CLARENCE MUSE
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA

MY DEAR LANGTON, OH, HELL, I ALWAYS LEAVE THE S OUT OF
LANGSTON. GUESS I'M PARTIAL TO ANY WORDS WITH S AND I
IN IT, IT ALWAYS SUGGEST THE OLD APPLESAUSE. YOU GET IT
SH, I IS SILENT CAPITAL T. HA! HA'. THUS WE BEGIN TO
ANSWER YOUR LETTER OF SEPTEMBER 17th. BOY I'VE BEEN
BUSIER THAN EVER, SIX WEEKS ALL NIGHTS ON A UNIVERSAL
PICTURE AND ALL WATER SCENES. HENCE I'M ALL WET YET.
THAT TIES UP WITH YOUR FLOODS AND WASHOUTS. WE MUST BE
LIVING UNDER THE SAME STARS--WATER NYMPHTS.

THELMA HAS BEEN AWAY AND JUST RETURNED A FEW DAYS
AGO WITH THE MUSIC AND PROMISES TO PUT IT IN THE MAIL
THIS WEEK END. MR. HANDY HAS NOT ARRIVED AS YET BUT I'LL
LATCH-ON WHEN HE COMES ALL AVAILABLE MATERIAL. JUST
LANDED TWO IN PICTURES--"I GO CONGO" and I'M SPIRITUAL.
BOTH IN "EAST OF JAVA" UNIVERSAL PRODUCTION. READ ALL
ARTICLES MENTIONED AND I'M PROUD OF YOU. SWELL OF YOU TO
MENTION US TO YOUR MOTHER. I'D LOVE TO MEET HER. "HAR-
LEM HOLIDAY" IS STILL A HALF FINISHED SCRIPT, BUT MAYBE
SET ANY DAY NOW AS I HAVE SOME TIME OF MY OWN. ALL THE
YOUNG GIRLS SEND LOVE, THE OLD ONES REQUESTS, AND THE MEN
ARE DAM GLAD YOU LEFT SO THEY CAN PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT
OFF. I'M MERELY WATCHING THE YOUNG CROP GROW UP AND TAK-
ING CREDIT FOR FERTILIZING BETTER BRAINS ETC.

MY DEAR LANGTON,

JUST LEARNED WHAT THE TROUBLE IS
ABOUT THE WEARY BLUES NUMBER.CALLED THELMA,AS SHE HAD
PROMISED OVER A WEEK AGO TO PERMIT THE ARRANGEMENT BY
CHARLIE LAWRENCE. THIS MORNING SHE INFORMED ME THAT
SHE HAD RECEIVED A LETTER TOO FROM YOU,
AND THAT SHE WOULD WRITE YOU AS SHE HAD DECIDED TO RE-
WRITE THE MUSIC ENTIRELY,AS SHE HAD FOUND MANY MISTAKES;
AND MAKE ENTIRELY CLEAN SLATE OF IT,WITH THE OLD MEASTRO
OUT OF THE PICTURE. WELL,I KNOW WHAT A MESS THAT WILL BE.
SHE HAS NO EXPERIENCE IN THIS LINE AND MY ONLY SUGGESTION
IS, IN AS MUCH AS THIS IS YOUR PROPERTY THE LYRICS OR POEM
THAT YOU DECLARE HER OUT AND I WILL HAVE YOU A GOOD PIECE
OF MUSICAL MERCHANDISE THAT WE CAN MAKE MONEY WITH,AND
IT WILL NOT BE AN INFRINGEMENT ON WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO-
GETHER. JUST WHY AN ATTEMPT TO DOUBLE CROSS ME SHOULD EN-
TER THE PICTURE WHEN I ENGINEERED THE COMPLETION AND YOUR
INTEREST IN THE MATTER,I DON'T UNDERSTAND. OTHERWISE,JUST
FORGET ME ON THIS SCORE. ANOTHER MISTAKE,TRYING TO MAKE
A PROFESSIONAL OUT OF A RANK AMATUER. WILL SEND YOU ABOUT
THREE SCORES IN TEN DAYS. ONE WILL NEED A LYRIC REWRITE.

IN GOOD HUMOUR, ALL WELL, AND YOU ARE A DAM GOOD
PROMOTER. SO LONG.

December 18, 1935

Mr. Langston Hughes
c/o Mr. Alfred Knopf
730 Fifth Avenue
New York, N. Y.

My dear Langston:

If I remember correctly, you owe me a letter.

I have done some work on some of your tunes, and
ready to submit them if I knew where to send same.

Never did get an answer concerning "The Weary Blues."
So I am confining my efforts to another one of your
poems. I'll let you be the judge of the work when
you see it.

Boy! Am I proud about your success in your play,
"Mulatto"! Please pick me up a program and write
your name on it. Send it to me for my files.

Where are you going to be Christmas. What kind of
a turkey are you going to eat--wild or tame?

How many new things have you done on Broadway?

CABIN
The ~~Cabin~~ and the rest of those here sort of miss
you this year.

Best wishes and good luck. Love to your mother.
I am always your pal--

CM:EA

BUY U.S. SAVI

BONDS

ASK YOUR CHRISTMAS

Mr. Langston Hughes
2256 East 86th Street
Cleveland, Ohio

CLARENCE MUSE

HOLLYWOOD

May 2, 1939

My dear Langston,

Please don't think that I've forgotten you and
that I did not enjoy your letter to the utmost. But
Boy, story conferences are still mix ed up with pro-
ductions. I've been working like hell, day and night
and it looks as if we're going to come out alright
anyhow. The cane dance is in the box, that is we shot
it first and the whole studio is enthused. I believe
it might turn out to be one of the finest things
Negroes have done. So I declared war and went through
with it.

Your child, the NEW NEGRO THEATRE, is still in
tact and doing well.

They have set St. Louis Woman to follow a version
of the Mikado, which I am to do next.

When will you be this way? A Mr. Lipton, an
important Hollywood writer, has a splendid New York play
which he would like for us to set the music for an
early production in New York City. Please advise me
at your earliest.

I hope everything is okeh and that your brother
has improved and is not undernourished. And that the
lectures are still holding them.

See what publisher will take "Louisiana." Would
suggest writing a commercial lyric with love interest
for publication. Take care of this at once, because
the picture will be released the first of July and the
song should be out by then.

Bill and gang still have me on a Louisiana diet.
And you should see me in my woman's attire. Lots of luck.

CLARENCE MUSE
HOLLYWOOD

My dear LANGSTON HUGHES,—

So you are SOUNDING your "A" again on the piano. That's
GREAT. I am glad you found an ANGEL to put on your
show. It was impossible to arouse a DIME here. CHICAGO
frightens most of them. Who is directing your
~~ax~~ efforts and what is your set-up. Let me know the
dope. I am going to be a little free this month and
if you felt that you needed me, I would be glad to
help. Mr. Cantor was indeed afraid of the VENTURE.
However since I read the type of thing you have in
mind I am sure it will hit hard. That is entirely
diffrent from what you wrote me. "A revue with GIRLS."
You can do a big thing with this. There is a new in-
terest here about "ST LOUIS WOMAN". May send some
great news in a few days. WRITE, it can be done at
meal times. I am sure your cook is not FURNISHING the
atmosphere you had here while working. FRIED CHICKEN
in the next room, while we were "WAY DOWN SOUTH". Now
natives dancing the OBEAH or the VOODOO, Were WOLVES
creeping in the night, TOM-TOMS beating and bones a
rattling, with the heat of a CHICAGO SUMMER, it should
be a HOT SHOW. At the RANCH today, thermometer 100, but
a grand BREEZE. Billy says hello, MAE says she still
loves you, WHY IN THE HELL don't you write.

CLARENCE MUSE
HOLLYWOOD

My dear LANGSTON HUGHES,

OH,YES..I was late,however I saw the STREAMLINE leave
and found out that you were on it..Do come back soon and
tell me the SCANDAL of the CHICAGO FAIR...I bet it has
thrills and chills.

FOLES are ok here..Chickens are still available,BUT I
must report that the LAYING STOCK is moltering and AB-
SOLUTELY no eggs..I understand from their WALKING dele-
gate the STRIKE will be over NEXT month..DECEMBER..do
come by then if POSSIBLE to have your seat at the VIC-
TORY dinner...

Wishing you the best in LIFE,I am

PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY, Inc.

OFFICE OF

CLARENCE MUSE
VICE-PRES., WESTERN DISTRICT
2135 CLINTON AVENUE
HOLLYWOOD, CAL.

NATIONAL PRES., R. A. BILLINGS, M.D.
236 AUBURN AVE. N.E., ATLANTA, GA.

NATIONAL V.-PRES., FELIX J. BROWN, M.D.
2431 E. VENABLE ST., RICHMOND, VA.

NATIONAL J. V.-PRES., HORACE F. JOHNSON II
4806A S. EVANS AVE., CHICAGO, ILL.

NATIONAL SEC.'T.-TREAS., A. A. AUSTIN
209 W. 125TH ST., NEW YORK 27, N.Y.

EDITOR "CRESCENT," B. FRANKLIN VAUGHAN
574 ST. NICHOLAS AVE., NEW YORK 30, N.Y.

DIR. BIGGER AND BETTER BUSINESS
LYNWOOD W. BROWN, 1121 N. 5TH ST.
RICHMOND, VA.

COMM. COUNCILOR, JAMES A. JACKSON
26 BROADWAY, NEW YORK 4, N.Y.

V.-PRESIDENT, EASTERN DISTRICT
E. R. CLEMONS, 627-9 S. BROAD ST.
PHILADELPHIA, PA.

V.-PRES., NORTHERN DISTRICT
A. T. WEATHERS, 5056 S. STATE ST.
CHICAGO, ILL.

V.-PRES. SOUTHWESTERN DISTRICT
A. A. BRASWELL, 814 GOOD STREET,
DALLAS, TEXAS

V.-PRES., SOUTHERN DISTRICT
A. P. MACK, TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE, ALA.

V.-PRES., CENTRAL DISTRICT
DEWEY W. ROBERTS, 411 JAMES ST.
KNOXVILLE, TENN.

V.-PRES., WESTERN DISTRICT
CLARENCE MUSE, 2135 CLINTON AVE.
HOLLYWOOD, CAL.

Jan. 16th, 1947

My dear Langston,

Thanks for the clippings. I have been watching the *pa* pers
and had both fingers crossed. Beleive it or not I even
prayed that this would be it for you. You *ha* vе tried so
hard for years and they wouldn't let you in. BUT YOU
MADE it and I knew you would. Keep going, I hope some of
the things we have together can get places now. Or may we
do some more? I am glad for Duke, too. I hear his work is
great. You boys may need the old master yet, in that big
town. I manage to keep busy here. With personals and at
present about to let a big surprise in pictures. Can't
talk right now, but after the first you will know about it.
It is big.

C O P Y

June 17, 1949

Mr. Clarence Muse,
2135 Clinton Street,
Los Angeles, California.

Dear Clarence,

I've been ballyhooing you for the lead in the forthcoming Maxwell Anderson-Kurt Weill play with music, GRY THE BELOVED COUNTRY, since Kurt Weill asked me for suggestions on casting and I've been attending auditions.

Have you read the book, which has been a best seller? The lead is an elderly African Negro minister, who has to project sweetness and light—a spiritual type, but not robust, and not to be played like De Lawd nobly, but rather gently and kindly and meek.

Mououlian is to direct, and I suggested to Anderson and Weill that they have him see you, since he is still on the coast. The show doesn't go into re-hearal until fall, and not then unless they find the proper lead. They tried Roland Hayes, who looks the part and sings, but could not do it acting justice. (Keep this under your hat.) And let me know if Mououlian has contacted you.

It's to be a Playwrights production, all Negro cast but one or two, small orchestra, male chorus, and a number of songs scattered throughout—a drama with music, NOT a musical show.

It would be swell to see you in the theatre again—and back East. How is the Ranch? And what is news otherwise? Drop a guy a line once in a while.

I'm just back from four months as "Poet In Residence" at the University of Chicago. Enjoyed it, but worked very hard. Am starting work on a new musical now with some youngsters who have a clever book and some good musical ideas.

Where is Mae? My best to Billie, and write soon.

Sincerely yours,

Langston Hughes

BEMO
on

Material relating to a proposed
BOOK and MOTION PICTURE SCRIPT
based on the life
of
SAMUEL JESSE BATTLE
1st Negro uniformed policeman in Manhattan
and at present
Commissioner of Parole for the City of New York
now completing 40 years in the service of the city

SAMUEL J. BATTLE

Possible titles for book:

BATTLE OF HARLEM
CALL ME BATTLE
A MAN CALLED BATTLE

OVERALL BACKGROUND: Battle's career in New York City covers half a century, and his work in the Police Department almost as long, spanning the entire history and growth of Harlem into the largest urban Negro community in the world.

BIOGRAPHY IN BRIEF:

SAMUEL J. BATTLE---Born in New Bern, North Carolina, January 16, 1883
CAME NORTH AMERICAN in 1899 to work in Connecticut.
MOVED TO NEW YORK CITY A YEAR LATER to work on Hudson River boats.
Carried sportsmen to Lipton Races, remembers Shamrock I & II.
Lived then at 233 West 41st Street, later in 53rd then 59th
Streets to move gradually uptown as Negroes tended toward Harlem.
MARRIED HIS PRESENT WIFE JUNE 6, 1905 when he took up his 59th Street
residence in 4 rooms and "a brass bed," being at that time a
Red Cap in the old Grand Central Terminal.
BOUGHT HIS WIFE HER FIRST COCKTAIL AT MARSHALL'S, famous Negro cafe
of early 1900's where he frequently met and knew colored celebs
of the times---PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR, JAMES WELDON JOHNSON, BERT
WILLIAMS. Knew Old Man Jack Nail's saloon at 6th Avenue and 29th.

MUSE-A-WHILE RANCH

Box 455 A
PERRIS, CALIF.

107

U.S. POSTAGE

Clarence Muse,
Muse-A-While Ranch,
Box 455A, Perris,
California.

AIR MAIL.

Mr. Langston Hughes,
20 East 127th Street,
New York 35,
New York.

Clarence Muse,
Muse-A-While Ranch,
Box 455A, Perris,
California,
July 20th, '54.

My Dear Langston,

You have never heard "Simple speaks his mind"
read until you hear Nelson Baume--- set designer for
Ed Sullivan's "Toast of the Town" TV Show.

He spent a few days with me here on the desert
and when I showed him this treatise, he began to read
out loud... French-Canadian-African accent... Rich,
colorful and above all, a sincere understanding of the
great message in this character.

He is free on Mondays of each week. Here is his
address and phone number: 31 East 93rd Street,
New York 28, New York

Phone: Trafalgar 6-4888.

Do give yourself this great opportunity to catch
the international power of this ~~character.~~ I enjoyed
the treatise on "Simple takes a wife" but, where is the
copy of the book?

Been toying with the idea of Simple as a TV character.
Do you think he will have universal appeal? Personally,
I think he is the best characterization of modern times.
Give me your opinion and also the necessary negotiations
if we decide to use it as a national character with
your material as written.

Simple's 'conversation on the corner' left me
weak hasta night and it is the fourth time that I read it.
Send me the dope I request.

Nelson will be in Town on the 27th inst., and of
course, he will bring my personal salutations. He will
ask you when he sees you a few pertinent questions
about your article on Jamaica in the Ebony of November
1948. He was there in 1951. You two will have a lot
in common on this subject.

Talked to Still one day and he thinks there is
a possibility of a TV version of "Treasure Island".
Think about it.

September 14, 1957

Dear Clarence :

I was on the Coast a week and tried to call you one night at the ranch but did not get through to you. However, in talking with Jack Present at the Forum Theatre who wants to form a Coast company of my show, SIMPLY HEAVENLY, we both agreed that you would be a wonderful asset to the cast, possibly playing the role which John Bouie plays in New York, a singing comedy part. With this in mind I am sending you copies of the two songs which he participates in and also a copy of the main ballad, LOOK FOR THE MORNING STAR, in case you might know someone out there who would want to perform it. Five of the songs from the show have been published so far and Bourne Music intends to publish more of them soon. Last Sunday, Columbia Records recorded an album of the show with the original Broadway cast.

Cordial regards and all good wishes to you, as ever

Mr. Clarence Muse
Box 455A, Route 395
Muse-A-While Ranch
Perris, California

Muse-A-While Ranch,
Box 455A, Perris,
California,
Sept. 21st,'57.

Mr. Langston Hughes,
20 East 127th St.,
New York 35, New York.

My Dear Langston:

Thanks for your letter. If I had known before hand
that you were coming to Los Angeles, I would have been in town
to help make your stay very enjoyable.

It is a pleasure for me to appear in anything you
have written. I received the music and am highly elated over
your lyrics and fine conception of Negro folk-lure.

If you will advise Mr. Present that I am ready and
willing: also, give him my address that he can reach me by letter,
I will be glad to go in and see him and discuss the entire propos-
ition. Would you be good enough to send me the recording as done
by the original Artist in the part so that I can acquaint myself
with the style etc...etc.

I will do my best to get a major personality to record
"Look for the morning star."

Your article in the Los Angeles Tribune was very refresh-
ing and satisfying. How often you and I have said the time must
come when Negroes will cherish their heritage and the Whites will
pay sincere homage for having had the experience. Our culture is
as solid as the Hebrews, the Germans, the Italians, the Hungarians
are, and, today we are beginning to feel the impact of human relations
from the free land of Africa. Ghana is only the beginning.

Muse-A-While Ranch,
Box 455A, Perris,
California,
March 3rd,'58.

My Dear Langston:

If you will recall I answered your letter immediately when you asked me if I were interested in playing in your Broadway Hit "Simply Heavenly". You never answered that letter: but later you wrote asking me to go see the production.

I am sorry you did not answer my first letter because I would have been in a position to tell you what kind of production these two men had planned for your play. Their reputation has been of the cheap approach and inartistic appreciation is what happened to your show.

They were paying the musicians nightly and on the third night were unable to pay them and the show closed abruptly. It was also done in bad taste and with a cast not too well developed to give it the kind of performance you had in New York.

I have been approached to look for another producer in order to re-open it: so, before I make such an attempt, I must learn direct from you who has the rights and exactly the legal and business status of the show.

If, after all this information is made clear, I should locate such a person, I would insist that you come here before rehearsals so that I can get some first hand knowledge of the approach you made in New York. A successful show in New York is a successful show in Hollywood if the same ingredients are there. Please advise me.

Hope you are keeping well. With best regards.

I remain,
Your pal,

Maßch 5, 1958

Dear Clarence: Nice to hear from you! Man, SIMPLY HEAVENLY has been one headache after another. But now it looks as if the London production will really amount to something---Jack Hylton producing. 3 of the NY actors and the composer fly over Wednesday to start rehearsals....The LA producers never did sign the contract, so rights there are still clear. Bod de Coy wrote asking for terms and my agents are willing to grant him the lowest possible minimum "off-Broadway" terms---as he stated he wished to salvage the already rehearsed production. Beyond that I've heard nothing, so I suggest you get in touch with De Coy and see if he and the actors were abole to work out anything: Mr. Robert de Coy,

or:

2140 West 20th Street, L.A.

Negro Actors Associated,

P.O. Box 18854, Cimarron Station,

Los Angeles 18, California

for which two phone numbers are given:

REpublic 5-0593

Ryan 1-6856

But for any negociations about rights contact:

Miss Anne Louise Davis,

Harold Ober Associates,

40 East 49th Street,

New York 17, New York.

And, man, if you or anyone else can get it back on the boards out there, you know I'd be DELIGHT-ED. I expect to be there by the end of the month for some jazz-poetry programs. My Vanguard open-ing here Sunday was sold out with Charlie Mingus group. So I'll be seeing you soon anyhow, I hope and until then,

Langston Hughes

Hotel COMMODORE

42nd STREET AT LEXINGTON AVENUE • NEW YORK 17, N. Y.

April 11, 1962

Dear Clarence:

It was certainly good to find your letter and clippings
awaiting me when I got home from my trip to Nigeria for the
AMSAC Festival of the Arts at Lagos---with, naturally, a stop-
over in Paris where I saw Inez Savanaugh singing at the Blue Note,
Jimmy Davis who did the music for a little show running in Mont-
martre, and Marpessa Dawn, that BEAU-ti-ful little colored girl
from the Bronx (Of BLACK ORPHESUS) who is in a hit comedy in its
700th performance. I am invited to Africa again in June, Uganda,
and since my gospel song-play will be at the Festival of Two
Worlds in Spoleto, Italy, for a month, I'll stop over there on
my way back home in July and see Rome. Bricktop is in New York
on a visit now, fat and fine as ever when I saw her at Small's
Twist Night last week.

Eubie Blake, Nobel and a number of "old timers", gave a wonderful
Minstrel Show for the benefit of the YMCA, backed for the two nights,
and everybody felt it could run for a month. Right now things
theatrical for Negroes seem on the upgrade. Dihanne Carroll is a
BIG hit in an otherwise all-white musical, NO STRINGS. Ruby Dee and
Ossie Davis have PURLIE VICTORIOUS on Broadway, the longest running
comedy. Off-Broadway in the little theatres there are THE BLACKS,
MOON ON A RAINBOW SHAWL, FLY, BLACKBIRD (with Avon Long), and a new
play opened last night, name I can't remember. And my NATIVITY was
a holiday hit, which they plan to repeat each Christmas time for a
month or so. It may do a European tour after Spoleto this summer.

The Harpers are pretty well, but Toy has arthritis rather
badly at times. Me, nothing but work. I got so far behind being
away in midwinter, seems like I can't catch up on deadlines and
things. It was so HOT in Africa I almost melted, and when I got
home it was so COLD it almost froze.....Gene Bullard died this winter--
the fellow who first brought Bricktop to Paris--whom maybe you knew.
Juanita Hall collapsed on stage in Las Vegas, one leg is still in
a brace, but she is up and out and is doing a TV show this week.
Edith Wilson is fine, living in Chicago at 5917 South Indiana Avenue.

Thanks so much for that FINE piece on me. Brings back old
memories of all the fun we had working on our movie---which I guess
you know they still run sometimes on TV. Too bad our contract didn't
call for residuals---as I have on SIMPLY HEAVENLY's TV kineo. The
Theatre Guild swears they'll bring my TAMBOURINES TO BROADWAY GLORY
to Broadway this fall---but that has been going for two years now---
lack of a Pearlie Mae or Martha to star. Anyhow, I've written a new
gospel-spirituals Passion Play (like NATIVITY) that can be staged very
simply, no sets. Wish you could be the NARRATOR or ELDER who ties
the whole thing together and preaches the Sermon on the Mount. Do you
rekon any big colored swinging gospel-singing group might like to
stage it (or a concert version) on the Coast? Does Braham still have
his church? Or Bumps Blackwell his gospel singers? It's a full length---
2 acts---from the Cradle to the Cross.....Keep the home fires burning
until I get back to your ranch again.

Sincerely,

70

Clarence Muse
Muse-A-While Ranch
Box 455A, Perris, California.

AIR MAIL

Langston Hughes, Esq.
20 East 127th Street
New York 35, New York.