San Carlos Hotel,
150 East 50th St.
N. Y. C.

December 1, 1935.

Dear Joan:

Russet Mantle is ready to start, except for the final $2500. of the budget. The boys - Mayer and Queen - being new producers, have had a difficult financing job.

What I'm writing to you about is this:

1. I have enough faith in the play's possibilities myself to invest in it myself. The only trouble with that is that Riggs is getting on the broke side again and can't. It abashes me always to borrow money - but I know I'm a swell debtor - because much as I have owed in my lifetime, I owe no one now. If it happens that you have that much money that isn't working, please let it work for me for a year at 8%. You shall have a handsome promissory note, legal and valid enough for your manager's capable eye, and guaranteed by Samuel French in case I perish on sea or land.

Darling, if this is not feasible or does not seem right for you to do (I know your obligations and how your money gets used) please do not even consider it. I swear to you I won't care what your answer is or your reasons if you're not able to do it. I wouldn't have anything jeopardize our friendship for anything. Oh hell, you know all this.

2. I discouraged you once from even considering putting money in the show. However, if you'd rather do that, here are all the details:

a. $2500. will give you a 12½% of the show. This means also the same percent of the producers' share of movie rights. (Producers get half to start with, author gets half. Franchot will get ½ plain). This percent goes for whatever we get for London rights, also.

b. All backers will be paid off from the first profits.

c. Lee Shubert has invested $3000. cash in the show, plus the Equity Bond for two weeks' actor's salaries, plus a theatre to play in. (Probably the Book, a good one for an intimate play. (This isn't positive yet)

2

d. Robert Ross, who has directed this season, On Stage for Rowland Stebbins, will direct. He's young and intelligent, and crazy about the play. In some readings we've had, he seems to understand actors, and he does the play, too, I think.

e. The cast will run something like this.
John Beal -- His readings have been stellar.
Alexandra Carlisle - A grand actress. She was once a star. This is for Susanna. (You saw her as the nurse in *Othello*, the only decent thing in the show)
Martha Sleeper and Claudia Morgan have both given good readings of the girl's part on two occasions. They're either one interesting, and dazzled at the opportunity, which means they'll work. However, we are testing all the leading young girls in New York, but I think probably one of the above will get it.
Margaret Sullavan is ideal but we can't get her.
Jessie Royce Landis or Dorothy Stickney for Effie. We don't know yet. It's tough to know till the others are signed.
Leslie Adams or Jay Fassett for Horace. Adams may be in *Room in Red and White*. He's been signed for it for months, but it may fall through.

f. Donald Oenslager will do the sets. And God knows they couldn't be bad by him.

g. Constance Cummings still wants to do it in London, and is looking for a manager for it.

h. We start rehearsals about December 15, so as to open about the middle of January, after the horrible rush of Christmas openings (2 or 3 every night)

i. Budget for the show - (which will allow for trying to build the show for 3 weeks after opening) is $15,500. Franchot will tell you that producers try to save 50% of the show for themselves, dividing the other 50% with backers. M. and Q. have no such exalted - an piggish [x]x[x]x[x] notions for themselves.