30

(ENTERTAINERS.) HEPBURN, KATHARINE. Typed Letter Signed, to R.K.O. Studios president B.B. Kahane,

"THE COMPENSATION . . . FOR THREE PICTURES . . . IS NOT AT ALL SATISFACTORY" (ENTERTAINERS.) HEPBURN, KATHARINE. Typed Letter Signed, to R.K.O. Studios president B.B. Kahane, explaining that the payment for her performance in three films was only agreed to on the understanding that she would retain the liberty to appear in stage plays, and R.K.O.'s refusal to approve her engagement with Paramount amounts to "fraud, collusion, or unfair business tactics." 3 pages, 4to, personal stationery; punch and pin holes near upper edge, couple of short closed separations at folds. (SFC) Np, 13 February 1934

". . . As [talent agent Leland Hayward] and Mr. [David O.] Selznick stated to you, your proposal as to the compensation which you have offered to pay me for three pictures to be produced this year is not at all satisfactory to me and I simply cannot and will not agree to it.
"Moreover, there is one aspect . . . with respect to which you have treated me most unfairly, and I deeply resent it. You know perfectly well that when I entered the service of your company I did not desire to limit my work solely to motion picture productions. I desired then and I still desire to combine my motion picture work with stage plays and other activities in my profession. . . .
". . . You thoroughly understood two years ago that . . . due to the meager compensation you were paying me, I fully intended to make appearances outside of Hollywood. Now . . . you have . . . interfered with my doing what I am quite at liberty to do under any fair interpretation of our arrangement.
". . . Immediately after you got in touch with Paramount, whether because of the threat you made or some other inducement, they informed Mr. Hayward that they would not go through with their arrangement with me and they did this without any examination into the question as to whether I had any rights in the matter or as to whether you had any right to make such a demand under the terms of your agreement with me. All of this is simply one more instance of what I and everyone else connected with the motion picture industry has known for a long time, and that is that many companies, and apparently yours is included, are acting together in matters of this character and in a way which I believe . . . is an illegal restraint of trade and absolutely opposed to a 'live-and-let-live' policy. I am sure that no court--or the public, either--would sanction what you have done . . . .
"In many respects I would greatly regret it if my contract with you was broken because of your fraud, collusion, or unfair business tactics . . . . I propose, however, to stand upon every right which I possess, for I have noticed that your company is not at all meek in taking a position, whether it is right or wrong."

  • Provenance:

    ". . . As [talent agent Leland Hayward] and Mr. [David O.] Selznick stated to you, your proposal as to the compensation which you have offered to pay me for three pictures to be produced this year is not at all satisfactory to me and I simply cannot and will not agree to it.
    "Moreover, there is one aspect . . . with respect to which you have treated me most unfairly, and I deeply resent it. You know perfectly well that when I entered the service of your company I did not desire to limit my work solely to motion picture productions. I desired then and I still desire to combine my motion picture work with stage plays and other activities in my profession. . . .
    ". . . You thoroughly understood two years ago that . . . due to the meager compensation you were paying me, I fully intended to make appearances outside of Hollywood. Now . . . you have . . . interfered with my doing what I am quite at liberty to do under any fair interpretation of our arrangement.
    ". . . Immediately after you got in touch with Paramount, whether because of the threat you made or some other inducement, they informed Mr. Hayward that they would not go through with their arrangement with me and they did this without any examination into the question as to whether I had any rights in the matter or as to whether you had any right to make such a demand under the terms of your agreement with me. All of this is simply one more instance of what I and everyone else connected with the motion picture industry has known for a long time, and that is that many companies, and apparently yours is included, are acting together in matters of this character and in a way which I believe . . . is an illegal restraint of trade and absolutely opposed to a 'live-and-let-live' policy. I am sure that no court--or the public, either--would sanction what you have done . . . .
    "In many respects I would greatly regret it if my contract with you was broken because of your fraud, collusion, or unfair business tactics . . . . I propose, however, to stand upon every right which I possess, for I have noticed that your company is not at all meek in taking a position, whether it is right or wrong."
  • Condition:
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