Colorful American film director and pulp author (1924–1978) who, though widely reviled in his lifetime, became the subject of cult-like fascination after his death. Wood’s reputation, such as it is, rests primarily on a string of films that attained legendary status for their singular combination of laughable production values, ridiculous dialogue, stilted performances, and haphazard direction. Two screen efforts in particular have come to be recognized as Wood’s “signature” films. The autobiographical transvestite melodrama Glen or Glenda? (1953) features the angora-clad director in the title role, while Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) has attained a singular niche in the history of cinema as the benchmark against which all “bad” movies are ultimately judged. A close friend of the elderly Béla Lugosi, who by that time had descended into morphine addiction, Wood provided the aged horror icon with acting work when the rest of the film industry dismissed him as washed up. When Lugosi died during the production of Plan 9, the ever-resourceful Wood replaced him with a “double”—a chiropractor named Thomas R. Mason, who bore little resemblance to Lugosi, and who hid behind a cape in all of his scenes. Wood later supplemented his meagre filmmaking income by pounding out scores of pulp novels, most of which centered on sex, crime, drugs, and violence. The director’s career was memorably immortalized in the Academy Award–winning 1994 film Ed Wood, starring Johnny Depp. Rare TLS signed “Ed,” one page, trimmed in size to 8.5 x 9, August 1, 1966. Wood writes to Forrest J. Ackerman, the pioneering editor and writer (born 1916) who was a key figure in the promotion and widespread acceptance of science fiction and horror as “serious” genres. In part: “Going into the second month that I haven’t heard from you. I certainly know all things take time, but do drop me a line and let me know if, and how things are progressing. Two new paperbacks through San Diego. ‘69 Rue Pigalle’ and ‘Naked Bones.’ Both should be interesting for foreign sales. ‘Bones’ will be especially interesting to you for its horrific qualities. Deals with many a carnival murder—monsters and mad men. I am working on ‘Devil Girls’ for this month’s sale.... Some time ago I put my little three bucks in an envelope and mailed for ‘Famous Monsters Speaks’ [sic]. After much time I wrote, ‘Who do I not receive the record?’ and of course there was the return—’We never received the money.’ Better advise your people not to send cash.... Let me hear from you from time to time and what is happening. As soon as I get the phone back, and a car, we’ll see you. My best for both our advances....” Trimming as noted, intersecting mailing folds, and some marginal toning, otherwise fine condition. All autograph material from Wood is quite elusive; examples with a provenance of this distinction are of the greatest scarcity. R&R COA.
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