Children of the Ritz.

New York: Boni and Liveright, 1927. 8vo. 271, [1] pp. Blue publisher’s cloth, decorated & lettered in green (very minor shelfwear, slight dustsoiling upper fore-edge), w/ d.j. splendid Art Deco cover art depicting flapper, dogs, and sleek 1920s roadster w/ initials E.I. (1 very small closed teat at upper front fore-edge, slight rubbing), NF/VG bright copy. Second printing of the author’s second Jazz Age novel, which was the winner of the $10,000 prize from College Humor magazine and First National Pictures. Dated October, 1927 on verso of title, and also “Second Edition” is printed on front flap and spine of the jacket. Woolrich (1903-1968) first came to prominence with Cover Charge, the first of his Roaring 20s novels inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and after publication of this drama moved to Hollywood to work as an unsuccessful screenwriter. Children of the Ritz was adapted into the 1929 film starring Dorothy Mackaill and Jack Mulhall, featuring a Vitaphone soundtrack and sound effects, and most likely released in dual silent and sound versions in 1929. Woolrich later wrote under the pseudonyms of William Irish and George Hopley, becoming one of the best noir mystery writers alongside Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Erle Stanley Gardner.