[Rarebooks] Steinbeck at the movies: his own movies (2)

[Serendipity Books]

A MEDAL FOR BENNY
(1944)


1944                A MEDAL FOR BENNY.   1944.    In two forms:

A)            Release dialogue script, December 
7, 1944.  Legal size, saddle-stitched thrice, 
paged by reel, 77 leaves. With an impressive 
number of dockets and encouragements to 
book-sellers on the title leaf.  The Paramount file copy.


"strictly for
private use
"    - mimeographed

"RETURN TO STORY DEPT
." – rubber stamped in purple ink

MASTER FILE – rubberstamped in purple ink [twice]

2901 [project #] – rubberstamped in blue ink

PF362 – red ink holograph [twice]

"PLEASE RETURN TO STORY DEPT." – rubberstamped

"leant 2 to Pentera any touches Pershing [?] platoon" [faint pencil]

[with]

B)            Unpublished shooting script, 8 ½ x 
11", mimeographed.  Three-ring punched, two 
pins.  Cf G&P E13.  With the legal-size original 
"CALL AND INFORMATION SHEET" for July 3, 1944, 
indicating place [Charlie's House at 44 Paducah 
Street], seven stand-ins for the principals, each 
named; transportation schedule, "advance shooting 
notes", and the production requirements.  This is 
a printed, reflecting more than a month's 
revisions in the script, while on 
location.  Modest wear, edges and to the first 
sheet at the punch holes.  The film play was not 
published until 1946, in BEST FILM PLAYS-1945, 
edited by Gassner and Nichols, by Crown. [G&P 
B454] = for many years the only published 
version, then reprinted by Garland in 1977.

The film was released by Paramount in 1945, 
writing credits to Steinbeck and Jackson Wagner 
for the original story, adaptation by Jack 
Butler, directed by Irving Pichel, starring 
Dorothy Lamour, J. Carroll Naish [Golden Globe 
Award, best supporting actor], and Arturo de 
Córdova. A 20 page carbon typescript, "Synopsis 
for 'A MEDAL FOR BENNY'" is located by OCLC at 
two [!] schools.  Steinbeck and Wagner received 
an Oscar nomination, best original screenplay. We 
know of a single other copy.


Cast list 1 leaf
A 1-15
A16-A16a =  blue sheets, revisions, 6/26/44
A17-24
B1-13
B14 = blue sheet, revisions, 5/12/44
B15
C1-11
D1-3
D4-6 = blue sheets, revisions, 6/22/44
D7
D8 in facsimile
D9-13
D14 = blue sheet, revisions, 6/21/44
D15
D16; D16a; D17 = blue sheets, revisions, 6/21/44
D18-20
D21 = blue sheet, revisions, 6/21/44
D22
D23-25 = blue sheets, revisions, 6/21/44

E1-3
E4 = blue sheet, revisions, 6/30/44
E5-6
E7 = blue sheet, revisions, 7/8/44
E8-9
E10-15 = blue sheets, revisions, 7/24/44 &7/13/44
E16-17
E18-E23 = blue sheets, revisions, 7/13/44
E24-28
F1
F2 = blue sheet, revisions, 7/12/44
F3-7
F8-9 = blue sheets, revisions, 7/13/44
F10
F11-12 = blue sheet, revisions, 7/24/44
F13


Paginated by shooting section; continuous 
pagination to 118, a misleading number because of 
inserted correction sheets and double pages.
The pair, wartime production, rare, not hopelessly so:  $22,500.00






THE RED PONY / aka JOHN STEINBECK'S RED PONY
(1949)


1949          THE RED PONY = JOHN STEINBECK'S RED 
PONY.  Cutting continuity, undated.   Produced by 
<http://www.imdb.com/company/co0008366/>Chas. K. 
Feldman Group Productions Inc. and 
<http://www.imdb.com/company/co0044182/>Lewis 
Milestone Productions Inc. for Republic Pictures 
Corporation, directed by Milestone. Production # 
1667.  Legal size, mimeo, rectos only.  (i) 85 
leaves.   The entire text, dialogue, camera and 
stage directions are present. The film starred 
Myrna Loy and Robert Mitchum.  Steinbeck received 
credit both as the author of the screenplay and 
as the author of the four stories which he 
adapts.  Ring-binder holes, a nick in the first 
leaf at one hole.  Of the greatest 
rarity.  Morrow 548 records a revised shooting 
script and this continuity (another copy), which 
originated in the trade from Serendipity, our 
Catalogue 37, item JS 28 (Spring 1978).  At the 
time, no other copy of this continuity was 
known.   Goldstone had only an ad for this film.

With a ticket stub, Silverton, Oregon.  Palace 
Theatre. [1949]. Sunday-Monday, July 24-25: "The 
Red Pony" in Technicolor, followed by "Since You 
Went Away" with Robert Walker, Monty Woolley, 
Lionel Barrymore, Claudette Colbert, Joseph 
Cotton, Jennifer Jones and Shirley Temple, on 
Wednesday and Thursday, July 26 and 27.  $15,000.00



Terms:

1) Any book may be returned for any reason.
2) We welcome Mastercard, Visa, Amex, Personal Checks, Payment by Wire.
3) We do not charge postage.
4) Institutions may be invoiced to suit their requirements.
5) California Sales Tax charged to California addresses.

************

Peter B. Howard
Serendipity Books
1201 University Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94702
voice: (510) 841-7455
fax: (510) 841-1920
e-mail: pbhoward at serendipitybooks.com
http://www.serendipitybooks.com