Thirteen O'Clock : A Play in Three Acts (Inscribed by the author and with autograph note signed on the verso of a publisher's card and inoriginal dust jacket)
London: Ernest Benn, 1929. first printing. Hardcover. Slim hardcover in navy blue cloth with paper title labels front cover and spine. INSCRIBED IN THE FRONT FREE ENDPAPER to actor Geoffrey Steele, "My very best wished to Geoffrey Steele--Anthony Thorne 22-8-29". Laid in are two additional pieces--one is a 3" x 4 1/2" publication announcement card for the book from Ernest Benn, Ltd. on the verso of which is a long handwritten personal note from Thorne (presumably to Steele), signed "Love, Tony" and a similarly sized announcement card "Kemble Plays, 1928" announceing the first Oxford performance of "The Man In The Bowler Hat" by A.A. Milne. "followed by 'Thirteen O'Clock' A New Play in Three Acts, by Anthony Thorne, Monday, June 25th at 8:30 p.m in the Hall". The book itself (69 pp. plus a single page of adverts at rear) is fine and bright, some offsetting to the endpapers. In original printed dust wrapper, some toning about the edges and two stains to the blank rear panel. Anthony Thorne (1904-1973) was a British author and playwright. His best known works were made into movies: "So Long At The Fair" (1950) starring Jean Simmons and Dirk Bogarde, and "The Baby anfd The Battleship' (1956), a comedy starring Richard Attenborough and John Mills. The recipient, actor Geoffrey Steele, had an uncredited role as a customer at Rick's Cafe Americain in "Casablanca" and as a taxi driver in "My Fail Lady" Fine / very good. Item #WE30557
Price: $150.00