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Lot 1009
A William Wellman group of original scripts and ephemera pertaining to A Star Is Born
10 December 2019, 14:00 PST
Los AngelesUS$15,000 - US$25,000
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A William Wellman group of original scripts and ephemera pertaining to A Star Is Born
Selznick International Pictures, 1937. Comprising 8 scripts, all bound with brads and in blue and goldenrod wrappers unless otherwise indicated, including:
1. It Happened in Hollywood. Mimeographed manuscript, "Temporary Incomplete Script," 176 pp, July 22, 1936 (with additional dates written in pencil up to August 29), with penciled annotations.
2. A Star is Born. Mimeographed manuscript, "Temporary Incomplete Script," 72 pp, October 5, 1936 (with additional dates written in pencil up to October 13), with penciled annotations.
3. A Star is Born. Mimeographed manuscript, "Final Shooting Script," 127 pp, October 16, 1936 (with additional dates written in pencil up to December 22), with pink revision pages bound in.
4. A Star is Born. Mimeographed manuscript, "Final Shooting Script," 126 pp, October 16, 1936 (with additional date of December 22 written in pencil), with pink revision pages bound in, and an additional script containing retakes and added scenes bound in, dated February 6, 1937 (with additional dates written in pencil up to February 11).
5. A Star is Born. Mimeographed manuscript, "Staff Sheet / Wardrobe Plot Breakdown / Set List," approximately 120 pp, October 1936.
6. A Star is Born. Mimeographed manuscript, "Retakes and Added Scenes," 29 pp, February 1, 1937.
7. A Star is Born. Custom-bound presentation copy from David O. Selznick to William Wellman, signed and inscribed, "for Bill– / who accepted the award!– / but who should have / had it for sweetness, / for direction, and / for insanity! / With love from / his ex-keeper, / David," bound in burgundy cloth and leather with "A Star is Born" and "William A. Wellman" gilt-stamped to cover and title gilt-stamped to spine.
8. A New Star is Born. Mimeographed manuscript, 81 pp, n.d., by William A. Wellman, a sequel.
Together with:
1. 56 silver gelatin 8 x 10 in. photos including behind-the-scenes candids of Wellman, cast, and crew, scene stills, and publicity photos; and a 5 x7 in. and six 4 x 5 in. candids on set.
2. A file folder of miscellaneous scripts and paperwork including the first story idea, "Two Old Ladies in Hollywood," July 8, 1936, in which the hope was that stage actress Maude Adams would come out of retirement to star; the second story idea, "It Happened in Hollywood," July 9, 1936; assorted drafts, script changes, Selznick's written critique of script, set list, production call sheet, and more. A complete list is available upon request.
3. A trophy cup inscribed, "To / David O. Selznick / from 1500 Students of Drama Los Angeles Junior College / in Recognition of / The Supreme Contribution / to Motion Pictures / 'A Star is Born.'"
William Wellman, Jr. writes: "In 1935, while under contract to MGM, my father, William Wellman, chose writer Robert Carson to collaborate with him on a project he hoped to develop and direct titled, It Happened in Hollywood, a story about the rise and fall of movie stars, a story which revealed the magic and riches as well as the backstabbing and cynicism of Hollywood. Though inspired by stars like John Gilbert and John Barrymore, whose careers were fading away due to alcoholism, Wellman's model was silent matinee idol John Bowers, who married a rising star, Marguerite De La Motte, in 1923, co-starred with her in 12 films, and watched his career decline as hers rose. He ultimately became an alcoholic has-been with no show business offers whose body washed ashore after he rented a boat and set sail."
Wellman first presented the project to both Paramount and MGM after his huge success with Wings (1927), winner of the first Academy Award® for Best Picture. Neither studio was interested, however, so Wellman and Carson approached Selznick International Pictures. In the beginning, Selznick was unimpressed; based on past experience, he felt stories about Hollywood were "too much of a gamble." In cahoots with Wellman, however, was Selznick's wife, Irene, who professed to Selznick her love for the story, convincing him to produce the picture. Although battles ensued between Wellman and Selznick, the final film was a combination of both their visions. It became a major box office success, receiving seven Academy Award® nominations including nominations to Wellman for direction and original story, the latter for which he won the Oscar®. It is a testament to the film's classic status that it has been remade 3 times, all with enormous success. This remarkable archive covers the full trajectory of A Star is Born from its infancy to a sequel and has been in the Wellman family archive for over 80 years.
Provenance: William Wellman, Jr.
Trophy: 8 x 11 x 22.25 in.
1. It Happened in Hollywood. Mimeographed manuscript, "Temporary Incomplete Script," 176 pp, July 22, 1936 (with additional dates written in pencil up to August 29), with penciled annotations.
2. A Star is Born. Mimeographed manuscript, "Temporary Incomplete Script," 72 pp, October 5, 1936 (with additional dates written in pencil up to October 13), with penciled annotations.
3. A Star is Born. Mimeographed manuscript, "Final Shooting Script," 127 pp, October 16, 1936 (with additional dates written in pencil up to December 22), with pink revision pages bound in.
4. A Star is Born. Mimeographed manuscript, "Final Shooting Script," 126 pp, October 16, 1936 (with additional date of December 22 written in pencil), with pink revision pages bound in, and an additional script containing retakes and added scenes bound in, dated February 6, 1937 (with additional dates written in pencil up to February 11).
5. A Star is Born. Mimeographed manuscript, "Staff Sheet / Wardrobe Plot Breakdown / Set List," approximately 120 pp, October 1936.
6. A Star is Born. Mimeographed manuscript, "Retakes and Added Scenes," 29 pp, February 1, 1937.
7. A Star is Born. Custom-bound presentation copy from David O. Selznick to William Wellman, signed and inscribed, "for Bill– / who accepted the award!– / but who should have / had it for sweetness, / for direction, and / for insanity! / With love from / his ex-keeper, / David," bound in burgundy cloth and leather with "A Star is Born" and "William A. Wellman" gilt-stamped to cover and title gilt-stamped to spine.
8. A New Star is Born. Mimeographed manuscript, 81 pp, n.d., by William A. Wellman, a sequel.
Together with:
1. 56 silver gelatin 8 x 10 in. photos including behind-the-scenes candids of Wellman, cast, and crew, scene stills, and publicity photos; and a 5 x7 in. and six 4 x 5 in. candids on set.
2. A file folder of miscellaneous scripts and paperwork including the first story idea, "Two Old Ladies in Hollywood," July 8, 1936, in which the hope was that stage actress Maude Adams would come out of retirement to star; the second story idea, "It Happened in Hollywood," July 9, 1936; assorted drafts, script changes, Selznick's written critique of script, set list, production call sheet, and more. A complete list is available upon request.
3. A trophy cup inscribed, "To / David O. Selznick / from 1500 Students of Drama Los Angeles Junior College / in Recognition of / The Supreme Contribution / to Motion Pictures / 'A Star is Born.'"
William Wellman, Jr. writes: "In 1935, while under contract to MGM, my father, William Wellman, chose writer Robert Carson to collaborate with him on a project he hoped to develop and direct titled, It Happened in Hollywood, a story about the rise and fall of movie stars, a story which revealed the magic and riches as well as the backstabbing and cynicism of Hollywood. Though inspired by stars like John Gilbert and John Barrymore, whose careers were fading away due to alcoholism, Wellman's model was silent matinee idol John Bowers, who married a rising star, Marguerite De La Motte, in 1923, co-starred with her in 12 films, and watched his career decline as hers rose. He ultimately became an alcoholic has-been with no show business offers whose body washed ashore after he rented a boat and set sail."
Wellman first presented the project to both Paramount and MGM after his huge success with Wings (1927), winner of the first Academy Award® for Best Picture. Neither studio was interested, however, so Wellman and Carson approached Selznick International Pictures. In the beginning, Selznick was unimpressed; based on past experience, he felt stories about Hollywood were "too much of a gamble." In cahoots with Wellman, however, was Selznick's wife, Irene, who professed to Selznick her love for the story, convincing him to produce the picture. Although battles ensued between Wellman and Selznick, the final film was a combination of both their visions. It became a major box office success, receiving seven Academy Award® nominations including nominations to Wellman for direction and original story, the latter for which he won the Oscar®. It is a testament to the film's classic status that it has been remade 3 times, all with enormous success. This remarkable archive covers the full trajectory of A Star is Born from its infancy to a sequel and has been in the Wellman family archive for over 80 years.
Provenance: William Wellman, Jr.
Trophy: 8 x 11 x 22.25 in.