Anita Loos

Archived ephemera from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Happy Birthday.

• Sold as a set of 4.
• Anita Loos (American).
• Set includes book, playbill, copy of script with notations, and autographed letter.

Book: A copy of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes for the original production.

• New York: Grosset and Dunlap, 1925.
• 217 pages.
• Octavo.
• First photoplay edition, seventeenth printing.

Playbill: From the original production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes at the Ziegfield Theatre.

• Original running: December 8, 1949 to September 15, 1951.
• This playbill is for the week of January 15, 1951 and starred Carol Channing as Lorelei Lee.

Script: A copy of the script for Happy Birthday from Anita Loos’s personal collection, with extensive annotations apparently in her hand, along with an autographed letter signed by Loos about preparations for a production of the play.

• Happy Birthday: A Play in Two Acts.
• New York: Samuel French, 1947.
• 132 pages.
• Stamped on front cover and half title “From the estate of Anita Loos.”
• Paperback with stapled and glued binding.

Autographed letter signed by Anita Loos regarding Happy Birthday. The text of the letter reads:

“Dear George. The enclosed is tentative (naturally), but I have tried to keep the psychological processes straight and to define correctly the character of the heroine and her father. Their relationship is the interesting and complex one and the exploration of it should be done gradually, and by progressive steps until, when Addie blows up at the climax, not only her father but the audience itself should feel like cheering.

I am now in the hands of 5 producers--Cohn--Simon--Bressler--Detlugen[?] and Sam Marks. Cohn and Bressler side with me 100%. Cohn has even gone so far as to tell the others to leave me alone. But, just the same, they all read the stuff and put their diversified fingers in the pie. I presume Cohn wishes them to earn their salaries.

Monday I am to take the floor and make my stand against turning Addie Bemis into Little Orphan Annie. Believe me I am going to be tough and stubborn.

You are a darling to take an interest. How I would relax were I sure you were to be in charge!

All love dearest George, Anita.”