Character actor (1899-1943) who played the lunatic Renfield opposite Bela Lugosi in Dracula, as well as Colin Clive's assistant Fritz in Frankenstein. World War II-dated ALS signed “Dwight,” three pages, 7.25 x 10.25, October 24, 1943. Handwritten letter to “Muzzie,” his mother Ella, which finds Frye discussing his plans on furnishing his house: “We have decided to do the room in mahogany. Our table is mah. & alright & by chance on Thurs. At a little antique place at Wilcox & Sunset I found an old spinet black mahogany desk. We both like it & it is only $45—& if you know prices on cheap things they are making now I feel you’ll think as we do it’s a bargain, it’s different, & it’s a good piece. It isn’t dainty—it looks like a man’s desk…The desk will be my Xmas from Laura & the chair her Xmas from me. And the drapes are our joint gift.” Frye then talks about a recent audition: “Well, I talked to the casting director Tues. & as the test was in technicolor there was a delay & he hadn’t seen it. I called him yesterday & he had. He said it was grand & I looked just like I’d walked out of the book. He was very happy about it. Said he thought Daryl Zanuck would see it by Tues. or Wed. I wouldn’t work till Dec. 12 & then 4 wks.” He then briefly touches on a new effect of the ongoing war: “Jams & jellies are to be rationed, did you see that? I hope you will have enough.” In fine condition. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope hand-addressed by Frye, who incorporates his surname into the return address field on the reverse flap, a vintage-matte-finish portrait of the actor, and a TLS from his son, Dwight, forwarding his father’s letter to a collector. The role in question, which Frye would ultimately land, was for the Oscar-winning 1944 film Wilson, a biographical retelling of Woodrow Wilson’s political rise. The film was shot in Technicolor and personally produced by 20th Century Fox president Darryl F. Zanuck. Frye was cast as Secretary of War Newton D. Baker, but died of a heart attack at the age of 44 on November 7, 1943, a few days prior to his filming start, and just two weeks after writing this letter to his mom.
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