Mr. Kurt Weil

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

Hollywood Calif

February 26, 1937

Dear Kurt,

We would like to go ahead with LILLIAM as soon as we
can clear up certain rights. Don't talk about it quite yet because
there are certain complications that have to be ironed out.

I think Mamoulian would be an excellent person to direct
it if he were interested, and I should like to write to him about it.
Then, if he were, you could talk with him out there. We feel Charell
would be a pretty difficult person to work with within Guild limita-
tions, -- from all we have heard about him.

Will you let me know what you mean when you say you
have very definite ideas about the book, so that we can decide on a
translator or adaptor accordingly. Who did you have in mind for
the lyrics? Arthur Guiterman, whom I suggested, is out in California
now. He isn't the conventional lyric writer, but he has far more
quality and style than most, and for that reason might be excellently
suited for this material. I'll find out where he is, and if he's
anywhere near you I'll try and arrange for you to get together.

Will you let me know your idea of the royalty basis, and
will a $500. advance be satisfactory? How long do you think it
would take you?

Have you any assurances that Lederer could be freed from
his motion picture contracts? Would you like to talk to him out
there, or shall we take it up from here? We don't know anything about
his voice. Can you okay it? We all think he would be a good bet if
he could sing well, -- better in a way than Meredith, because his name
would be a great help in a musical show. And you know you need all the
help you can get on a musical!

I've certainly bombarded you with questions. Forgive me,
but it has to be.

We are opening STORM OVER PATSY on Monday in Washington,
and putting the Sidney Howard play into production, after which, God
willing, we'll call it a day!

All best to you.

Sincerely,

Hollywood Knirkerborker

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA

April 12, 1937

Dear Terry,

thanks very much for your letter. I tried
everything to keep Charell out of the picture
and I am sorry that you had to see him, but
I don't think it can really matter. All we
have to do is to get in touch with Molnar
before he can talk to him - and that is easy
enough.

It looks very much that I will come back
to New York in about two weeks. There is nothing
here what really interests me, and I don't
want to sign up with MGM for a long term
contract because I somehow feel I have more
important (and more pleasant) things to do.
So I hope we can talk over everything when
I will be back in New York, and that still
gives us time to get in touch with Molnar.

In the meanwhile I will send a cable to
Georg Marton, Molnar's publisher and close
friend, and find out when he is coming to this
country. He will be of great help.

I have several other things I want to talk
to you about.

All best to you,
sincerely,

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KURT.

Hollywood Knirkerboroker

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA

May 5, 1937

Dear Terry,

since 3 weeks I am waiting for a decision
about a very interesting musical picture
which Fritz Lang wants to do with me for
Paramount, but you know how difficult it is
out here to get a final decision. But by the
end of this week I will know definitely where
I stand. If this deal comes through I would
stay here only four weeks and prepare the
picture and then come back in the fall to
finish the job. If it does not come through
I would come back in time to see Charell.

I am working on a musical show with the
Spewacks. They have a wonderful idea and
I am very excited about the whole thang. They
have settled with Max Gordon for a production
in the fall. Gip Harburg is writing the lyrics.

I whished my second show for Broadway could
be Liliom with you. Please let me know how
things are standing and if you see any chance
to do it. Shall I cable to Mr. Marton, Molnar's
publisher?

All best to you,

if we could do Liliom,
I would cancel Hollywood
completely for the fall.

I started this type of theatre with the "Three Penny Opera" and that I continue it with different kinds of shows in Europe. In this country I tried it first with "Johnny Johnson" three years ago, but the Group actors could not rid themselves completely from their realistic training. But Walter Huston in"Knickerbocker Holiday" gave a perfect example of what I mean by "singing actors".

From all I have seen the Lunts doing, I am convinced
that they would be ideal for this kind of a musical show,
where the music is really a part of the play and singing is
not a matter of voice but a matter of projecting and timing.
I have a feeling that they would have great fun in doing it
and I think "The devil's disciple" could be a marvellous
material for this type of a musical, because it is a play for
actors and yet it has room for music.

I hope we can talk about it again when you are in town
and I also hope you'll have soon an answer from Shaw, because
I would be free in May.

Lenya sends you her love.

As ever,

May 8, 1937.

Dear Kurt:

This is the latest word from Molnar:

(Letter from Dr. Edmond Fauker to the Guild) -
"With reference to our telephone conversation of the other day, this is Molnar's decision regarding the proposed musicalization of 'LILIOM':

'Please note that under no circumstance will I consent to a musical production of LILIOM no matter in what form it will be proposed. This is my definite decision and I will not deviate from it.'"

Under the circumstances, it doesn't seem fair to urge your return. The old gentleman's mind seems to be pretty well made up. If you or Charell can shake it - that's something else again!

Let me know anyway if you are coming back or not.

I expect to be in Hollywood for a week towards the end of June.

All best,

Sincerely,

Mr. Kurt Weill,
Hollywood Knickerbocker Hotel,
Hollywood,
California.

(Signed in Miss Helburn's absence)

Kurt Weill, c/o Quentin Anderson
South Mountain Road
New City

May 18, 1939

Dear Terry,

just a word to tell you that we have no telephone
here in the house at the moment. If you want to talk
to me please call at Max's house (New City 202) and
leave your number, then I call you immediately. If you
want to see me in town just write me a line to the
above address.

I am thinking a lot about the Lunt musical and the
Kallypso idea is taking shape in my mind.

Hope to hear from you soon.

All best to you,

Kurt Weill
231 East 62nd Street
New York

New City, May 22, 1939

Dear Terry,

I went to New York on Saturday afternoon to see "Mexicana". I think it is a lovely show, full of life and vitality and much more original than many musical shows on Broadway.

Musically it was a little disappointing because it had mostly modern popular songs from Mexico and not much real folk material. But I wrote down a few interesting Rhumba rythms and I also found out that long melodic lines seem to be characteristic for Mexican music.

I hope we will know soon Behrman's reaction to the book. If he is interested I would like very much to see him and to tell him my ideas.

I will be in town to-morrow (Tuesday) and I'll try to call you at the Guild office.

Love-

Kurt Weill

HOTEL ROOSEVELT

CEDAR RAPIDS·IOWA

Wm. S. CADOW, MANAGER

June 10, 1939

My dear Terry,

we had troubles with our car and I had to
Buy a new one ( a beauty) in Pittsburg.

So I saw the Lunts yesterday and I spent
about four Hours with them. We had a swell time
and got all very excited about the Pirates. He
was a little disappointed when he read the play
again, but he is sure that it is excellent
material for a musical show of the type he
wants to do. He liked very much the Calypso
idea and he loved the records which I took
along. We talked about thousand ideas for the
play and they seemed both very definite that
they would like to do it.

We decided to get together again sometime
in July when Berry is back from Europe. He will
let me know.

I am very glad about this development and
I think more than ever that here is material
for a big success and a wonderful show.

Please let me know when you have any news about
this matter. My address is 22506 Roosevelt
Highway, Malibu Beach, Cal.

How are you and how is life in New York?

Much love,

Kurt Weill
22506 Roosevelt Highway
Malibu Beach

July 10, 1939

Dear Terry,

we had a wonderful trip and it is very pleasant out here.
For the first time I discovered that California is really a
lovely country - if you manage to stay away from Hollywood.
It is nice and cool here at the beach (almost too cool). I
Have a cabin high up in the mountains where I'm working. The
show I am doing with Max (for Bill Robinson) is progressing
much faster than we thought and we are very excited about it.
We expect to put it into rehearsal in the fall, as the third
production of the Playwrights.

How are you coming along? I saw in the papers that the
Lunts are doing a Sherwood play in the fall and that Sam
Behrman is back in New York. I didn't hear from the Lunts
since I visited them, but I'm thinking a lot about the
Pirate show and I am still convinced that it has enormous
possibilities, and it will be fun to do. If there are any
new developments in this matter, please let me know. I'll be
driving back to New York early in August.

I hope you have a nice summer in Westport.
Love from Lenya and me.

As ever,

Kurt Weill
Suffern, N.Y.
Tel Suffern 371

Dec. 15, 1939

Dear Terry,

I tried several times in the last weeks to have a little
talk with you, but you seem so terribly busy that I finally
gave up to bother you.

I think this is the moment to get some definite action
on the "Pirate" show because it still would not be too late
to prepare it for an early spring opening and I am sure it
would be a perfect show for the spring and summer. But it
would be necessary to get started now. Sam was very excited
about the idea to do it with Ina Clair, but he went away,
God knows where, and probably has forgotten about the whole
thing. I don't think we'll get anywhere if we just sit back
and wait what Sam is going to do. My idea is that you should
get in touch with Ina Clair and ask her if she would be
interested in doing a show of this kind. Then, if you can
tell Sam (or Harold) that you got Ina Clair interested, he'll
either have a new impulse to start working again or at least
he will say if he is still interested or not and we would
know where we stand.

It seems pretty obvious to me that the Lunts have given
up the idea to do this show, but I still feel very sure
that it is an excellent property and that it offers a first
class material for just the kind of intimate musical which
everybody is asking for, and I think it would be a shame
to let it die out like that. If you don't think you could
do it alone I am sure we could get people interested and
I have a certain idea in this direction which we could talk
over. But we should decide now if we still want to do it
in the spring or if we rather let it go for the time being.

Lenya and I would love to have you here for a day to show
you our house. It is lovely in the country now. Maybe you
could drive out with Cheryl some day.

In the meanwhile all best to you,
as ever,

November 7, 1941

Mr. Kurt Weill
Brook House
South Mountain Road
New City, N.Y.

Dear Kurt:

I am sending you under separate cover copy of PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS and also a copy of Moliere's SCHOOL FOR HUSBANDS containing songs written by Arthur Guiterman and myself - mainly Arthur Guiterman, but one or two were written by me. I leave it to you to guess which ones. I am rather inclined to think that Guiterman has a very happy touch for this kind of thing as I doubt very much whether Max would be interested. But strange things have happened it seems!

BROOK HOUSE
SOUTH MOUNTAIN ROAD
NEW CITY, N. Y.

December 23, 1941

Dear Lawrence,

I wanted to write to you for a long time, but
since Pearl Harbor I have been busy, like everybody
else, with all kinds of projects and could not find the
time for my correspondence.

Thank you very much for sending me a copy of
"The Pursuit of Happiness". I read it again and liked
it enormously. I thought a lot about the musical
possibilities of the play and I am pretty sure now
the only thing that could be done with it is a real
"Operetta", with singers, chorus, Finales etc. But
here is the great question: is there an audience today
for this kind of entertainment? I went to see "Sunny
River" and I got awfully discouraged. Of course, I
realize that an operetta with your book and my music
would be far superior to that one, but still it would
have the same form and - good heavens! - the same
singers to perform it. I am afraid there are only two
kinds of "operettas" that would be possible today:
either a great romantic love story or an entirely
satyric comedy. - On the other hand I don't think that
"Pursuit of Happiness" would lend itself to the kind
of "intimate musical" which we talked about. The play
is too solid, too tightly constructed for an arbitrary
interpolation of songs which wouldn't help the play
but would only hold up the fast moving action.

So you see, it is quite a problem. But anyway, let's
get together one of these days and talk about it.

With many Christmas Greetings for you both
from Lenya and me,

Kurt Weill
881 Mora Drive
Los Angeles 24, Cal.

Nov. 12, 1943

Dear Lawrence,

at last I find some time to answer letters
which have piled up during the last few months. Your
letter reached me during the most hectic days of
the Boston try-out of "One Touch of Venus" - at a
time when I couldn't bring myself to think of
anything but that show.

As far as "The Pursuit of Happiness" is
concerned, you know that I am an old admirer of
your play. But somehow I cannot see it as a musical
book for me, mainly because (as I explained to you
once before) the plot of the play is so strong
and so full of suspense that I am afraid it would
lose if you would take it apart to make room for songs
and music. Also, I am a little scared of a certain
heaviness which a musical about the revolutionary
period would be bound to have - unless you would
do it as an out-and-out operetta which, I suppose, is
not what you or I would want to do.

We took a charming little house here in
Bel-Air, and I am working with Ira Gershwin on a
picture for Twentieth Century which will keep me
busy for about 3 months. Will be back in New York
early in February and hope to see you then.

All best to you and Mrs. Langner
from Lenya and me,

November 19, 1943

Mr. Kurt Weill
881 Moraga Drive
Los Angeles 24, Cal.

Dear Kurt:

Thanks for yours of November 12th. It was the dramatic quality
of "Green Grow the Lilacs" which made it a good play under the title
of "Oklahoma!". However, I am not pressing the matter, so let's
forget it.

I am glad to know you are happy in Hollywood, and please give my
regards to Ira.

LL:KS

Memo from

ARMINA MARSHALL

MEMO TO: TH
FROM: AML
RE: Telegram to Mrs. Kurt Weill
DATE: April 5, 1950

Dear Terry:

The implication of the wire was
that we were sending "our love, con-
dolences and heartfelt sympathy" to
Mrs. Weill for someone whom she had
lost. And that we all loved him, too.
I think that the feeling is implied,
and, if the language is a bit screwy
and we have inverted a few prepositional
phrases, it doesn't matter in the
case of a funeral wire.

AML:em

AML

ARTCRAFT LITHO. & PRINTING CO., N. Y.