American motion picture actor, screenwriter, film director, and producer (1891-1958) who was one of the founding members of the Motion Picture Directors Association along with directors such as Cecil B. DeMille, Allan Dwan, and William Desmond Taylor. World War II-dated TLS signed in pencil “Mickey,” two pages, 8.5 x 11, Twentieth Century-Fox Film letterhead, March 16, 1945. Letter to a film writer, ostensibly Hugh Wiley, to whom Neilan refers to as "You old Bastard," in part: "The studios are back again digging into the archives for old material which they are turning over to kid writers or jack writers trying to avoid going into the market for originals because the authors have at last come into their own and are getting real moola for their brains. About time…Again its none of my damn business but Hugh truthfully I feel you should come back to town as I am afraid you will go stale where you are…Wish I had a place and the money to make this possible for you but I am not going to get out of debt for along time. The strike is more serious than you imagine and may become a national issue with all the moving picture houses being shut down by the projectionists walking out on a sympathy strike. The studios have a back log of plent of finished pictures and could shut down for a year, not have to pay salaries as they are protected by a strike clause in all contracts and they would still make money and eventually lick the unions if such a thing is possible, well the bastards would vote for Roosevelt so let them stew in their own sweat. Good luck kid and write soon to your old pard-ner." In fine condition.
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