Marche

1944 · 14708J — New York: Simon & Schuster 1944. Two copies of this book one belonging to Fredric March and the other to his wife Florence Eldridge. The poem was written during World War II and was presented in adapted dramatic form several times over the NBC radio network. The copy belonging to Fredric March is a second printing and is signed by him in pencil on the flyleaf - Fredric March November 1944. With some pencil notes by him referring to the text. At a later date the author has inscribed the book to his friend - For Fred March - Concerning whose reading of this poem words fail me - Russell Davenport. On the death of President Franklin Roosevelt in April 1945 the NBC Radio Network had March give a dramatic reading of the poem as part of its tribute to the fallen wartime President. The first printing copy belonging to Florence Eldridge is heavily annotated by her in pencil for an earlier radio reading in which she acted. Her copy is a first printing and inscribed by the author - For Florence Affectionately Russell Nov 30 / 44 And don’t for Dec 11!. There is an Autograph Letter Signed by Russell Davenport to Eldridge taped to the front pastedown tape browned dated December 12 1944 written after her radio reading - Dear Florence- This is just a little note wholly inadequate to express my appreciation for all your effort and care in the reading of My Country. You gave a superb performance. If there is ever anything that an unlikely scrivener can do in return you know where to come. Let me see you soon. Affectionately Russ. Both books are enclosed together in a custom clamshell box. Russell Davenport 1899-1954 was a very interesting man and close friend of the Marchs. As Wikipedia notes he “.served with the U.S. Army in World War I and received the Croix de Guerre. He enrolled at Yale University and graduated in 1923 where he was classmate of Henry Luce and Briton Hadden who founded Time magazine. While at Yale he became a member of the secret society Skull and Bones. In 1929 he married the writer Marcia Davenport; they divorced in 1944. He joined the editorial staff of Fortune magazine in 1930 and became managing editor in 1937. At age forty-one he turned to politics and became a personal and political advisor to Wendell Willkie. Willkie was the Republican nominee for the 1940 presidential election and lost the election to Franklin D. Roosevelt. After Willkie's death in 1944 Davenport became a defacto leader of the internationalist Republicans. Following World War II he was on the staff of Life and Time until 1952.†Simon & Schuster unknown books