DAVID O SELZNICK Signed Original Memo 1947 Rhonda Fleming Bob Hope Paramount

David O. Selznick, original carbon typed memo from DOS concerning Rhonda Fleming publicity, dictated on July 24, 1948 and distributed to publicity department heads MacNamara and Houser, 8.5 by 11 inches, on yellow paper, in very good condition.  Beneath the memo, Merv Houser has typed a note to MacNamara responding to Selznick's concerns that his publicity department cooperate with Paramount to publicize the announcement that Ms. Fleming (who was under contract to Selznick but loaned to Paramount) will be starring in Bob Hope's next movie (which turned out to be The Great Lover).  Selznick wants to avoid a situation in which any incompetent handling of Ms. Fleming will reduce her value to the Selznick studio.  Above this note, MacNamara has written in Pencil DOS To note which means that he forwarded this memo with Houser's reply to Selznick.  At the bottom of the memo, Selznick has written in ink "Merv - noted - fine" and signed the note with his initials "DOS" as he signed correspondence sent to his employees.  The memo was sent back to Houser, who placed it in his files.  (I acquired some if not all of Houser's files many years ago.)

David O. Selznick was one of the greatest film producers of all time, having been responsible for Gone with the Wind, Rebecca, A Star is Born, Spellbound and many more famous movies.  What makes him stand out was his obsession with being on top of every decision in the making of each film and then their publicity and distribution.  One of the most important books in film history Memo From: David O. Selznick edited by Rudy Behlmer described how his films were made by quoting from a selection of the tens of thousands of memos that Selznick created.  No one was more detail oriented.  Anyone who worked with Selznick could expect a barrage of memos every day on the job as he had an entourage of secretaries who worked around the clock taking dictation, then having the memos typed and distributed.  So everyone could recognize his memos, his and only his memos were typed on yellow paper. 

This memo was concerned about a relatively minor event but, like everything concerning the Selznick studio, it was still important enough for him to be on top of it.  What makes it unusual is that he signed it.  Of the many Selznick memos that were sent to Mervin Houser, few were signed.  Not many original Selznick memos can be found in the market because only a few of each were distributed and the Selznick papers with his retained copies were placed in the University of Texas library.