July 2012 Auction Ends Tuesday, July 31st, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/31/2012
Fascinating archive related to Mary Astor's autobiography, including a hand-annotated draft and very intimate typed journal entries upon which the autobiography is based. Lot includes: (1) 74 pages of Astor's own hand-annotated journal entries; (2) Astor's hand-annotated draft of the autobiography; (3) Original hand-annotated editor's notes, and (4) Final galley proof of her bestselling memoir ''My Story: An Autobiography.'' Of the journal entries, Astor handwrites a summary on the first page, ''These pages were begun in June, 1955. I thought that through writing I would get a better look at myself. But it is all very self-conscious, dishonest - especially about drinking - and real confused. I gave this material to Father Ciklic at one of our first meetings, and it was then that he saw that it would be the method to be used for my recovery [from alcoholism].'' The next 73 pages contain detailed information of Astor's whereabouts, activities and mindset while she was a movie star in the throes of addiction. At the bottom of page 23, she handwrites: ''I wrote no more after this - I saved my strength for work; and my mind, for figuring out how to control my drinking.'' Astor's candid diary entries, incidentally, had caused problems for her in the past; a public scandal ensued during her 1936 divorce from Dr. Frank Thorpe when he tried to use her diary in court to prove infidelity. 74 pages of the journal entries measure 8.5'' x 11'' and are stapled together in packets of about 7pp. each. All pages are legible, in very good condition.
The next portion of the archive is a hand-annotated typed draft of the autobiography, where Astor modifies punctuation and spelling where warranted. The text contains her account of landing her most famous role: ''...it was during this year [1941] that I had one of my best parts with Warner Brothers, in a picture adapted from Dashiell Hammett's story, 'The Maltese Falcon.' It was John Huston's first job of directing...and my friend 'Bogey', Humphrey Bogart, was to star...'' Delicate 8.5'' x 11'' sheets are separated into 16 sections, each held together with a paperclip. Toning and creasing with some tears around edges. Very good. Also included in the lot are 2 pages of typed questions by Astor's editors, with Mary's responses comprising 6 typed pages, with additional hand-annotations by her. In response to the question of why she didn't have her own bedroom growing up, she handwrites ''We didn't have enough furniture.'' Pages measure 8.5'' x 11''. Finally, lot includes the complete final galley proof of the autobiography. Rubber-stamped with the Madison Avenue address of Astor's agent Gloria Safier, it runs 98 pages each measuring 6'' x 24''. An incredibly scarce and personal lot of one of Hollywood's greatest Golden Age actresses.
Mary Astor Handwritten Notes to the Draft of Her Autobiography -- ''...I wrote no more after this...“ I saved my strength for work; and my mind, for figuring out how to control my drinking...''
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