200 / 230
“MY PURPOSE . . . ISTO [TELL] THE STORY OF
THE FIRST HALF OFTHIS CENTURY”
285
●
O’HARA, JOHN. Typed Letter Signed, “John,” to screenwriter Eugene Solow,
with holograph date at upper right, declining to contribute to a screen adaptation of his
A
Family Party
. 1 page, 4to; uneven toning, minor loss at upper left corner, two ink phone
numbers written in unknown hand in upper margin, folds. Np, 23 May 1963
[350/500]
“
I do not know Buddy Ebsen, but of course I have been aware of his work . . . . It has always
amused me [to] watch the transformation from . . . class act to the frontiersman. . . .
“
I have always wanted Ed Begley to do Sam Merritt, and . . . I told Swanson to get the lead
out and make a deal. However, I am not committed to anyone. A FAMILY PARTY is very
much for sale and I think it should be done on film. . . .
“
But as to my doing a script, that is out of the question . . . . I will never again work on my
own material after its original appearance in whatever medium. I have a novel coming out in
two weeks, a collection of short stories coming out in November, a big novel coming out next
year. . . .To go back and rework my material in a different medium is to misuse time and to
defeat my purpose, which is to create a body of work that tells more completely than anyone
else’s work the story of the first half of this century in this country. . . .”
286
●
PHILLPOTTS, EDEN. Group of 6 Autograph Letters Signed, “E.P.,” “E
Phillpotts,” or in full, most toW.M. Calles, on various topics including his novel,
Children of
the Mist
.Together 17 pages, 8vo or oblong 12mo; generally good condition. (MRS)
Vp, 1898-1907
[200/300]
6 April 1898: “I am glad that you take a serious view of the brutal hacking of my story in
Strand. . . . [W]ould they have treated Doyle so?
“
I feel a strong protest should be made at such high handed & idiotic cutting . . . .
“
Unless they give you a promise never to alter a line of mine again I had rather not submit
more work to them.” A postscript: “Messrs. Innes can have the 1st 100 thousand words of
‘Children of the Mist’ after Easter if they like. That represents nearly [two-thirds] of total. I
tremble for America.”
13 August [1899]: “‘Sam of Sorrow Corner’ . . . . I want it to go first to
Pall Mall
Magazine
. . . .
“
Will you tell me how I stand with regard to
Children of the Mist
? I see it is . . . never
advertised. Does this mean that Innes continue to make money . . . & I continue to lose
money? . . .
“
I would rather ‘cut a loss’ & get the books away into other hands . . . . Then presently we
might republish through a more reputable firm. . . .”
1 November 1900: “. . . Will you see about the volume of short stories for America if
MacArthur is off them[?] The short stories are the best ever I wrote & I do think we ought to
get a good show[:] ? Putnam’s if we are friendly again, ? Harpers, ? Stokes, or any other firm. . . .
“
I should have thought after 15 editions of
Children of the Mist
we ought to have had no
bother & thus the tales would at least have been worth publishing . . . .”
WITH
—
Children of the Mist. 8vo, publisher’s gilt-stamped blue cloth, edge wear, corners
bumped; light scattered foxing throughout; lacking dust jacket. London: A.D. Innes &
Company, 1898.