The 30 Minute Rule begins September 16 at 7:00 PM EDT. An Initial Bid Must Be Placed By September 16 at 6:00 PM EDT To Participate After 6:00 PM EDT
DS, two pages, 8.5 x 13.25, May 21, 1946. An ‘Assignment of Rights’ agreement between James Thurber and Samuel Goldwyn Productions, in which Thurber, for the sum of $1,500, assigns rights related to four letters concerning the screenplay adaptation of his celebrated short story The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. The agreement specifically references one letter addressed to screenwriter Ken Englund and three letters addressed to producer Pat Dugan, written between March 31 and April 10, 1946, and transfers to Goldwyn “all of the same rights in the Work granted to the Purchaser.” Signed at the conclusion by Thurber. In fine condition.
Thurber’s classic short story The Secret Life of Walter Mitty first appeared in The New Yorker in 1939 and quickly became one of the most celebrated works of American humor. In 1947, Samuel Goldwyn released a film adaptation starring Danny Kaye, but Thurber later expressed dissatisfaction with the production, publicly distancing himself from the finished picture. This contract dates from the early stages of the project, documenting Thurber’s transfer of rights connected to screenplay-related correspondence as the adaptation moved toward production.
From the personal collection of a lifelong collector, teacher, and traveler with a passion for world history. His collecting years ranged from the 1970s to the present day, meaning that several of the premier pieces have not been on the market in decades.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$75.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
Third-party authentication service applies only to signatures and handwriting, and does not cover the addition of sketches, artwork, musical quotations, etc.
