By TOWNES COATES
For Players in New York and elsewhere, the coronavirus has kept us apart for many months. However, missing club friends is not a new feeling. In the early 20th century, birthday telegrams from the club were standard practice. In this prewar Bulletin, these Players responded to those wishes with nostalgia for friends and convivial gatherings on Gramercy Park.
Frederick Lewis was an actor active on the New York stage since his twenties, who had recently celebrated his 66th birthday in Hollywood but was missing home. The note signed “Tark” from Kennebunkport, Maine was from Booth Tarkington, two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for Alice Adams and The Magnificent Ambersons. Each would remain a Player for his lifetime, with over forty years tenure in our fellowship.
Townes Coates is a producer and writer. He is Co-Chair of Membership at The Players. Drop him a line here.
Love reading their smart communications, and smiled at Tark's reference to that "too, too round-numbered occasion"!
This is so charming! Really enjoying these flashbacks Townes.