A Wedding Date And A Missed Birthday

Tuesday, January 29, 1952

Dear John and Andrew,

A rather dull week with seven days of rain ending with snow last night. The transit strike ended this morning after nineteen days and the only immediate difference is that you now have to pay two cents for a transfer.

I walked down to the Custom House one day last week and dropped in on Aunt Hannah. She was out for five days with something or other and looks very bad. Said to send hello to you and I have sent her your address. I'm going to pick her up some Sunday and bring her over home for the day. Speaking of the Custom House, Andrew received a letter from American Oil last Thursday and you could see it only contained a W-2 form with about $28 deducted from the check sent last January as that was under the old withholding law. So, adding this to your Army pay, Andrew, you now owe the U.S. a total of $14.

Sam and Pud have set February 23rd for their wedding day. Sam is all straightened out and it's all to be legal and stuff. The rain let up a little Sunday afternoon and, instead of just a little ride, to cheer Ann up a bit I suggested Edgewood. We didn't get there till 5 p.m. and left after fifteen minutes to see the apartment Sam and Pud have already taken within shooting distance of the post. We stayed there another ten minutes and headed homeward as it was raining again and fog had drifted in. I believe both of you or at least one of you met Penny Sue, Ann's cousin, who has a little boy Michael's age and who is married to a Billy. They were at the house one Sunday afternoon about three years ago. She is about 25 and looks a great deal like Ann. Sunday, Penny Sue, who is now living with Aunt Alice, had just returned from Catonsville when we got there.

As you know, yesterday was Stephen Andrew's birthday but I missed the cake, being at school. Ann says she gave him a big wedge--his first taste--and the little slob still had some of it up his nose this morning. Kathleen and Michael have been well with the aid of Castoria and TV respectively and Arlene is past the exams with pretty good marks so now definitely have to worry about high school.

Ann tells me that after Sunday's view of the dismal side of Edgewood, it's out as a possible place to live. Let's see what's next.

END OF LETTER

Editor's notes:
Ann wanted to move to a new house but not in Edgewood, where she grew up. Charles missed Stephen's birthday because he is a part time instructor at the Baltimore Institute - a business trade school.

Aunt Hannah: was formerly married to Charles' Uncle Andy.
Pud: "Puddy" is the daughter of Ann's Aunt Alice and is Ann's cousin.
Penny Sue: is another of Ann's cousins.

Next posting: 05 February

COPYRIGHT 2007-2012 Stephen A Conner

1951 New York Film Critics' Circle Awards and a Murder

Monday, January 21, 1952

Dear Andrew and John,

We had a beautiful weekend with 60º temperatures so I could spend two hours on Saturday scraping more mud off the underside of the car. Virginia 'phoned and I talked with her on Friday night, I believe, and I suggested she give me the name of the girl who gets the $15 from John but she said let it wait awhile. She also said she would drop by over the Saturday or Sunday but we didn't see her. We were out in the car once-to take a trip to Frederick. The new highway goes to within 20 miles of there now and to give you an idea of how easy we made the circuit, we left the houses at 1:05, drove to Frederick but didn't get out of the car; passed the convent Arlene spent one of her four grades; circled the park and returned by the same route, walking in the door at home at 3:25.

The New York film critics chose Ed Sullivan's program last night to make their awards. Bosley Crowther acted as m.c. for them and I have always wanted a look at him. We thought him a very distinguished looking fiftish or fifty-ish, with an easy manner before the cameras and a smooth voice. I jotted down memos as the awards were made and, if you have already heard them, here they are for reference.

Best foreign film - Miracle in Milan: they showed a five minute preview and I think I'd like it.

Beat male actor - Arthur Kennedy for the blinded vet in Bright Victory. Jane Wyatt accented the whatever-it-was for him and they presented a scene where a girl finds she is in love with him. First chance you get, tell us who the girl is.

Best picture of year - A Streetcar Named desire. The award was presented to Charles Feldman. Bosley let himself go in his praise on this and said in part that this film represents real and inspiring belief in American motion picture audiences on the part of the directors and producers.

Best director - Eli Kazan of Streetcar.

Best actress - Vivian Leigh for ditto. He said she has been ill lately and could not accept but that it wasn't even close. They didn't give any scenes from Streetcar.

Maybe you'll get to see a film of this show sometime, somewhere.

The trolley strike is still on; had to go to Riverside Saturday night and pick up Mr. Bellis. Ann talked with Ann Clapsaddle who went back to New York with Earl on Jan. 2 to spend a day or two and just got back yesterday. Earl, by the way, is also in Baltimore, having quit his N.Y. job the end of the week and plans on resting up a week or two before going after something in Baltimore.

We had a juicy murder and would-be suicide at Chapelgate last night, in one of the row houses, 5041 Frederick Avenue, below where Sally used to live. A 26 year old gal was living with her mother-in-law, separated or divorced from her husband. Some fellow had been trying to force her to go out with him lately but she always declined. Last night he showed up and they wouldn't let him in. When he beat on the back door with a gun, they called the cops. As the cops arrived, the gal, her mother-in-law and the pursuer were playing ring round rosy through the house. One policeman ran into the house from the front and the nut passed him in the dark heading out. On the next trip round, the girl tried to get in a neighbors front door and that's where the guy shot and killed her. He then turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger five times with it pressed against his head, but no-go; so he ran out and threw himself in front of car coming down Frederick Road toward Irvington. Here's the only part you may know something about. The car was driven by a fellow named Lawson from Holmhurst Avenue. Anyway, he hit the jerk, who is in the hospital not too bad off.

Ann tells me Arlene wrote you a letter. She had the kids out in the kitchen before bedtime last night taking their fingerprints or something. I'm sorry I missed it, but I didn't want to pry open the envelope.

END OF LETTER

Editor's notes:
Mr. Bellis: next door neighbor
Ann Clapsaddle: childhood friend of Ann and wife to Earl
Virginia and Sally: friends of John

Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.

Next posting: 29 January

COPYRIGHT 2007-2012 Stephen A Conner

First letter from home

Wednesday January 16, 1952

Dear Andrew and John,

Ann read John's letter of Monday, the 14th, over the 'phone this noontime. If you got in on time today, you must be experiencing weather as bad as ours is good. I see where Pittsburgh is about 49 miles from San Francisco and, if the map is right, is to the eastward. We have had three days of 60 degree and above temperature and clear, moonlit nights; a Bermuda high, they call it.

I am in no hurry about filing your income tax reports which means you owe. The table for your total calls for $68 due while, if I can remember correctly, they withheld $61.40. What I shall do is file and indicate "overseas". We'll also file one for the State but with the allowance they make, no tax will be due.

We know that Sam French received John's play. A letter came today enclosing the clippings, stating that the play would be read and reported on and closed with "good luck". I will send the original. I also took the precaution of including a large stamped envelope so we shall get the play back in the event it will have to be submitted to someone else. But they sound like a nice outfit and let's hope....

Took Stephen to the doctor's on Saturday and sat around home all rainy Sunday. The transit strike is still on and Sunday I drove Mr. Bellis to Riverside at 10 p.m. Monday night was school and right after supper last evening Ann suggested visiting Ellen and Gerry Bures. She had a home-grown plant and an aged pillow case left over from Michael for the new house and baby respectively. They live on Whitlock Road which is the second row of new houses with entrance on the Edmondson highway at the big oak tree in front of or rather across from St. Agnes' church. When I drove off the highway and part way down the first street we saw it was impassable for cars. The curbs are in and people living in about 150 houses and that's all. I later found out that even the milk men refused to deliver. We got out and tried to walk but gave up. I backed the car for half a block, turned around and headed for tracks in the ground I saw made by other cars. However, those grooves were made before the thaw and, less than 20 feet from Edmondson highway, we sank. To give you an idea how far, I couldn't even open the car door on my side for the mud. Some good hearted soul, a fellow about my age who had just bought one of the homes, was on his way for ice cream about ten minutes later, and offered to take Ann and the kids home and drop me by a towing station. This we immediately took him up on and a little over an hour later a tow truck sucked me free. Another funny thing, by the time I got back with the tow man, another fellow was mired wheel deep about 20 feet away from me and already had a truck working on him. I believe the total for this particular plot now stands at 25 vehicles in three days. What a mess. I arose at 5:30 this morning, brought the car round back, and scraped and washed so you can see out of the windows and operate the doors. I found what was left of the plant on the back seat and the pillow case was caught in the door hinge.

We will be writing now, whether we hear from you or not, because I don't know how many weeks it will be before you get this. I hope the weather calms down for sailing if it is keeping to schedule.

END OF LETTER

Editor's notes:

The cities of Pittsburgh and San Francisco were code names for areas in Korea.
"Monday night school" concerns the nights Charles is required to teach at the Baltimore Institute.

Sam French: Samuel French Publishing published Playbills in New York. John was an amateur play writer
Mr. Bellis: a next door neighbor
Ellen and Gerry Bures: friends of the family since WW II.

Next posting: 21 January 2012

Copyright © 2007-2012 Stephen A Conner