LEO G. CARROLL - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED - HFSID 19229

LEO G. CARROLL. ALS: "L.G.C.", 1p, 7¼x10¼. Philadelphia, no date. On letterhead of The Benjamin Franklin hotel to Willa Gray Martin. Begins: "My dear Willa". In full: "It was very sweet & lovable of you to put Mrs. Russell Thing[illegible]jig on to me when we were in Boston, She was most kind & hospitable; and I enjoyed meeting her again. She reported that you & [illegible] were not present at her cocktail party, and I, too, have been regretting it ever since. Here are your official receipts for the Grand National Draw. Wouldn't it be awful if one of you won it! We pull out of here on Saturday night after the performance, and I shan't be sorry. Do you know Oliver Herford's remark? 'In the midst of life we are in Philadelphia'!. My love to you both." The Grand National Draw was the British lottery. English actor LEO G. CARROLL (1892-1972), who usually played shy, self-effacing Englishmen, was reportedly a favorite of Alfred Hitchcock. He appeared in six of Hitchcock's films, including Spellbound and North by Northwest. Best known to television audiences for his title role in the sitcom, Topper (1953-1955), he later appeared as Alexander Waverly in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964-1968) and The Girl From U.N.C.L.E (1966-1967), becoming one of the first actors to play the same character on two different TV series. WILLA GRAY MARTIN was an artist whose works include depictions of such notables as Woody Guthrie. OLIVER HERFORD (1863-1935) was a gifted author, satirist, poet and artist who illustrated a number of his own works, including Little Book of Bores (1906). Lightly creased with folds, not at signature. Tackhead-size stain to right of salutation. Overall, fine condition.