American actor and singer during the 1950s (1918-1961) who earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for playing Cochise in the 1950 film Broken Arrow; he died at the age of 42 after complications from a slipped disc surgery. Fantastic archive relating to popular Hollywood actor Jeff Chandler, comprised mostly of humorous and insightful correspondence addressed to his friend and manager Jess Rand, whose estate this collection originates. The archive, dated between 1954 and 1961, consists of five ALSs, a TLS, two handwritten notes, five greeting cards, a handwritten score for the song ‘Christmas on the Prairie,’ and two TLSs from Rand to Chandler, which the latter has copiously annotated in blue and red ballpoint; Chandler signs in a variety of ways, including: “J.,” “J.C.,” “Jeff,” “Jaiff,” “The sick one,” and “The Wandering Jew.”
Among the letters is a two-page ALS addressed to Rat Pack legend Sammy Davis, Jr, dated October 18, 1955, which reads, in part: "What happened to the second letter? You can't be as hacked as you want to be, 'cause you only wrote half of what you said you wrote. And I have to deduct points, too, for Dave's bad spelling—so really you owe me a second letter as an apology for the first! Don't mess around, Sam—you've got to lose! I'm very bright on paper! As a live entertainer, you're maybe a shade better (shade—what did he mean by that?)—but I'm very bright on paper!…Sam-despite your lies, your promises, your infidelities, your going out with other Jews—despite the things you've told Rabbi Magnin about me—I still love you!" The letter includes a newspaper clipping of Davis pictured with Japanese singer Izumi Yukimura, with an affixed note at the top written by Chandler, "From 'The Stars and Stripes,' What is this-horseradish?," as well as the original mailing envelope, signed on the reverse by Chandler using his full name, and addressed in his own hand.
Other highlights: an ALS to Rand from May 25, 1954, in part: “Tell me, have you got the hospital account yet? You could do a hell of a promotion campaign for ‘em. Art by Charles Addams—wow!—I can see some of the leads now: ‘Come here for your suffering!’—‘Feeling good is in the mind—come here and let your hair down—all the way to your knees!’”; a poetic ANS postmarked April 23, 1954: “Altho you’re sick—and mucho bull—Thanks for the pic—it’s wonderful!”; and a TLS from March 12, 1954, which begins: “Friend Ratchet-head, It behooves me to tell you that the sun is shining brightly outside, a pleasant breeze wafts its way through the window curtains and plays gently around each room, leaving in its wake a refreshing vitality that brightens the pattern of the day. Freeze, you purple-hearted momzer—Freeze!” Also includes an assortment of unsigned items, including: seven greeting cards celebrating February 3rd; and over 20 vintage photos of Chandler, consisting of candids, negatives, and publicity photos. In overall fine condition. Accompanied by several original mailing envelopes, the majority addressed in Chandler’s own hand.
