TWAIN-L Archives

Mark Twain Forum

TWAIN-L@YORKU.CA

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Barbara Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 11 Aug 1997 13:12:43 -0500
Content-Type:
TEXT/PLAIN
Parts/Attachments:
TEXT/PLAIN (24 lines)
_Mark Twain's Notebooks & Journals, Vol. 3_ contains numerous
entries related to Gillette.

In 1890 when Twain was being sued by Ed House over dramatization
rights to _Prince and the Pauper_, Twain gave credit to
Will Gillette for coming up with the idea of having one
actress/actor play both roles.  In a newspaper interview reprinted
in the NYT on Jan. 31, 1890, Twain is quoted:

"I tried to get Mr. Gillette to dramatize the book for me,
giving him full permission to do so. Mr. Gillette entertained
this proposition in 1883, and went so far as to draft the
plot for the play, making liberal alterations of the text of
the book. Mr. Gillette has never retired from the undertaking,
and if an undertaking of that kind can remain in force forever,
then it is Mr. Gillette that has a claim upon me, and not Mr. House.
...Somewhere between 1883 and 1888 I dramatized the book
myself, but was assured by competent authorities that neither the
living nor the dead could act the play as I had planned it."

Gillette's relationship to the lawsuit is also discussed in _N&J, 3_.

Barb

ATOM RSS1 RSS2