original Superman, and Noel Neill, and urges for their inclusion in the 1978 film Superman. B) A photocopy of a typed letter, 1 page, 8½x11, dated May 31, 1977 from Bea Bernstein Public Relations in Gardena, California and written to film producer Ilya Salkind, Middlesex, England. In the letter she writes to the son of Alexander Salkind making several sentimental and practical cases as to why the inclusion of Kirk Alyn in Superman is important. C) A photocopy of a press release, 1 page, 8½x11, from Bea Bernstein Public Relations in Gardena, California, announcing Kirk Alyn being honored by the Group Home Association of Southern California, a "Special Award to Kirk Alyn who created and has continued to live the Super 'Superman' image for kids of all ages". D) Typed letter signed: "Pierre Spengler",1 page, 8½x11, 1977 August 5, written to Kirk Alyn in Calgary, Alberta. In part: "We are pleased to confirm the engagement of your services for the part of PA LANE in our production of 'SUPERMAN' …A formal contract will be issued to you in due course" E) Contract unsigned, 1 page, 8½x11, dated August 5, 1977, from producer Pierre Spengler to Kirk Alyn. The contract agrees to pay Alyn $500.00 per week for expenses and $1,000 a week as salary, in part: "A formal contract will be issued to you in due course. Would you, however, be kind enough in the meantime to sign the attached copy of this letter as agreed" F) Photograph unsigned, B/w 7½x10, showing Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill with a child actress portraying the young Lois Lane in Superman (1978). G) Typed Letter signed: "Wayne Warga" as Assistant Arts Editor, 1 page, 7¼x10½, dated 1979 January 2, on Los Angeles Times letterhead and addressed to Fred G. Rathgaber, Los Angeles, California, in full: "The omission of Kirk Alyn and the brief glimpse of Noel Neil in "Superman" are, I suspect, less political moves than they are practical moves. The film, according to its producers and a number of other people involved in the project, kept growing and was, at last, over long and over complicated. Neill and Alyn, alas, went as part of this consideration." With an autograph note signed in pen on verso "Kirk- I thought you'd like to see this" H) Typed Letter signed: "Roderick Mann", 1 page, 7¼x10½, 1979 January 5, on Los Angeles Times letterhead, Written to "Dear M. Wallace", in full: "Thank you for your letter. As I understand it, there is a chance that Noel Neill and Kirk Alyn may be in the second film - since acres of footage was shot on them. As you may know, the sequel was shot side by side with the first film, and I think the director had a hard time deciding which should be in what" Overall, fine condition. Kirk Alyn (1910-1999) was the first actor to portray the Man of Steel on film. He played the character Superman in the 15 episode serial film Superman (1948) and its sequel Atom Man vs. Superman (1950). Alyn enjoyed a loyal fan following for his two Superman appearances, reflecting that fact in the title of his 1974 autobiography, A Job for Superman. The actor had first appeared as a chorus boy in such major Broadway musicals of the 1930s as Girl Crazy, Of Thee I Sing and Hellzapoppin. Moving to Hollywood in 1942, he was briefly seen in Columbia's My Sister Eileen (1942) and You Were Never Lovelier (1943).  From the Kirk Alyn Archives Collection.