Desirable ALS in pencil signed “M,” three pages on two adjoining sheets, no date but postmarked December 4, 1943, Ritz Tower letterhead. Letter to actor Gilbert Roland, to whom she refers to as “Soldier,” in full: “I am sorry to hear you are not well. Don’t pull a Miss Brown and stay that way. I will be unable to see you for many reasons. Please forgive me, but I cannot help it. I don’t know when I shall see you again. But I am afraid you will have to leave it to fate. If you were here you would give me a long argument. I can’t spell at all but perhaps you don’t care about that. Please don’t be sad. If you are well again it means more than going around the park. Perhaps I can see you soon but it will not be this week.” In fine condition. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope, addressed in Garbo’s own hand: “Lieut Gilbert Roland, Station Hospital Fort Myer, Virginia 10.”
The star of films like The Bad and the Beautiful and Cheyenne Autumn, Roland served as a lieutenant in the Air Force during World War II. While on leave in Los Angeles in 1943, Roland, despite his being married to actress Constance Bennett, began a briefly torrid affair with the recently retired Garbo. The reclusive and eccentric actress often left her letters unsigned or used one of many nicknames or pseudonyms, in this case she opted for "M," which is perhaps an abbreviation for oft-used sobriquets 'Mountain Boy' or 'Mary Holmquist.' Handwritten Garbo letters remain very desirable and this example, rife with melodrama and all but affirming her tryst with Roland, of considerable intrigue and rarity.
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