Rev. Gene Phillips Letters, 1950-1969
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- Title
- Rev. Gene Phillips Letters, 1950-1969
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PAGE 1-2: Letter from John Gassner to Rev. Gene Phillips, Dec. 2, 1957
Handwritten letter from John Gassner to Rev. Gene Phillips on the subject of theatre-going in New York. Time Remembered is mentioned by name. Gassner describes issues of production costs and the status of theatre as a "small business" not to be encroached upon by "the mass-market of radio, TV, and motion pictures." Concludes with Gassner thanking Phillips for his "kind words about the Detroit lecture."
PAGE 3-4: Draft of Rev. Gene Phillips' Original Letter to Walter Kerr and Kerr's Response, Feb. 19, 1958 & Mar. 8, 1958.
Attached via two staples. In the draft of Phillips' letter to Walter Kerr of The New York Herald Tribune (printed on West Baden College stationery, dated Feb. 19, 1958), Phillips compliments Kerr's review of George Bernard Shaw's Pieces at Eight. Phillips prefaces that he is writing his Master's thesis about the works of Shaw and inquires about Kerr's thoughts on the use of philosophy in studying of the playwright. Letter is unsigned with a visible ink smudge at the end of the body of the letter, with a correction made to Kerr's mailing address.
Kerr replies (typed on New York Herald Tribune stationery, dated March 8, 1958) stating that while there "isn't time to go into a detailed discussion," he emphasizes a need to separate "philosophy" from Shaw's plays, as they "were written to conform to the philosophy, of course; but they don't. Something happens between the desire and the act." Kerr refers Phillips to an article he'd written previously on the subject. Kerr concludes that Shaw's "comic instinct" takes over during the act of writing. Kerr concludes "In any case, all good wishes on your project." Kerr's signature closes with a correction to the word "play" in one line to be replaced with "scenario" and a clarification on whether he'd read Phillips' name correctly in his signature (all written in blue ink.)
PAGE 5-6: Letter from P.G. Wodehouse to Rev. Gene Phillips, Dec. 30, 1958.
Wodehouse writes to Phillips in response to another letter he'd previously sent. Wodehouse describes his experience musical comedy and Broadway.
Letter is printed on personal stationery (it appears P.G. borrowed his wife's, as the word "Mrs." has been crossed out. There are a few typos, including "Tours sincerely" next to Wodehouse's handwritten signature. On the back there appears to be an address fo Remesburg, Long Island.
PAGE 7-9: Letter from Basil Dearman to Rev. Gene Phillips, Mar. 9, 1967.
Two pages, attached with one staple. Typed on Relph-Dearden Productions Ltd. stationery. Dearman is responding to a series of 7 questions from Phillips about, apparently, finding meaning in the messages of films. Dearman, over the course of his responses, argues that film as a mass medium does not affect its viewers. The word “KHARTOUM” is handwritten on the margin of question 7 in blue ink.
PAGE 10: Letter from Desmond Davis to Rev. Gene Phillips, Mar. 16, 1967.
Davis requests a meeting with Phillips. Typed on Partisan Film Productions Ltd. stationery with Davis’ signature handwritten in blue ink.
PAGE 11-12: Letter from Desmond Davis to Rev. Gene Phillips, Jan. 3, 1968.
Davis compliments Phillips’ article about “social realism” in British Cinema with a brief discussion of the “Kitchen Sink” style filmmaking of the time. Davis also criticizes society’s move away from Nature/God toward automation. Handwritten in blue ink with minimal additions or edits.
PAGE 13: Letter from Silvio Narizzano to Rev. Gene Phillips, Oct. 12, 1968.
Narizzano thanks Phillips for his letter about the film Blue, stating that the movie performed better in England than the United States. Narizzano notes a change in address and requests that Phillips inform him if he will be in London. Typed on plain paper.
PAGE 14-15: Letter from Silvio Narizzano to Rev. Gene Phillips, Apr. 20, 1968 or 1969.
Handwritten on Silvio Productions Ltd. stationery.
Narizzano, recently returned from Spain and having missed seeing Phillips in London. Narizzano invites Phillips to watch a rough cut of his newest film, Loot, and describes the farcical content and assures Phillips that none of Narizzano’s Catholic friends “reacted with anything but laughter.” Narizzano concludes that they should keep in touch, though he is unsure when he will be back in New York. - Date Created
- Dec. 2, 1957-Apr. 20, 1968-9.
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