Chili

‘Britain's original “It†girl’: Chili Boucher movie star. Autograph Letter Signed and Typed Letter Signed to Eileen Cond including references to touring Egypt with ENSA her protest against theatre closure and writing about her ‘peculiar’ life.

24697 — ALS: 17 August 1944; 27 Oakington Manor Drive Wembley. TLS: 31 October 1962; 807 Howard House Dolphin Square London SW1. See her Guardian obituary by Ronald Bergan ‘Britain's original “It†girl who rose from shop assistant to movie star’ 13 September 1999. Both items in good condition lightly aged and folded for postage. Both letters with good content. Eileen Margaret Cond 1911-1984 of Honiton was an enthusiastic autograph collector and she had an ability to draw a more than perfunctory response from her targets. ONE 1944 ALS: 2pp 8vo. Addressed to ‘Dear Miss Cond’ and signed ‘Chili Bouchier’. Begins: ‘Just a wee line to thank you so much for your nice Xmas card which was forwarded to me in Egypt. where she had been touring with ENSA / I am home now safe & sound and fortunately for me on tour with a new play “Lady - Be Careful†so I can escape the flying bombs without feeling too guilty of running away from their horror.’ Having a ‘week out’ before playing Bath ‘we decided to spend our week here and enjoy the antiquities’. She ‘thoroughly enjoyed’ her ‘trip out East and I think it was appreciated by the “boys.â€â€™ With reference to the war she feels things look ‘grand all round now’. She hopes Cond is well and making her ‘post-war plans. It’s fun to do although they may all go wrong - as all plans persistently do. At least that is my experience.’ TWO 1962 TLS. 1p 4to. Twenty-eight single-spaced lines. Addressed to ‘My Dear Eileen’ and signed ‘Chili’. She has written a letter of protest against theatre closures to the Daily Express and ‘Yes the Theatre Royal Portsmouth was one of the casualties I had in mind’. I had another letter from someone from your district bewailing the apathy of the majority of people about the closing of the theatre.’ She doesn’t feel very hopeful: ‘There doesn’t seem to be much one can do about it except wait for the time when people will be sick of staying at home and watching the “goggle-boxâ€. But with new attractions like Telstar and colour TV it doesn’t look as if that time will ever come.’ Her letter has ‘brought a tremendous response from the public’ and she has been ‘deeply moved to learn how many unknown friends I have.’ Despite the ‘stunned silence at the audacity of an artist to raise a voice in protest’ she will soon be working again. She makes a suggestion regarding those who wish to join her. She expresses the ‘happiness and relaxation’ she finds in Spain before turning to her autobiography: ‘The book is now finished having re-written it once more and I just don’t know which publisher to send it to as it is all a bit peculiar. It has to be as my life has been. Not at all like anyone elses.’ She is certain she will gain ‘an inspiration’ regarding the publisher ‘and in the meantime I have high hopes of placing a musical with a Spanish background which I have also written during the quiet times’. Bouchier did not publish an autobiography until 1996 'Shooting Star'. The renewed interest resulted in an appearance on 'Desert Island Discs' and an episode of 'This is Your Life'. ALS: 17 August 1944; 27 Oakington Manor Drive, Wembley. TLS: 31 October 1962; 807 Howard House, Dolphin Square, London SW1. unknown