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American writer (1903–1968) who is best known for his crime fiction; his story It Had to Be Murder served as the source for Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 classic Rear Window. World War II-dated TLS, two pages, 6 x 9, Hotel Marseilles (New York) letterhead, February 18, 1943. Letter to “Swanie,” his literary agent, H. N. Swanson, in full: “I agree with you thoroughly it would be rather impractical to draw up a special agreement for each separate book. You have your office send me the type of agreement we both have in mind, limited to motion picture representation, and I'll sign it immediately and air mail it back. It is easier for you to do that at your end than for me to do it here. About giving up a share of my motion picture rights to my publishers, you are right. When my Lippincott options expire, I will see that it is eliminated. However, there are no strings whatever on THE BLACK ANGEL. That is why I wish you would make every effort to dispose of that. It doesn't seem to be going very well, does it?
Now, Swanie, I would appreciate it if you would let me know definitely, in your next letter, whether you are going to work at getting me a writing assignment out there, and whether I can count on getting one or not. My reason is this: I am intending to take an apartment and clear out of this gruesome hotel. Once I sign the lease and buy the furniture, I will be unwilling to chuck everything and come out there. I'd like to know now one way or the other so that I can make my own plans. I'll wait if you say so, but don't just let me sit here twiddling my thumbs. If you are doubtful about being able to swing it, then I'll go ahead here. I've been making enough at this end so that I'd just about break even anyway, even at five hundred a week. I just got a royalty statement yesterday; PHANTOM LADY sold 20,000 copies. Let me hear from you, and my best to you. Don't forget to send the agreement.” In fine condition. Woolrich makes references to two of his works: Phantom Lady, his 1942 crime novel written under the pen name ‘William Irish,’ his first novel published under the pseudonym; and The Black Angel, a 1943 novel based on two of his own short stories, Murder in Wax and Face Work. Both were adapted into movies.
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