Guitry, Sacha
French actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright (1885-1957). Autograph letter signed. Paris. 8vo. 2 pp. on bifolium.
$ 899 / 850 €
(91576/BN60897)
Interesting letter to Albert Carré, then administrator of the Comédie-Française, asking him to authorize the actor Édouard de Max to perform in a play at the Théâtre des Variétés: "Je viens vous demander si vous voulez bien autoriser de Max à jouer avec moi au Théâtre des Variétés pendant huit jours à partir du 22 de ce mois. Vous me feriez plaisir en donnant au porteur votre réponse". - The play in question can only be the one-act comedy "Une vilaine femme brune" that premiered in late November 1915 at the Théâtre des Variétés, albeit without De Max.
Albert Carré (1852-1938) served only briefly as administrator of the Comédie-Française, from 1 January 1914 to 30 November 1915, when he joined the war. - In a somewhat cryptic second part, Guitry informs Carré that the film he had recently spoken to Carré about "cannot have links to the Théâtre Français [i. e. Comédie-Française]", for reasons that he will tell him personally: "Autre chose. Je vous avais dernièrement demandé quelque chose au sujet de mon film cinématographique - pour des raisons que je vous donnerai la prochaine fois que j'aurai le plaisir de vous voir, la chose ne peut pas avoir lien au Théâtre Français [...]". This is very likely a reference to Guitry's first professional film "Ceux de chez nous", a 50-minute documentary that features some of the most important French artists and authors of the time, including Sarah Bernhardt, Edgar Degas, Anatole France, Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Auguste Rodin, Edmond Rostand, and Camille Saint-Saëns. "Ceux de chez nous" premiered in Paris on 22 November 1915, only a few days apart from the play mentioned above. - On stationery of the "Théatre du Palais-Royal". Minor ink stains and browning..