THE RITZ BROTHERS (HARRY RITZ) - PRINTED APPLICATION SIGNED IN INK CO-SIGNED BY: DAVID ZAKWIN, ARTHUR W. STEBBINS - HFSID 205124

HARRY RITZ and ARTHUR STEBBINS
A Friars Club applicant is endorsed by a comic Ritz brother, and by the man who insured Ben Turpin's crossed eyes, Jimmy Durante's nose and Marlene Dietrich's legs.
Endorsement signed: "Harry Ritz", "Arthur W. Stebbins", 4p (integral leaf), 8½x11. Hollywood, California, 1953 January 26. Application of jeweler David Zakwin for membership in the Friars Club of California, Inc, with Ritz recommending Zakwin for membership. Signed twice: "David D. Zakwin"; also endorsed "Joseph Levinson". Endorsements on p1, Zakwin signatures on p1 and p3.Zakwin has supplied typed, personal information on inside pages. Ink notation (unknown hand) on p1 marks the membership dues paid on 3-1-53. HARRY RITZ (1907-1986) formed with his brothers, Al and Jimmy, the zany comedy team debuted in Hollywood with a film short, Hotel Anchovy, in 1934. Their other movie vehicles included Sing, Baby Sing (1936), Life Begins in College (1937), The Three Musketeers (1939) and Never a Dull Moment (1943). The brothers remained popular thereafter in live performances and TV guest appearances. Jimmy and Harry appeared individually in small film roles into the mid-1970s. LA underwriter ARTHUR W. STEBBINS got into the business of insuring film stars when he convinced Mack Sennett to insure Ben Turpin's crossed eyes. Later he created the original "scarred face" insurance policy which covered the good looks of Rudolph Valentino, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and Paul Muni. Stebbins also wrote policies to insure Eddie Cantor's eyes, Jimmy Durante's nose and Marlene Dietrich's legs. (Of course, the main goal of these policies was to generate publicity.) DAVID ZAKWIN was a successful Beverly Hills jeweler. Staple holes in upper corner. Otherwise, fine condition.