American composer and conductor (1911-1994) whose most notable compositions include 'I'll Be Home for Christmas,' 'I’m Gonna Live Till I Die,' and '(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover.' Two items: a glossy 8 x 9.75 photo of Kent, signed and inscribed in silver ink, “To Sandra lee—With best wishes! Walter Kent, May 1989”; and an ALS signed, one page both sides, 5.5 x 8, personal stationery, February 12, 1986, addressed to Paul Strickland, in part: “About ‘I’ll Be Home for Xmas’—I can give you a capsule story: In the hot summer of July 1943, I was staying in the Hollywood Hills home of my dear friend and collaborator (lyrics) Kim Gannon and he mentioned the title & told me the last line—‘If only in my dreams.’ That’s all it took—I wrote that melody & he finished the lyrics—all in a couple of hours!—The rest of the story is we got it to Crosby (Bing) who loved it & history was made.” In overall fine condition, with a stain touching several words of text, but not readability. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope.
