"DANNY KAYE IS GOING TO PLAY RAGPICKER – I HOPE HE DOESN'T BECOME BOB HOPE": WONDERFUL, LENGTHY KATHARINE HEPBURN AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED WITH GREAT HOLLYWOOD CONTENT
HEPBURN, Katharine. Autograph letter signed. [Ireland]: January 15, (1968). Two leaves of ruled paper, 8 by 13 inches, written on rectos for two pages. $5500.
Terrific lengthy Katharine Hepburn letter with great Hollywood content, mentioning Danny Kaye, Bob Hope, John Ford, Peter O'Toole, and others, signed "Kate."
Written to her friend and longtime correspondent Meta Stern from Ireland, where Hepburn was staying at John Huston's house, still grieving after Spencer Tracy's death. The letter reads in full: "Meta – Today – 1 week late we move to Lion In Winter Prod. Hotel Jules Cesar – Arles – France – will be there until 7-12 of Feb – God willing. Held up by flu 3 days layoff – I was more or less OK thank God – So was Phyllis. Laura Hasting has been visiting – so not a dish washed – she left yesterday – for Dublin – & today London – we fly charter flight 3 PM – go to a hotel, then when we start Madwoman – we'll get a house. Danny Kaye is going to play Ragpicker [in the film adaptation of The Madwoman of Chaillot, in which Hepburn was starring] – I hope he doesn't become Bob Hope – Vaudevillians frighten me a bit – although years ago I did think Danny could do anything. So we'll hope. Had another letter from Ford – (we correspond now) He says he's coming to Arles – God help me – Visitors whoever are very disruptive to the schedule. I'm thrilled that you liked the script – I do think that it is going to be great. It has real distinction & vim & vigor & humor. Peter so great, W & Rich great – John & King of France all real fellows – interesting on their own – Alice fair – darling girl but solid faced – good at end – I've enjoyed Ireland & I shall miss it as I would a second home – the people, the color, the shape. Something familiar about it to me – so they're coming for the cases. Truly love to you and Sam – Kate." Recipient Meta Stern (1925-59) was a Hollywood script supervisor who worked on many blockbuster films, including the 1936 release Mary of Scotland, starring Katharine Hepburn.
Fine condition.