438th AAA AW BN
APO 578 % Postmaster, N.Y.
England
28 March, 1944 1420
My dearest darling –
I am now at the Dispensary with some more spare time so I thought I’d at least get started. This morning was a fairly busy one. I had to go to the Hospital on some official business and I visited a couple of batteries to check sleep conditions etc. Later this p.m. I have an appointment with the Enquirer of the Water Department of this town – to discuss the water supply and check its drinking quality etc. These are some of the routine duties of the battalion surgeon when an outfit reaches a new spot.
Last night, dear, was quiet. After supper I played the clarinet for awhile, alone, and then I was joined by the violinist and between the two of us we managed to kill about an hour and one-half playing some old songs. Practicing on the clarinet has become a daily occurrence and I certainly am glad I got one when I did because it has helped me pass away some pleasant hours – that would ordinarily have been dull.
After the “concert” – Charlie and I gabbed for awhile about things in general – the battalion, intern days, Med. School experiences and so on and then we read our old papers – of which we both have a stack. Tiring of that after awhile – I decided to answer a few letters. I wrote to both Mrs. Kerrs in Salem, to Barney Weinstein in Hawaii and to Barbara Tucker and then sweetheart, it was bedtime – and my time to concentrate on you and you alone. I really do concentrate, too, dear. It’s now over a full week since anyone in the battalion has received any air-mail – and why it should suddenly have clamped down – is unknown. It will probably start coming thru again soon. Meanwhile – just when I’ve been most anxious to have mail come thru – I’m left waiting. That’s the hardest part of the war – right now, I guess. I’ve been so anxious to hear from you and your folks – because there are rather momentous decisions kicking around on some boat or plane or post office depot – I believe. Well, maybe today, darling.
Anyway I keep re-reading the old letters and I find that I enjoy them more and more each time I read them. They sure do help my spirits, sweetheart, believe me – and I don’t know what I’d do without them. I like your style of writing. It’s straightforward and sincere and sounds as if you were saying words instead of writing them. And there’s nothing artificial about it either – which is what I particularly like.
You mention having seen “Lady in the Dark”. I’ll bet it was good – although it must be superb if it outdoes the stage-play. I saw it on a New Year’s Eve a couple of years back with Gertrude Lawrence – and Danny Kaye – and I’ll never forget it. Who took Danny Kaye’s place in the movie?
We haven’t seen any movie in our present set-up and the one movie in town shows some weird class B British films. I don’t know exactly what a class A film is like – but they don’t have any – at any rate. I don’t mind though, because we manage to have some fun just hanging around the Castle nights.
I’ll have to stop now, darling. I guess you’re up to date in my activities. I wish I knew what was what – but regardless, dear – we love each other and that’s really what matters fundamentally – in the last analysis. And that thought gives me a wonderful feeling, Sweetheart.
Until tomorrow, then, so long for now and remember, you have
I am now at the Dispensary with some more spare time so I thought I’d at least get started. This morning was a fairly busy one. I had to go to the Hospital on some official business and I visited a couple of batteries to check sleep conditions etc. Later this p.m. I have an appointment with the Enquirer of the Water Department of this town – to discuss the water supply and check its drinking quality etc. These are some of the routine duties of the battalion surgeon when an outfit reaches a new spot.
Last night, dear, was quiet. After supper I played the clarinet for awhile, alone, and then I was joined by the violinist and between the two of us we managed to kill about an hour and one-half playing some old songs. Practicing on the clarinet has become a daily occurrence and I certainly am glad I got one when I did because it has helped me pass away some pleasant hours – that would ordinarily have been dull.
After the “concert” – Charlie and I gabbed for awhile about things in general – the battalion, intern days, Med. School experiences and so on and then we read our old papers – of which we both have a stack. Tiring of that after awhile – I decided to answer a few letters. I wrote to both Mrs. Kerrs in Salem, to Barney Weinstein in Hawaii and to Barbara Tucker and then sweetheart, it was bedtime – and my time to concentrate on you and you alone. I really do concentrate, too, dear. It’s now over a full week since anyone in the battalion has received any air-mail – and why it should suddenly have clamped down – is unknown. It will probably start coming thru again soon. Meanwhile – just when I’ve been most anxious to have mail come thru – I’m left waiting. That’s the hardest part of the war – right now, I guess. I’ve been so anxious to hear from you and your folks – because there are rather momentous decisions kicking around on some boat or plane or post office depot – I believe. Well, maybe today, darling.
Anyway I keep re-reading the old letters and I find that I enjoy them more and more each time I read them. They sure do help my spirits, sweetheart, believe me – and I don’t know what I’d do without them. I like your style of writing. It’s straightforward and sincere and sounds as if you were saying words instead of writing them. And there’s nothing artificial about it either – which is what I particularly like.
You mention having seen “Lady in the Dark”. I’ll bet it was good – although it must be superb if it outdoes the stage-play. I saw it on a New Year’s Eve a couple of years back with Gertrude Lawrence – and Danny Kaye – and I’ll never forget it. Who took Danny Kaye’s place in the movie?
We haven’t seen any movie in our present set-up and the one movie in town shows some weird class B British films. I don’t know exactly what a class A film is like – but they don’t have any – at any rate. I don’t mind though, because we manage to have some fun just hanging around the Castle nights.
I’ll have to stop now, darling. I guess you’re up to date in my activities. I wish I knew what was what – but regardless, dear – we love each other and that’s really what matters fundamentally – in the last analysis. And that thought gives me a wonderful feeling, Sweetheart.
Until tomorrow, then, so long for now and remember, you have
All my love
Greg
P.S. Regards to the folks,
Love
G.
* TIDBIT *
about the Lady in the Dark
about the Lady in the Dark
The answer to Greg's question, "Who took Danny Kaye's place in the movie?" is Misha Auer, as described in the moviediva web site:
Here's a version of Danny Kaye's song with lyrics:
Lady in the Dark (1944) Directed by Mitchell Leisen. Ginger Rogers, Ray Milland, Warner Baxter.
Lady in the Dark was the peak of both Ginger Rogers and director Mitchell Leisen's career. Neither of them would ever make as successful a film again. Ira Gershwin, who did the song lyrics, had not collaborated with anyone since his brother George's death two years before. And Kurt Weill had been in the US for nearly a decade. He needed a hit and was ready to compromise some of his compositional austerity to get it.
Playwright Moss Hart had been going through a long psychoanalysis with Dr. Gregory Zilboorg, who had analyzed George Gershwin and many other prominent show business figures. The result was a desire to end his successful playwriting partnership with George S. Kaufman and strike out on his own. Hart had been boring all his friends with stories about his analysis, and he finally decided to write about it. One critic was to remark jokingly after the show became a Broadway smash that it was one way of getting back all the money Hart had given to Dr. Zilboorg.
Gertrude Lawrence dazzled in the Broadway version as Liza Elliott, but was nearly upstaged by Danny Kaye as gay fashion photographer Russell Paxton, played (somewhat) straighter in the film by Misha Auer. In the circus dream, Kaye sang a patter song which became one of his trademarks, "Tschaikowsky and Other Russians" in which he speedily recites the names of 49 Russian composers. At the preview, thunderous applause greeted the conclusion of the song, and the authors worried that their star, about to sing "The Saga of Jenny" couldn't top him. But, Lawrence rose to the challenge, bumping and grinding it to the complete devastation of the audience. In the film, "Jenny" is the only song to survive translation to the screen.
Lady in the Dark was the peak of both Ginger Rogers and director Mitchell Leisen's career. Neither of them would ever make as successful a film again. Ira Gershwin, who did the song lyrics, had not collaborated with anyone since his brother George's death two years before. And Kurt Weill had been in the US for nearly a decade. He needed a hit and was ready to compromise some of his compositional austerity to get it.
Playwright Moss Hart had been going through a long psychoanalysis with Dr. Gregory Zilboorg, who had analyzed George Gershwin and many other prominent show business figures. The result was a desire to end his successful playwriting partnership with George S. Kaufman and strike out on his own. Hart had been boring all his friends with stories about his analysis, and he finally decided to write about it. One critic was to remark jokingly after the show became a Broadway smash that it was one way of getting back all the money Hart had given to Dr. Zilboorg.
Gertrude Lawrence dazzled in the Broadway version as Liza Elliott, but was nearly upstaged by Danny Kaye as gay fashion photographer Russell Paxton, played (somewhat) straighter in the film by Misha Auer. In the circus dream, Kaye sang a patter song which became one of his trademarks, "Tschaikowsky and Other Russians" in which he speedily recites the names of 49 Russian composers. At the preview, thunderous applause greeted the conclusion of the song, and the authors worried that their star, about to sing "The Saga of Jenny" couldn't top him. But, Lawrence rose to the challenge, bumping and grinding it to the complete devastation of the audience. In the film, "Jenny" is the only song to survive translation to the screen.
Here's a version of Danny Kaye's song with lyrics:
