?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 2,000 - $ 3,000
COMPOSING "LET'S FACE IT!" PORTER, COLE. Archive of 5 Typed Letters Signed, "Cole," to producer Vinton Freedley, concerning the Broadway production of Let's Face It! Together 6 pages, 4to, most on "Waldorf-Astoria" stationery emended with typed Hollywood address; few with minor paper clip stains at upper edge, folds. Two with retained copy of Freedley's letter to Porter. Hollywood, 1941
24 July 1941: "By the end of next week I shall have the entire first act finished, including all verses and extra refrains. This is a bigger job than you may think. . . . "The Second Act Number 'Goodbye Adventure', has now become 'I Hate You, Darling,' and it's going to be a swell torch. Otherwise I have not a single idea for numbers in the Second Act. Maybe I never shall have and you will be forced to get in Fred Koots. . . ." 25 July 1941: "Chuck Walters tells me that he just received a letter from you that rather upset him. . . . "Don't worry about him . . . . Bob, Chuck and I have had several long meetings, with the result [that] the whole first act is laid out for dance production and it looks grand. Of course, the ability of Bob compared to Chuck's is so startling that it puts Chuck in a difficult position, but . . . we ought to give him every chance. . . ." 16 August 1941: "I wired two days ago for Vivian Vance's vocal range, but no answer as yet. I have the Sextette [sic] already, but I can't go on with it until I get the range . . . . ". . . In these days when France is starving, Russia is cracking and it looks like the definite end of the world, your biggest worry in life seems to be the fact that I put Elsa Maxwell's name in one of my lyrics. Please give it up. I am delighted if you substitute any other name whatsoever, but there is one hitch in it, you must find some one who has at least as big a behind as Elsa." 22 August 1941: "After having been here with me three weeks, Dr. Albert Sirmay finished yesterday. . . . "I still have to write the number at the end of Scene 1, Act 2, for Jean and Murial with the ensemble. Actually I have a number for this spot, but I don't like it enough and I want to do better. ". . . I am practically all set for rehearsal."
