TYPED LETTER TO THE WIDOW OF ROBERT E. SHERWOOD ABOUT THE FAILURE OF "DANCE A LITTLE CLOSER" SIGNED BY PRODUCER FREDERICK BRISSON.

New York: May 19, 1983., 1983.. Very good. - 70 words typed on a sheet of Brisson Productions letterhead, 11-3/4 inches high by 8-1/2 inches wide, with New York and Beverly Hills addresses printed at the top and lists of the company's stage and film productions at the foot. Signed "Freddie". There is some very light creasing to the letterhead & its top corners are lightly creased. Together with a copy of an unsigned form letter from Brisson to investors. Both letters are folded twice for mailing. Very good.

Brisson writes to the widow of Robert E. Sherwood who had given permission for her husband's antiwar comedy "Idiot's Delight" to be turned into a musical. "Dance a Little Closer" opened on Broadway on May 11, 1983 with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Charles Strouse. Following disastrous reviews, the musical closed after one performance and twenty-five previews. Brisson thanks Madeline Sherwood for her eloquent and heartwarming note. "Not being used to 'one night stands', I am particularly grateful for your genuine and warm expression of having no regrets in giving your permission to have your late husband's play done as a musical. We tried, but we had many problems." Brisson encloses a copy of his May 13 letter to the investors explaining the financial situation and telling them that the company will support the complete write-off of their investment.

Carl Frederick Brisson [1913-1984] was born in Denmark and grew up in England. He began his career as a theatrical manager and in 1937 moved into films as an associate producer. He also opened a talent agency with offices in London, Paris and Hollywood. Finding himself more or less permanently based in the U.S., he served in the American Air Force during World War II. After the war he formed Independent Artists Pictures and co-produced the hit musicals "The Pajama Game" [1954], "Damn Yankees" [1955] and "New Girl in Town" [1957]. He also mounted numerous straight plays, introducing important British writers, such as Harold Pinter, Peter Shaffer and Tom Stoppard to American audiences. Among his Broadway productions were the stage presentations of the musicals mentioned above and the plays "Five Finger Exercise", "The Caretaker" and "Jumpers".