Description
The Vicki Baum correspondence and film typescript consists of four typed letters signed "Vicki" on "Vicki Baum" letterhead,
along with an unpublished draft for a film titled "Conspiracy (Working Title for Sands O' Life)." The correspondence is addressed
to Baum's publisher Malcolm Johnsohn and his wife Mathilde Whitridge Johnson. Baum wrote the first three letters in 1943 and
the fourth letter in 1946. The draft of the script for "Conspiracy (Working Title for Sands O' Life)"--authored by Baum--is
dated November 15, 1946. Baum wrote the script in short story format without dialogue (and is thus a "treatment" in script
parlance). Cary Grant and Dorothy McGuire were sought for the lead roles in this script. David 0. Selznick's Vanguard Films,
Inc. purchased the script in 1946 and assigned the production of the film to Dore Schary, but the film was never actually
made.
Background
Vicki Baum (1888-1960) was one of the world's first best-selling woman authors, a screen writer, and a boxer. She was born
in Vienna to a Jewish family and emigrated to the United States in the early 1930s to escape the rise of the National Socialists.
Her literary works were denigrated in Germany and Austria as sensationalist and amoral and banned in the Third Reich as of
1935.
Extent
0.02 Linear Feet
1 pamphlet binder
Restrictions
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Department of Special
Collections at specol@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Availability
Advance notice required for access.