Letter from Lillian Gish, New York, New York, to Edward Wagenknecht, 1957 November 12 : typescript signed.

Writing that, since arriving home, she has been to Rochester, New York, and spent 10 days with her family in Ohio, arriving home to "three feet of unanswered mail"; stating that she saw Richard Griffiths at a dinner given by Mr. and Mrs. William Burden at the Museum of Modern Art for the German Ambassador who came for the opening of the German film festival, and explaining that "They are trying to promote good feelings between the two countries so we will buy more German films and therefore get more American pictures into Germany"; informing him that Griffith promised he would write him the next day and that he should have heard from him by now; asking him if he knew that some states levy a high tax on prints of films, and that this is why "Griffith lost the prints of his pictures as he could not afford to pay the Kentucky tax", going on to explain that "Because of this I persuaded him to give them to Iris Berry [i.e. Barry] and John Abbott and they founded the Museum of Modern Art with them."; mentioning how much she enjoyed working for Anthony Asquith in London, and describing her experience working for the State Department in Berlin as "completely mad" as she had only three days rehearsal for two plays, and although it was a "great success", she was glad when it was over; mentioning that the Theatre Guild has sent her the "Sea shell", which she likes, and that she has been offered a part in the film "The nun's story", which would take her to the Belgian Congo; asking if he will come down (to New York) before he goes "into the final draft in January", and if he saw Helen Hayes in "her play", adding "she is furious at Oliver Smith who brought the cost of it up to $130,000 with scenery that can't even be used"; noting that, like him, (Graham Greene's play) "The potting shed" confused her the first time she saw it, but "The second time it became clear" and that "As it was in New York, I liked it very much indeed as we so seldom get a thoughtful play."