American novelist (1892-1977) best known as the author of such crime/noir classics as The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity. TLS signed “Jim,” one page, 8.5 x 11, personal letterhead, August 10, 1954. Letter to Eddie Carter, his representative at the H. N. Swanson Agency, in full: "In regard to the Postman inquiry from Massachusetts, I have a few scripts, but think it better you let this thing go, I mean decline the invitation as of now. That play, I grimly had to admit, the performance I saw in Pittsburgh, is not in shape, and I can't blame it all on the aberrations of that production. Well, when is it going to be in shape? I[t] is now 20 years & more since I wrote it, and it may be the time has come for me to tuck it away and forget it. But, if a production is scheduled, once more I would, as a matter of self-respect, go through the old razzmatazz and try to lick it. This, as of now, would be very costly to me, as I am within a few weeks of finishing something I think you will be happy to offer for pictures, full of color, with no censor angles—so why not get on with that? I could lose it by an interruption. I sweated badly over sending back the Bogeaus contracts, but could not have signed them as was (I mean legally I couldn't) and simply cannot start ren[e]gotiating a contract with K[n]opf after all these years simply because of a minor clause in the picture contract. I hope it can be straightened out." In fine condition.
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