This listing features a very personal and vintage autograph collection book by a young girl, Alice Larson, who lived in Yonkers, New York in the 1940's and '50's.  The book includes both signed photos and personalized signatures, primarily from actors and musicians from the mid-1940's and early 1950's.  Based on dates found within the book, plus commentary from the book, and the ages of the celebrities signing the book, I have determined that the autograph book was contemporary to that time period.   

This autograph book is covered with protective paper covering, applied and glued on by the owner, Alice Larson.  The book is inscribed on the permanent cover, "Public School 19".  I have not removed the rough paper covering, although I think the covering has not added any significant information or value to the book.

I have determined that there are twenty-five (25) valid autographs (some with commentary) on 4-1/2"x5-1/2" pages within the book and three (3) additional original autographs on approximately 3"x 5" photographs also included.  Where an autograph is illegible, or cannot be validated with research, or is clearly a facsimile,  I have noted it in my narratives below, and they are not included in the 28 count.

I have researched each signature and have made a list below of each entry and a little history of each legitimate signatory. The "bold" listing below duplicates the comments and signatures from within the autograph book, while the non-bold verbiage is some of my research on each signatory.

Signed sheets/cards from collector Alice.    See list and comments below:


     “To Alice   Dane Clark”      Dane Clark was an American character actor who was active on Broadway and in films in the 1940’s & ’50’s, particularly after he was signed by Warner 

Brothers in 1943.    

     “To Alice    Jo Stafford”    Joe Stafford was an American traditional pop singer whose career spanned 5 decades from the 1930’s to 1980’s.  In the 1950’s she hosted musical shows on CBS and ABC television.   

     “To Alice Sincerely   Carl Ravazza”     Carl Ravazza was an American violinist, vocalist and band leader in the 1930’s and 1940’s. His band, the Carl Ravazza Orchestra,  performed in hotel venues.  He also sang with the Anson Weeks Orchestra.           

     “To Alice   Vaughn Monroe “    Vaughn Monroe was an American baritone singer, trumpeter, big band leader, and actor who achieved massive popularity during the 1940s and 1950s. He is best remembered for iconic hit recordings like "Riders in the Sky" and "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"   

     “Best Wishes to Alice  Sincerely   Tex Beneke “   Tex Beneke was an American tenor saxophonist, singer, and big band leader best known for his work with the Glenn Miller Orchestra in the 1940’s. He played the famous tenor sax solo on "In the Mood" and sang vocals on "Chattanooga Choo Choo".                

     “Alice Good Luck     Edith Fellows”    Edith Fellows  was an American actress who became a child star in the 1930s.  In 1942, she appeared in two Gene Autry films, Heart of the Rio Grande and Stardust on the Sage, which highlighted her fine singing voice.                 

     “Hi Alice!  Tommy Dix”    Tommy Dix was an American baritone singer and actor. He started performing at the age of 11 in 1935.  Dix appeared in the Broadway play The Corn Is Green, which ran from 1941 to 1942.[4] He had the male lead in the musical film, Best Foot Forward, where he played the young cadet, Bud Hooper, opposite Lucille Ball.       

     “To Alice Sincerely  Robert (Bobby) Nichols “  Bobby Nichols was an American character actor, singer, and dancer. His television, theater and film career spanned more than seventy years.  Nichols worked in American film and television throughout the 1950s.[3] In the episode "Doc Holliday Rewrites History" of The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Nichols played a traveling photographer and historian.      

     “To Alice  Lillian Lane”        Lillian Lane s known for Melody Time (1946), America, I Love You (1942) and Tex Beneke and the Glenn Miller Orchestra (1947).  She sang with several name bands in the 1940s.   An experienced group vocalist, Lane also worked in four vocal combos.   

     “Artie Waliri”          Nothing found 

    “To Alice   __?___  Tanner.”    I’m not sure that this is Elmo Tanner’s signature, but if it is, Elmo Tanner was a singer and whistler with the Ted Weems Orchestra in the 1940’s and’50’s.  

     “To Alice  Best Wishes  Alan Dale”      Alan Dale was an American singer of traditional popular and rock and roll music in the 1940’s and ’50’s.  He also starred in a musical variety show, The Alan Dale Show, that ran on television in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. 

     “To Alice  Paul Ryan”        Nothing found   

     “Brice Allend ??”     Nothing found

     “Bud Abbott”       Bud Abbott was an American comedian, actor, and producer.  . He is famous as the quick-witted straight man in the iconic comedy team Abbott and Costello, alongside his partner Lou Costello, who he teamed with in 1936, achieving massive success in radio, film, and television during the 1940s and 1950s. Bud Abbott starred in classic comedy films like Buck Privates (1941) and Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein in 1948 and also hosted the Abbott and Costello show on television in the 1950’s.  

     “To lovely Alice   Now I know two Alices—Flay and you   Jack Egan”     Jack Egan He was an actor, known for Broadway Scandals (1929), Love 'Em and Leave 'Em (1926) and The Broadway Hoofer (1929).  He also acted in over 40 other films throughout the 1940’s.  

     “To Alice    June Havoc”         June Havoc was a Canadian-born American actress, dancer, stage director and memoirist, and was a child vaudeville performer under the tutelage of her mother.  She was later known for films such as Pay Joey, My Sister Eileen, No Time for Love, Mexican Hayride, Hello Frisco Hello, Red Hot and Blue, and Gentlemen’s Agreement.

    “Joy Adams”             Joy Adams Joy Adams is known for the films, Old Mother Riley, Headmistress (1950), and Twice Upon a Time (1948)    

     “Jimmy Saunders”      Many Jimmy Saunders are notable, not sure which one signed the card.

     “Alvin Stoller”       Alvin Stoller (sometimes mis-spelled as Stotler) was an american jazz drummer and occasional on-screen musician, who lived from 1925 to 1992.  He appeared as an uncredited or credited drummer in films and TV shows like The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and Daddy Long Legs.   

     “To Alice   Allyn Joslyn”    Allyn Joslyn was an American character actor of theatre, radio, film and television, specializing in comic roles.    

     “To Alice  Gary Lubronoe”  No information found on line

     “To Alice Every Good Wish   The Norton Sisters  Grace Norton”       Grace Norton and her 3 sisters were singers with 4 orchestras during the big band era, and also were best remembered as singers with Vaughn Monroe’s orchestra in 1944.  

     “Alice    Roddy McDowell”       Roddy McDowell was a British-born American actor, whose career spanned over 270 screen and stage roles across more than 60 years.  He began his career as a child in his native England before starring in How Green was my Valley (1941), My Friend Flicka (1943), and Lassie Come Home (1943) in America. Unlike many child stars, McDowall evolved into an adult performer on stage and screen and was nominated and won many acting awards.     eBay has a number of signed photos and signed cards by Roddy Mcdowell for sale and which have sold ranging from $40 to $400.

     “To Alice with best wishes in Dillon  (Guy Lombardo Orchestra)”     Guy Lombardo  was a Canadian and American bandleader, violinist, and hydroplane racer whose unique sweet jazz style remained popular with audiences for nearly five decades.

Lombardo formed the Royal Canadians in 1924 with his brothers Carmen, Lebert and Victor, and other musicians from his hometown. They billed themselves as creating "the sweetest music this side of Heaven". The Lombardos are believed to have sold between  100 and 300 million records during their lifetimes.     

“To Alice Sincerest Wishes Always   Don Rodney”   Don Rodney was a popular American big-band vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, best known for for singing with Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians  during the 1940s and 1950s. 

“To Alice Best of Luck Sincerely    Betty Norton”    Betty Norton was the youngest of the Norton sisters big band singers, and she had a solo career after some of the group retired.      

     “To Alice    Dot Norton”    Dot Norton was also one of the “Norton Sisters” big band singers.   

     “To Alice from   John Boles”         John Boles started out in Hollywood in silent movies, but became a huge star with the advent of talkies. After the war, Boles moved to New York City to study music. He quickly became well known for his talents and was selected to replace the leading man in the 1923 Broadway musical Little Jesse James. He became an established star on Broadway and attracted the attention of Hollywood producers and actors. 

     “To Alice    Jimmy Priddy “     Jimmy Priddy was an American actor best known for The Ray Anthony Show in 1956.    



Signed Photos and autograph sheets from collector—    

See list below:     all from ’40’s and ’50’s:


     "Sincerely, Carl Ravazza"  This autograph appears to be a facsimile, although the photo is of the period.

     "Tommy Dix" This autograph appears to be an original.  The color of the ink is blue and is written on a black and white photo.

     "To Alice Sincerely Vaughn Monroe"  This autograph appears to be original and is personally addressed to the collector, Alice

     "Esther Williams"  This autographed appears to be a facsimile, although the photo is of the period.

     "Lana Turner"   This autograph appears to be a facsimile, although the photo is of the period.

     "Alan Ladd"   This autograph does not appear to be authentic, although the photo is of the period

     "Dana Andrews"   This autograph does not appear to be authentic, although the photo is of the period

     "Peter Lawford"   This autograph appears to be a facsimile, although the photo is of the period.

     " Good Luck Gene Kelly" This autograph appears to be a facsimile, although the photo is of the period.

     "Very good wishes Dane Clark"  This autograph is a facsimile, but the photo was mailed to the collector by the studio in 1949

     "With my Kindest Regards Van Johnson"  This autograph appears to be a facsimile, although the photo is of the period.

     "To Alice Sincerely Roddy McDowell" (located near his signed card)  This appears to be a legitimate, original signed photograph, personally addressing the collector, and an early photo of Roddy as a child actor.