The Kindness of Strangers - The Life of Tennessee Williams

London: Bodley Head, 1985. First Edition. Hard Cover. Dust Jacket. First UK Edition. Publisher's dark green boards lettered in gilt to the spine. A near fine copy (or better) copy in like dustwrapper with the usual slight fading to the yellow spine. FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE ACTOR JAMES GROUT (MOST FAMOUS FOR HIS LONG-STANDING ROLE AS CHIEF-SUPERINTENDENT STRANGE IN INSPECTOR MORSE). In 1985 James Grout was one of the stars of the play "Sweet Bird of Youth" by Tennessee Williams at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. This copy is signed, inter alia, by HAROLD PINTER who directed the play, LAUREN BACALL as the faded Hollywood actress "The Princess Kosmonopolis" reduced to getting her kicks from drugs and sex with a young handsome masseur-gigolo (Chance Wayne played by Michael Beck). James Grout powerfully played the role of local tycoon and political bigwig Boss Finley who just stops short of being over the top. Finley's mistress is played by FRANCES CUKA with a "rubber ball bounciness". The total number of signatures numbers 27 (including those mentioned above). Laid in is the Plymouth accommodation list for the cast noteworthy for the fact that LAUREN BACALL stayed at the Mayflower Post House Hotel, JAMES GROUT at the Plymouth Holiday Inn with lesser B & B style accommodation for most of the rest of the cast. It is likely that James Grout arranged for this book to be multi-signed in this way. It is likely to be unique containing as it does the signatures of, inter alia, Harold Pinter and Lauren Bacall. An important piece of theatre ephemera. Photographs/scans available upon request.