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Alan Jay Lerner Signed Personal Letter

Currency:USD Category:Memorabilia / Autographs - Original Start Price:50.00 USD Estimated At:200.00 - 400.00 USD
Alan Jay Lerner Signed Personal Letter
Alan Jay Lerner Signed Personal Letter - Truly one of the most historic letters in the world of Musicals! From the legendary lyricist Alan Jay Lerner, known for such classics as “My Fair Lady”, “Gigi”, “Camelot”, “Paint Your Wagon”, Brigadoon”, “On A Clear Day”, “An American In Paris”, and “Royal Wedding”, to name just a few, comes this amazing letter (dated November 4th, 1953). It was written by Lerner to Van Johnson, congratulating Johnson, since he had just heard from equally legendary Motion Picture Musical producer Arthur Freed that Johnson had been cast in the lead in the movie version of “Brigadoon”. Of course the movie is based on Lerner’s smash hit Broadway musical. Of great interest is his mentioning of his production of “Li’l Abner”, which Lerner was writing with his new collaborator Arthur Schwartz. In the letter he asks Johnson if he would consider playing the lead in this new Broadway Musical based on the popular Al Capp comic strip. This was a much talked about production that eventually went through dozens of hands, including most of the greatest names in musical theater before finally being made over six years later without Lerner, Schwartz or Johnson! This rare letter on Lerner’s personal stationary is signed by Lerner with his first name: “Alan”. It comes with Lerner’s envelope stationary, postmarked November 5, 1953, with the original six cents Air Mail stamp with a cancelation from Grand Central Station in New York. The letter is from the personal collection of Van Johnson, and includes a Letter of Provenience from his daughter, Schuyler Johnson along with a copy of her famous controversial cover story article “My Life As A Hollywood Princess”, about her trials and tribulations growing up in Beverly Hills with a superstar father and extended “family” with some of the most famous celebrities in the world.