MARTINA ARROYO - AUTOGRAPH NOTE SIGNED CIRCA 1967 CO-SIGNED BY: CHARLES (CHARLES LEVISON) LANE - HFSID 76698

MARTINA ARROYO and CHARLES LANE
The famous Broadway and film actors signed this page
Inscribed signatures: "To Dave/All the very best/Martina Arroyo" and, on verso, "To Dave/regards/Charles Lane", 5¼x4½.Circa: "1967" (unknown hand). Harlem-born soprano Martina Arroyo (b. 1936) debuted at New York's Metropolitan Opera House in 1965. At the time, she was a permanent member of the Zurich Opera Company, but was asked by Rudolph Bing to fill in for Birgit Nilsson as the lead in Aida. She received a standing ovation for her performance - and an offer of a first-level contract with the famed opera company. Arroyo made her debut at London's Covent Garden in 1968 and later that year she became the first Black singer to appear in the role of Elsa in Lohengrin. From then on, Arroyo was an international star, performing on stages all over the world, including an appearance at the personal request of Leonard Bernstein to appear in a concert honoring his 1,000 performance with the New York Philharmonic. At the peak of her career, Arroyo made several recordings with eminent orchestras. Charles Lane (1905-2007) was a character actor whose career spanned over 60 years. He's known for his portrayals of short-tempered assistants and authority figures. He appeared in these roles in films such as: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), It's A Wonderful Life (1946), and Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), and in numerous television comedies such as Petticoat Junction (1963-1970), Dennis the Menace (1959-1960), and Soap (1977-1978). Lane appeared in over 360 film and television roles, some uncredited. Lucille Ball often made him a straight-laced, business-minded character in her work. As a result, he appeared in I Love Lucy and The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour as a guest star many times. He was honored at the TV Land Awards on March 16, 2005 for his long career and 100th birthday (January 26th). Presented with a birthday cake, he announced in his still-booming voice: "In case anyone's interested, I'm still available!" Pencil notes (unknown hand) at upper margins of both sides (light show through at upper blank margins), note on front touches the "t" in best. Lightly soiled and stained at blank areas. Irregular right edge. Otherwise, fine condition.