MONTE BLUE - CONTRACT SIGNED 09/29/1942 - HFSID 251488

MONTE BLUE
Monte Blue signs a contract with Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc. for employment for 13 weeks.
Typed Contract signed: "Monte Blue" as Artist on last page, 24p, 8½x12¾, separate sheets. No place, 1942 September 29. Contract between Blue and Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. for employment for 13 weeks. In part: "hereby employs and engages the Artist to render his exclusive services, as herein required, for and during the term of this agreement, and the Artist hereby accepts such employment and agrees to perform and keep all the duties, obligations and agreements assumed or entered into by him hereunder, and agrees to perform solely and exclusively for and as requested by the Producer...." The contract, which contained 35 points, commenced on October 14, 1942 and continued for a period of 13 weeks. Blue was to be compensated the sum of "One Hundred Dollars per week, to be payable on Wednesday of each week for services rendered up to and including the Saturday preceding...." The studio could lay off the Artist, without pay, for periods not to exceed three weeks during the term of the contract. Also signed by a producer for Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. In the year he signed this contract, Blue appeared (largely in un-credited roles) in Casablanca, Gentleman Jim, The Hidden Hand, Across the Pacific and Secret Enemies for Warner Bros. That year, he also made a number of films for other studios: The Palm Beach Story, I Married a Witch, The Forest Rangers, Road to Morocco, The Great Man's Lady, My Favorite Blonde, Reap the Wild Wind and The Remarkable Andrew for Paramount; North to the Klondike for Universal; and, Klondike Fury for Monogram. Since this contract was signed so late in the year, it is likely that it pertains to a Warner Bros. film released in 1943. That year, Blue appeared in The Edge of Darkness, Mission to Moscow, Truck Busters, Northern Pursuit and Thank Your Lucky Stars for Warner Bros. Silent screen leading man and "talkies" character actor Monte Blue (1887-1963), who was sometimes billed G.M. (for Gerald Montgomery) Blue, began his career as a stuntman with the D.W. Griffith Studios before making his debut as an extra in The Birth of a Nation (1915). After his breakthrough role in Orphans of the Storm (1921), Blue starred opposite the most popular leading ladies of the day, including Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow and Norma Shearer. Briefly retiring in 1930, he returned to films, and, thanks to his old friend, Cecil B. DeMille, and Warner Bros. Studios, found steady work until he made his last feature film in 1954. Blue also appeared on the small screen in two made-for-TV movies in 1966 and on a number of TV Western series from 1949 (The Lone Ranger) to 1960 (Rawhide). Lightly creased with folds, not at signatures. Stapled together at upper blank margins, chipped above staples on first page. First page lightly soiled at 1 line of text, pinhead-size hole between two lines of typed text. Pinhead-size stain at lower margin of signature page. Overall, fine condition.