NIGEL BRUCE - BOOK PAGE SIGNED CO-SIGNED BY: SAMMY KAYE, ALLAN JONES, GORDON MacRAE, FRED MIRON, FRED CORCORAN, BRAINERD DUFFIELD - HFSID 284254

HOLLYWOOD GOES TO WAR: NIGEL BRUCE, SAMMY KAYE, GORDON MACRAE and OTHERS
Blank page from the 1945 book Movie Lot to Beachhead, signed by 8, most of whom have added autograph notes
Book Page signed: "To Bill,/with best wishes/from/Nigel Bruce", "To Bill/Sincerely/Gordon MacRae", "To my Pal/the one and only/Bill -/From the doctor whose/hands have treated most of/the big Stars in Hollywood/Dr. Fred Miron", "To my good friend/'Bill'/With all best wishes/and many thanks/for all favors here/Fred Corcoran/475 Washington St./Wellesley, Mass.", "Best luck/Brainerd Duffield", "Allan Jones", "Sammy Kaye" and one unidentified signature, 6¾x9½ In all 8 signatures.With Basil Rathbone, British actor NIGEL BRUCE (1895-1953) portrayed the famous crime-solving pair of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson in 14 films, beginning with The Hound of the Baskervilles in 1939. For the next six years, their legendary performances in Sherlock Holmes mysteries caused them to be symbolically linked with the detective duo created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930). After serving in World War I, Bruce began his acting career performing both in London and on Broadway; he made his first British film in 1931 and in 1934 began work in Hollywood. His movie credits include Treasure Island (1934), Rebecca (1940) and , in Hong Kong (1951). SAMMY KAYE (1910-1987), was the leader of one of the most popular "sweet" bands of the big band era. A popular performer on radio and in venues from to Hollywood, Kaye received his "million dollar tagline", "Swing and Sway With Sammy Kaye", from an announcer at the Cabin Club in Cleveland, Ohio. Kaye was as well known for his audience-participation novelty, "So You Want to Lead a Band?", as he was for his hits, which included his theme song, "Kaye's Melody", and "It Isn't Fair", "Daddy", "Room Full of Roses", "Charade" and "Harbor Lights". In addition to being a prolific recording artist for RCA Victor, Columbia and American Decca, Kaye and his band appeared in the films Iceland (1942) and Song of the Open Road (1944), and Kaye wrote songs for 1987's Radio Days. Singer and actor GORDON MacRAE (1921-1986) is best known for his role as Curly in the 1955 film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1943 Broadway musical, Oklahoma! MacRae, who set hearts aflutter with his renditions of the title song as well as "Surrey With the Fringe on Top", "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" and "People Will Say We're In Love", had made his acting debut in 1948's The Big Punch and went on to star in a number of Warner Bros. musicals, including On Moonlight Bay (1951), The Desert Song and By the Light of the Silvery Moon (both 1953) and Carousel (1956). MacRae, who had starred in three Broadway plays, including I Do!, I Do! (1966-1968), was also seen on the small screen, hosting The Gordon MacRae Show (1956) and appearing on such programs as The Hallmark Hall of Fame (1958) and The Bell Telephone Hour (1965). FRED MIRON, a Hollywood doctor, was also Bob Hope's masseuse, accompanying Hope on his USO tours. Golf impresario and early sports agent FRED CORCORAN (1905-1977) was caddying for golf legend Francis Ouimet in his native Massachusetts at age 9. By 1936, he was tournament manager for the PGA Tour. He worked with Babe Zaharias to found the LPGA in 1947, and successfully promoted the event which became the World Cup. During World War II, he worked with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope to develop USO golf exhibitions. Starting out as business manager for golfer Sam Snead, he soon branched into other sports, representing baseball stars Ted Williams and Stan Musial. He published an autobiography, Unplayable Lies, in 1964. Playwright and screenwriter BRAINERD DUFFIELD (1916-1979) adapted many classics of literature into one-act plays, and also wrote the screen play for several films (Madero of Mexico, 1942; The Treasure of Lost Canyon (1952). He wrote a nonfiction text, Acting Scenes from the Classics, and applied that skill in occasional screen appearances of his own (Macbeth, 1946). ALLAN JONES (1908-1992), a star of Broadway and film musicals of the 1930s and forties, made his screen debut in Show Boat (1936). From the 1937 film Firefly came his hit song, "Donkey Serenade". He is best remembered for his romantic roles in two Marx Brothers productions: A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races. After his film career he toured with stage companies in such productions as Man of La Mancha. This signed blank page is taken from a copy of From Movie Lot to Beachhead: the Motion Picture Goes to War, from the editors of Look magazine (1945). Multiple notches along right edge from previous binding. Lightly soiled. Otherwise, fine condition.