“I've got six chapters called Life with the Gabors & how it all came about (apart).”
MORRIS (John) (1920–1991), American impressionist artist.
An original handwritten and signed letter from John Morris to George Christy, dated Sept 4-69, containing an amusing anecdote about Magda Gabor and accompanied by an original pen sketch of her in tears.
Written in pink pen on both sides of one sheet of 4to wove writing paper. Addressed “Dear George” and signed “John.” With the playful sign-off “Maintenon voyageur.” With original envelope, postmarked September 5, 1969. Sheet size approximately 28cm x 21.7cm.
Content
A lively and highly entertaining Hollywood-era letter. Morris recounts receiving a distressed telephone call from Magda Gabor during a rainstorm, writing:
“A little Polish maid came on the phone & said ‘Mr Morris you coming right now pliss Mizgabor Vee needs you right now’.”
Beneath the anecdote he draws an expressive original sketch of Magda in tears, rendered in the same pink ink — giving the letter unusual visual appeal.
He further references a developing manuscript project:
“I've got six chapters called Life with the Gabors & how it all came about (apart).”
The tone is intimate, witty and reflective of late-1960s Hollywood society, offering insight into Morris’s personal proximity to the Gabor circle.
The Gabors
Magda Gabor (1915–1997) and her sister Zsa Zsa Gabor (1917–2016) were Hungarian-American actresses and socialites who became defining figures of mid-20th-century celebrity culture. Famed for glamour, multiple marriages and media presence as much as for film work, the Gabor sisters embodied Hollywood’s sophisticated European allure. By 1969, their lives were closely followed in entertainment journalism, making references such as this both socially and culturally resonant.
George Christy
This letter was sent to George Christy (1927–2020), charismatic fedora-wearing American columnist, of proud Greek origins, who wrote the weekly gossip piece “A Good Life” in The Hollywood Reporter for 26 years, and who was widely liked by the stars and wider artistic fraternity in California. He was also an avid food and wine connoisseur, and for many years held a legendary annual lunch at the Toronto Film Festival.
Condition
Very Good condition. Folded for mailing. Envelope lightly creased. Ink bright and clear. Please view gallery images carefully or request a more detailed condition report.
Provenance: From the personal archives of George Christy.
A charming and visually appealing Hollywood autograph, enhanced by the original sketch and direct reference to the Gabor sisters.