American playwright (1888–1953) who occupies a central place in the history of twentieth-century drama. Among his most famous works are The Iceman Cometh, Mourning Becomes Electra, and Long Day’s Journey into Night. A four-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, he was also awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1936. ALS, one page, 6 x 7, December 4, 1921. Letter, written from Provincetown, to actress Jeanie Begg. In full: “Of course, I remember you! Why I thought I knew you well enough as a fellow P.P. [Provincetown Player] so you wouldn’t put that ‘Mr’ in front of me. The when, where, how of ‘The Fountain’ is still very much in the air. I don’t even know if it will be done this year or not. And candidly, there is nothing in it, anyway, that would suit you—only two women’s parts, one a woman of forty, the other a perfectly terrific part in the demands it makes—for the lady must be able to sing even better than she acts. Hopkins will want a ‘big name’ for it, too, I am sure. So there you are. I sure wish there was something. I greatly admired your work in ‘The Moon.’ No one could have played that part better. And I hope when you get with Hopkins you will be in many of my things. You can rely on me to be always a ‘booster’ to that end. All best.” In very good condition, with intersecting folds, two through single letters of signature, several tape repairs to reverse of horizontal separations, and some mild toning from tape.
In 1916, the up-and-coming playwright Eugene O’Neill headed to Cape Cod to join a group of writers and artists who had begun presenting their plays there. When their productions, including O’Neill’s play Bound East for Cardiff, gained greater notice than anticipated, the Provincetown Players moved their theater to New York City. It was there that young actress Jeani Begg opened as Pearl in his The Moon of the Caribbees in the fall of 1918. Writing from Provincetown, where he continued to spend his summers, the playwright encourages her to get in touch with Arthur Hopkins, the first producer to put O’Neill on Broadway. Offering warm praise of the actress’s work—”No one could have played that part better”—he vows to “be always a ‘booster’” in her career, hoping to cast her in many of his plays yet to come. Unfortunately, when ‘The Fountain’ did hit the stage in December of 1925, it was, as predicted by O’Neill, without Ms. Begg. A charming letter from the emerging playwright, envisioning a bright future for himself and this promising actress. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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