RUTH DRAPER - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED CIRCA 1942 - HFSID 187109

RUTH DRAPER
Handwritten letter forwarding her autograph on a picture of a drawing, which she prefers to her photograph
Autograph Letter signed: "Ruth Draper", 1 page (front and verso), 5¼x6¾. 66 East 79th Street [New York City], March 18 [pencil date by an unknown hand: 1942]. To "Dear Mr. House", in full: "At last I fulfill my promise to you to send a photograph! [Item not included.] This is of the 'Scottish Immigrant at Ellis Island' - a drawing by John Sargent. I think[it] is nicer than a Haiglich [?] photograph, as it is also a work of art! I have the original. I look back with pleasure on my evening in Springfield. With all good wishes I am sincerely yours". Ruth Draper (1884-1956) was an American actress and playwright who specialized in monologues and one-woman plays. Highly minimalist, she nevertheless was able to portray almost 60 distinct characters in a repertory that grew to 39 individual pieces, all of them with a deep understanding of human character and showing a command of languages and dialects, as well. She appeared on Broadway a total of 11 times - only the first, A Lady's Name (1916), was a full length play - and toured the United States and Europe several times, including a command performance before King George V in 1926. She died only a few days after her final Broadway performance at the Playhouse Theatre in 1956. Normal mailing folds. Corners slightly worn. Fine condition.