ALS, one page, 7 x 10, illustrated Barnett House letterhead, October 24, 1988. Handwritten letter to Anne Sweazey, the assistant executive director for development at The Lighthouse for the Blind in New York, in full: “Just a word to thank you for inviting me to your Lighthouse celebration on the 30th of Nov. Apart from my great admiration for the Lighthouse I have a very warm place in my heart for you all since the kindness that was extended to me many years ago.” In fine condition, with very slight overall fading. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope hand-addressed by Hepburn, who incorporates her signature, “A. Hepburn,” to the return address on the envelope’s back flap.
Designed by noted architect Gerard R. Colcord and built in 1939, the Beverly Hills-based Barnett House is a Pennsylvania Dutch Colonial Revival-style house that was the home of movie producer and screenwriter Jerry Wald and his wife, Connie. The latter was a close friend of several stars, including Audrey Hepburn, who visited the house with such regularity that the couple converted the garage into a guest house for the actress.
Per the original recipient: ‘The Waldorf Astoria gala, when The Lighthouse New York Association for the Blind presented Audrey Hepburn with the first Winternight award, is a cherished memory. We flew her and her companion, Robert Wolders, in from Switzerland. They stayed at the Sherry-Netherland Hotel in New York City. She had requested that we also invite her dear friend Gregory Peck to the event and of course, we were delighted to do so.
I recall that she and I had a conversation by ourselves for a few minutes, and I have always wished I had a picture of that. But she was so charming that I was completely engrossed in our conversation. And I experienced firsthand what people said about her: that she made you feel as though you were the only person in the room that she wanted to talk to! What a lovely person she was!
Her acceptance speech was exquisite. She thanked The Lighthouse for preparing her for her role as a blind woman in the movie, Wait Until Dark. Moreover, she praised The Lighthouse for being the first vision-related organization to provide life skills training for people with AIDS who were losing their eyesight as a result of the medication given to people with AIDS at that time. There are photos online of her accepting the award with Mr. Peck by her side.’
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