Beschreibung:

REAGAN, Ronald. Autograph letter signed (“Ronnie”), to Ray, n.p., n.d. [ca. 1964]. 2 pages (recto and verso), 8vo, on personal stationery. Fine.
REAGAN, Ronald. Autograph letter signed (“Ronnie”), to Ray, n.p., n.d. [ca. 1964]. 2 pages (recto and verso), 8vo, on personal stationery. Fine. REAGAN TURNS DOWN A SCRIPT in this letter evidently written in the tail end of his acting career as his thoughts were increasingly turning to politics. “I’m returning the script and want you to know I thought it was a very exciting ‘who dunnit.’ You are right about some work to be done but all in all it’s pretty darn good." We don’t know the picture, unfortunately, but Reagan was evidently cast as the leading man—a role he thought no longer suitable. “I’d be afraid at this time to hustle a story like this which would obviously depend on me. I’ve been off the movie screen for almost 8 to 10 years and I’m convinced that if & when I go again I must have some one else carrying the load.” He wants to “ride on some picture with a couple of currently hot ones out in front” and didn’t want to take a chance “where it all hangs on me. I know you’ll understand my being gun shy at this point...Nancy says hello & give our regards to your good wife.” If this letter was written “8 to 10 years” after Reagan’s active film career, there is a good chance he is writing about his below-the-title role in Don Siegel’s 1964 production of Ernest Hemingway’s The Killers , starring three “hot ones” in Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson and John Cassavetes. It was Reagan’s last movie role, and the film appeared the same year in which he gave “The Speech” in support of Barry Goldwater that launched his national political career.