FRANK FAY. Vintage 8x10 glossy black and white half-length portrait, boldly signed and inscribed in green fountain pen, "For/Tom Evenfred/(The richest [indecipherable])/Very 'Sincerest' and 'Best'/Always/Frank Fay." Near fine condition, with scattered mild handling bends and a lengthy diagonal bend to the bottom right quadrant, only slightly noticeable when the image is viewed head on and detracting only slightly from overall appearance. Vaudevillian Frank Fay "discovered" ingenue Barbara Stanwyck, promoted her career, and married her in 1928. They both moved to Hollywood, where her film career quickly soared while his just as quickly hit the skids, particularly after his toxic leading performance in God's Gift to Women (1931). He took to alcohol, becoming verbally and physically abusive to Stanwyck, who divorced him in 1935. He later pulled himself together and scored his greatest career triumph originating the role of Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey on Broadway in 1944.
$50 |
