"PLEASE, FOR GAWD'S SAKE, BRING IN SOME ROYALTIES!": AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY EUGENE O'NEILL TO HIS AGENT RICHARD MADDEN
O'NEILL, Eugene. Autograph letter signed. Bermuda, April 30, [1926]. Two leaves, 8-1/2 by 11 inches, of O'Neill's letterhead, writing on rectos only.
Lengthy autograph letter signed by Eugene O'Neill to his agent Richard Madden, discussing a London edition of his works and productions of his plays Marco Millions, Beyond the Horizon and Desire Under the Elms.
The letter, to his agent Richard Madden, reads in full: "April 30th. Dear Dick: Just a line. Yes, it is alright for Cape to go ahead on the new volume—except give him to know that I am sore because I never notice a damn line of notice or ad about my stuff in his publishers magazine. He ought to do better by me. How about 'Beyond' - London? I don't get it. I never saw or signed any contract for that production and they must have started before they got your warning about using cut version. I don't like that kind of work. Campbell is too swift. Belasco wrote me + sent copy of his letter to you. He is some faker, what? I have written him, told him he could have all time he wanted if he forfeited his advance and always could have had—thereby calling his bluff. You may inform him ditto. I have a line from [George Jean] Nathan. He says he hasn't heard from you. Better keep in touch with him on 'Marco'. He is strong for it and has good hunches. He says he will urge it on [Winthrop] Ames if I am submitting script to him. I am writing Nathan to go ahead and get in touch with Ames as Ames has script already. If he hasn't, will you see he gets one at once? Please, for Gawds sake, bring in some royalties! I have written Kenneth [Macgowan] a strong protest against what I feel is unfair treatment. It is all McKaig's fault. Why don't James and Green make good 'Desire' royalties out of that advance they got? They ought to. All best! Gene."
The letter opens with a reference to Jonathan Cape, O'Neill's English publisher, and to a possible London production of Beyond the Horizon, but proceeds swiftly to discuss theater impressario David Belasco, who had contracted to produce Marco's Millions on Broadway in 1925, promising to spend the (then astounding) sum of $200,000 on the production. Over time, O'Neill had become frustrated with Belasco's delays, and questioned Belasco's commitment to the play; after Belasco withdrew from the project (only a few days before this letter), O'Neill had trouble finding a suitable replacement, and it was not until January, 1928 that Marco's Millions premiered at New York's Guild Theatre. George Jean Nathan, co-editor and drama critic of the literary magazine The Smart Set, was one of O'Neill's fiercest advocates in the theater world; in addition to reading and commenting on drafts of work, he would actively advocate for the production of works he believed in. Producer Kenneth Macgowan ran the Provincetown Playhouse with O'Neill in the early 1920s, and remained a close friend of his throughout his life; Winthrop Ames was a prominent theater directors in the teens and 20s; and Alexander McKaig was the business manager of the Greenwich Village Theatre, which was the main venue for O'Neill dramas in New York in the 20s.
One small smudge to the first page, not affecting readability. Near-fine condition.