Walters, Lou. (ca. 1896-1977) & Sullivan, Ed. (1901-1974) & Webb, Jack. (1920-1982) & Bean, Orson. (b. 1928) & Dixon, Jean. (1896-1981)
Small Archive of Letters to Critic Gordon Allison
An interesting small archive of 1940's-50's letters to theatre and television critic Gordon Allison from several important figures in the entertainment world, including TV host Ed Sullivan, actors Orson Bean and Jean Dixon, actor and producer Jack Webb, and nightclub owner (and father of Barbara Walters) Lou Walters. Responding to Allison's interviews and feature pieces, the letters mostly express thanks to Allison: Sullivan writes in 1953 that "That damned nice piece made our 5th Anniversary an unforgettable experience," while Jack Webb writes about the premiere of "Dragnet" in 1952 that "The space you devoted to our television premiere was certainly appreciated. We hope, in the event that you saw it, it lived up to your expectations." Among three letters from Lou Walters is an eloquent two-page missive responding to a piece on Walters' club, the Latin Quarter, and defending his style of entertainment and his clients: "I cater to all kinds of people - I put on all kinds of shows. People often say 'We are tired of seeing the same sorts of things. Isn't there anything new, anything odd?' - so I go to Europe, travel the highways - and sometimes the byways - of the theatre and nightclubdom in an effort to find new things..."Letters with folding creases, one with a slight loss, but overall in fine to very fine condition; 5 x 4 to 8.5 x 11 inches.
Contents:
1 ALS from Jean Dixon, dated March 14, 1940.
2 TLS and one autograph note from Lou Walters, the longest dated February 13, 1950 (2 pp.), others undated.
1 ALS from Orson Bean, undated.
1 TLS from Ed Sullivan, dated June 17, 1953.
1 TLS from Jack Webb dated January 30, 1952.
"Lou Walters [the father of Barbara Walters], was a booking agent turned night-club owner whose great triumph was inventing the Latin Quarter, an American version of the type of Parisian night club that had elaborate floor shows with dozens of expensively costumed chorus girls. Lou Walters was dead broke and living in Boston when, in 1937, he opened the first Latin Quarter there. It took off, and within a few years there were much bigger branches in Miami Beach and New York. These were a forerunner of the big Las Vegas casino shows today: sexy but not smutty, “classy” but populist in their taste and pricing, excessive in every detail from fabric choices to the size of the meals. (Nicolas Lemann, "I have to Ask," The New Yorker 5/12/08)
Gordon Allison began his career as an actor in 1935 with a New York Shakespearian repertory theater company and continued his involvement on stage, in print, or in production until his death in 1986. His career as a critic and reporter began in 1937 when wrote for the Newark Sunday Call. In 1945 he had a column "Night Club" in the New York Herald Tribune adding television a few years later, and in 1954 became the theater and television editor for Look magazine. He entered TV production in 1956, first at the Colgate Comedy Hour, then The Millionaire, The Jack Paar Show, Dotto, The Doctors, Dr. Simon Locke, and in 1972, Police Surgeon. In 1976, Mr. Allison founded the Power House Theater for the New Canaan Town Players in Connecticut. (3713)
Archive TLS Autograph Letter Film Theater