Neil Simon to Harvey Orkin

A letter from playwright Neil Simon to writer and talent agent Harvey Orkin has been placed on the market by the latter's son Anthony, now of Portland, Oregon. The letter has a number of inside jokes, apparently, and a rather convoluted timeline. Fortunately, Downtown Brown Books—also of Portland—has done a little research and tries to put it all into context. The typed letter, signed Doctoré on Simon's printed stationery, is available at the time of posting for $240.

Neil Simon
AbeBooks listing accessed September 11, 2024

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31967342353&searchurl=ds%3D30%26kn%3DOrkin%26rollup%3Don%26sortby%3D17%26vci%3D50957077&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp0-_-title4

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Peter Sellers to Harvey Orkin's Son Anthony

Writer and talent agent Harvey Orkin (1918-1975) represented actor Peter Sellers (1925-1980). Two signed pieces from the actor to Orkin's son Anthony have recently come to the market from Downtown Brown Books of Portland, Oregon. One handwritten note on a Gucci card reads "From the desk of Peter (Pete) Sellers with Compliments." The second note, on Regency Hotel stationery, is more personal. Addressed to Anthony, it dates from the time period after "The Return of the Pink Panther" was shot but before its 1975 release.

Peter Sellers
AbeBooks listing accessed September 8, 2024

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31967335852&searchurl=ds%3D30%26kn%3DOrkin%26rollup%3Don%26sortby%3D17%26vci%3D50957077&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp0-_-title5

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S. J. Perelman to Harvey Orkin and His Son Anthony

Two postcards from humorist S. J. Perelman have made their way onto the market via the estate of writer and talent agent Harvey Orkin (1918-1975). Orkin won an Emmy award for "You'll Never Get Rich" which starred Phil Silvers as Sergeant Bilko. The first postcard, chronologically, was sent in 1968 from Florence, Italy.

A 1974 postcard was mailed to Orkin's Fifth Avenue Columbia Pictures office from Sarasota, Florida.

Finally, a 1975 letter to Orkin's son Anthony V., here referred to as "Avo," is written locally on New Yorker magazine stationery. Perelman aims to share his love of words with the young man. Of note, he does not share his love of cheesecake postcards.

Each of these notes is priced at $180 on AbeBooks. (On eBay, they're $188.)

1.

S. J. Perelman
AbeBooks listing accessed September 9, 2024

https://www.abebooks.com/paper-collectibles/Humorous-Autograph-Postcard-Signed-Perelman/31967342352/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=viewbook_lowk

2.

S. J. Perelman
AbeBooks listing accessed September 9, 2024

https://www.abebooks.com/paper-collectibles/Humorous-Autograph-Postcard-Signed-Perelman/31967337476/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=viewbook

3.

S. J. Perelman
AbeBooks listing accessed September 9, 2024

https://www.abebooks.com/paper-collectibles/Typed-Note-Signed-New-Yorker-Stationery/31967332880/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=viewbook_high

June 28, 2025 Update:  The 1975 letter was cross-listed on eBay where it sold for a best offer.

Note:  Readers fortunate enough to be in possession of a postcard or letter from S. J. Perelman and who need a blog on which to have it posted know where to find me.

Can someone please start a Wikipedia page for Harvey Orkin? Or is that asking too much?

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Garth Williams: The New School of Dancing

Garth Williams's 1940 drawing The New School of Dancing makes fun of modern dance, depicting its practitioners as awkward marionettes in a mechanized art form. Their movements are anything but graceful. The turntable on which the male dancer stands is rotated by a fan belt. The drawing apparently predates the illustrator's attempt to break into The New Yorker. It has been sold by Downtown Brown Books of Portland, Oregon, for $300.

Garth Williams
AbeBooks listing accessed May 8, 2022

https://www.abebooks.com/art-prints/New-School-Dancing-1940-Williams-Garth/31176576055/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&cm_ite=viewbook_high

Sold!

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