[Rarebooks] FS: First Edition of OUR TOWN Inscribed by Thornton Wilder to Director Billy Wilder
Charles Agvent
charles at charlesagvent.com
Mon Mar 18 13:00:01 EDT 2024
WILDER, Thornton. OUR TOWN Inscribed to Billy Wilder. New York:
Coward-McCann, Inc., (1938). First Edition. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize
for Drama and a touchstone of American theater. After reading this play,
Albert Einstein wrote a letter to Wilder comparing OUR TOWN to Homer's
ODYSSEY and Shakespeare's HAMLET, stating: "That an American of the
present day can create with such delicacy and detachment touches the
soul like a miracle." This is a wonderful Association Copy between two
giants of American culture who happened to share the same last name.
INSCRIBED and SIGNED by the author in the year of publication on the
title page to Hollywood director Billy Wilder: "For Billy/from
Thornton/relative by/choice/Hollywood/Aug. 1938." Though it appears
Billy Wilder (born Samuel Wilder) and Thornton Wilder never worked
together, there is an interesting anecdote from very early in Billy's
career. After leaving Berlin and arriving in Hollywood in 1934 with
little money, he sent to his family in Europe clippings about Thornton
Wilder's THE BRIDGE OVER SAN LUIS REY telling them that he had changed
his first name to "Thornton." His mother learned the truth when she
bought the book and saw the author's picture. According to a much later
interview with Billy Wilder, she took it well and responded that she
never liked that other fellow Wilder's stuff very much. Billy and
Thornton would first meet shortly before inscribing this book on 7 July
1938 when they would have lunch together leaving Billy impressed by the
"Aryan quality of Thornton's humor" (SLIDE, Anthony: "IT'S THE PICTURES
THAT GOT SMALL": CHARLES BRACKETT ON BILLY WILDER AND HOLLYWOOD'S GOLDEN
AGE, page 120). Later that year in December they would dine again, this
time in Boston with Alexander Woolcott, where Billy would see Thornton's
THE MERCHANT OF YONKERS. His feelings about Thornton's humor changed: "a
distressing play to me, all fake naivete, too, too great a desire to be
funny" (ibid, page 128). Small Hollywood bookstore label pasted to rear
pastedown; some sunning to edges of cloth. About Fine in a Near Fine
dustwrapper with light chipping to the spine tips.
Billy Wilder was an Austrian-born American film director and
screenwriter whose career spanned more than five decades. He had his
first hit when he co-wrote the screenplay for the romantic comedy
NINOTCHKA, starring Greta Garbo. He won two Academy Awards for THE LOST
WEEKEND (for Director and Screenplay), one for SUNSET BOULEVARD
(Screenplay), and an unprecedented three for THE APARTMENT (Best
Picture, Director, and Screenplay). He also received nominations for
DOUBLE INDEMNITY, STALAG 17, WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION, SOME LIKE IT
HOT, THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH, and others. (#019979) $6,500
https://www.charlesagvent.com/pages/books/019979/thornton-wilder/our-town-inscribed-to-billy-wilder
--
All books subject to prior sale. Cash with order; institutions may be billed.
Postage additional: $12.00 for the first item; $6.00 for each thereafter for
Priority; $8 for the first item; $4 for each thereafter for Media Mail. Overseas
postage billed at approximate cost. Pennsylvania residents must add 6% sales tax.
Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Discover accepted. Books may be returned
within 7 days of receipt for any reason provided they are in the same condition as
sent and prior notice is given. Please insure returns for their full value. We carry
a diverse stock with major specialties including Modern and 19th Century Literary
First Editions, Signed Books, Presidential Autographs, Illustrated Books, and one of
the largest inventories of Limited Editions Club books. We have been in business
since 1987 and are proud to be members of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of
America (ABAA) and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB).
Please feel free to contact us with any wants or offerings. Thank you.
CHARLES AGVENT
37 Ridge Drive
Fleetwood, PA 19522-9638
484-575-8825
charles at charlesagvent.com
Please visit our shop: https://www.charlesagvent.com
--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com
More information about the Rarebooks
mailing list