Jen Carlson/Gothamist
In 1937, F. Scott Fitzgerald presented this copy of his book Tender Is The Night to "The First Lady of American Cinema," Lillian Gish. The star was 44 at the time, and his inscription read:
"For Lillian Gish, My Favorite Actress. On the occasion of her 1st visit to New York of which this book is a practical guide. From Her Chattel, F. Scott Fitzgerald"
The book, which has an absolutely gorgeous cover, is now part of the New York Public Library's Rare Books Collection. When it was published, Ernest Hemingway (whose own book scribblings we visited yesterday) declared: "It's amazing how excellent much of it is."
Jen Carlson/Gothamist
Lillian Gish
Gish made note of the gift in her own book, The Movies, Mr. Griffith, and Me, which was published in 1969, nearly thirty years after Fitzgerald's death. She also discussed her time with him and Zelda, noting she first met them when she was living in a Santa Monica beach house.
"Mother and I were living in Mrs. Pickford’s beach house in Santa Monica. It was Sunday afternoon, and the servants were off. Phyllis answered the knock on the door and saw a handsome young man smiling at her. 'I am a fan of Miss Gish's... I've come all the way from Milwaukee to see her.' 'Oh, I know you,' Phyllis said. 'You're Scott Fitzgerald. Zelda was in the car, and he asked if he might bring her in. They were the most beautiful couple Phyllis had ever seen. They had come to the beach, they explained, to ride the roller coaster at the amusement park."
By the time this book was given to Gish, Zelda was already institutionalized, and F. Scott was living in Hollywood. Gish wrote that he often "came to dinner. He would bring young starlets with him, but it was apparent that his interest in them was superficial. I don't think he ever recovered from the tragedy of Zelda's madness."
