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TOM REGAN : 1970s [?] ORIGINAL TYPED MANUSCRIPT SCREENPLAY FOR A ONE MAN STAGE PLAY TITLED 'THE DUKE: THE STORY OF MARION MICHAEL MORRISON

4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. On offer is an incredibly rare and unique manuscript that tells the story of one of America's most iconic film stars. The manuscript takes the form of a play that recounts the life of this great actor. The 147 page typed manuscript is bound in a common duo tang cover measuring 8.5 inches by 11 inches. It is 100% complete and is in excellent condition. Titled "The Duke: The Story of Marion Michael Morrison", the manuscript is subtitled "An Autobiographical Account of the Life and Times of John Wayne". This one-man stage play is written by Tom Regan. Anecdotally we are told Mr. Regan was a friend of Mr. Wayne. While undated we believe the script was written while Mr Wayne was still alive. The manuscript contains complete stage and setting directions, indicating an experienced producer. The directions are detailed yet there is a flexibility in them: "The stage consists of a podium to the left. A screen which can be used for either motion pictures or slides is in the centre of the stage and is capable of being raised and lowered as needed for the story. (If the budget would allow there could be two or three screens as in Beatlemania: the two in the sides for slides only). The idea here is to give the production the look of numerous characters even though it is essentially a one-man show" [p 1]. And that is the essence of the play - a sole actor, portraying the iconic film legend John Wayne takes the stage and recounts the story of his life. 'John Wayne' enters the stage and begins with: "Well, welcome Pilgrim. I wanna thank ya all for commin here tonight. We've gotta lotta territory to cover so I wantcha ta listen up and listen tight"[p 3]. And so it begins - the tale of Wayne's life and career told with wit and humour and self-reflection. He talks about his early life: "Now I reckon some of you know that my real name is Marion Morrison. What a hell of a name to hang on a poor defenceless baby. ..." [p 4]. The script provides background information on his birth and youth, early schools days, the family move to Glendale, CA which brought him into direct contact with the movie industry and much much more. He describes how he got his famous nickname - The Duke: "Well, there's a lot of tall tales as to how that nickname came about and why nobody wants to go with the truth I'll never understand... The actual truth ... I had this Airedale ... The Airedale whom I named Duke and I were inseparable. ... he dearly loved fire stations so I'd leave him hanging around there with all the firemen. Well. It got to the point that all of the firemen knew the name of the dog but didn't know the name of the Master. So when I came to pick him up, they called the dog Little Duke and me Big Duke. Since I hated the name Marion and liked the masculine sound of Duke, I encouraged all my friends to keep calling me Duke. And the nickname has stayed to this day"[p 26]. Forced to quit University when his scholarship was withdrawn, he got a job working on movie sets for Fox Studios: "...the possibility of becoming an actor never occurred to me" [p 46]. That changed when a director named Raoul Walsh picked Wayne to star in his first Western move The Big Trail. That began a career that saw him star in 142 movies and, along the way, become an iconic American legend. The play is full of anecdotes and stories, told in that familiar slow drawl that millions came to know. Stories of marriages, friendships, and crazy adventures. It ends with him expressing some thoughts on the meaning and value of acting for him. This is a simply outstanding work. A collector of John Wayne memorabilia or simple western movie memorabilia would have a superb piece to add to their collection. This is a valuable resource to a film historian. It is a unique piece about a central figure in American mythology. It peels back the layers of one of America's enduring national myths of the rugged cowboy who conquered the west.. Illustr.: /. Typed Manuscript. Book Condition: Very Good

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