PILAR (MRS. JOHN) WAYNE - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 10/22/1981 - HFSID 270452

JOHN WAYNE'S WIDOW REQUESTS A PHOTOGRAPH AND MENU FROM PHYLLIS DILLER FOR HER PICTURE COOKBOOK, WHICH WILL BENEFIT THE JOHN WAYNE CANCER WING AT U.C.L.A.
 
PILAR WAYNE (MRS. JOHN WAYNE). TLS: "Pilar Wayne", 1p, 7¼x10½. Newport Beach, California, 1981 October 22. On her personal embossed stationery to comedienne Phyllis Diller. Begins: "Dear Miss Diller". In full: "During the last five years I have owned and operated a small, elegant French restaurant called the Fernleaf Caffe (sic) in Newport Beach where the Duke and I and our children moved fifteen years ago. Through the years I have collected some very unique recipes and developed a great love for the art of elegant entertaining and fine cuisine. Presently I am engaged in a very exciting venture of writing a Picture Cookbook. The book will be the finest of quality and a substantial portion of the profits will go to the John Wayne Cancer Wing at U.C.L.A. Nancy Reagan has already honored me with a picture of herself in front of a beautiful table setting at the White House and her favorite menu. To me you are one of the world's best comedic actresses and I would be thrilled if you would honor me by being featured in my cookbook with other well-known world personalities. What I'm asking for is two minutes of your time, I need a color photograph of you in front of one of your table settings and a favorite menu. I would be happy to meet at your convenience to talk to you and have my photographer take the necessary picture. Looking forward to hearing from you. My phone number is [telephone number]. God Bless You". With original typed, stamped mailing envelope. JOHN WAYNE and Peruvian artist PILAR PALETTE (born in 1928) were married from November 1, 1954 until Wayne's death on June 11, 1979. They had three children: Ethan, Aissa, and Marisa. It is interesting to note that while her husband was known as "Duke", she refers to him as "the Duke". Comedienne PHYLLIS DILLER (1917-2012), known for her outrageous appearance, zany outfits, distinctive laugh and a stand-up act that featured frequent references to her fictional husband, "Fang", and zingers about her sex appeal and numerous plastic surgeries, got her big break in March 1955 (at age 37), when she debuted at San Francisco's Purple Onion club. A subsequent appearance on The Tonight Show hosted by Jack Paar launched her national career, which got a big boost after Bob Hope saw Diller in a Washington, D.C. club. A favorite of the comedian, Diller would appear in three of Hope's films and 23 of his TV specials. Diller, who recorded her first comedy record album in 1959, took her groundbreaking "funny hausfrau" act to nightclubs and television variety shows and specials and she also appeared on the big screen. Her feature film credits include Splendor in the Grass (1961), The Fat Spy (1966), Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number! (1966), The Sunshine Boys (1975) and The Silence of the Hams (1994), and she provided the voice of the Queen in A Bug's Life (1998). Despite retiring from nightclub/stage tours in May 2002 at the age of 84, Diller continued to make films (Motorcross Kids, 2004; Forget About It, 2005) and occasionally appear on TV programs, including two episodes of 7th Heaven (2002, 2003) and a guest shot on The Wayne Brady Show (2004). Lightly creased with folds, not at signature. Light paper clip impression at upper blank margin. Fine condition.