Ian Ehling
Head of Department
Music
Lot 80
PRELIMINARY SKETCH OF "TALK TO THE ANIMALS" FROM DR. DOLITTLE. COURAGE, ALEXANDER, arranger. Partial Autograph Manuscript Signed ("A. Courage"), titled "Talk to the Animals / Prim. Rough Sketch," 1 p, folio,[London], July 12, 1965, additionally annotated by Courage in black ink pen.
13 December 2022, 11:00 EST
New YorkSold for US$2,422.50 inc. premium
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PRELIMINARY SKETCH OF "TALK TO THE ANIMALS" FROM DR. DOLITTLE.
COURAGE, ALEXANDER, arranger. Partial Autograph Manuscript Signed ("A. Courage"), titled "Talk to the Animals / Prim. Rough Sketch," 1 p, folio,[London], July 12, 1965, additionally annotated by Courage in black ink pen.
Ever since Hugh Lofting published The Story of Dr. Dolittle in 1920, movie studios have been interested in adapting for the screen the story of the doctor with the ability to talk to animals. In 1963 producer Alan P. Jacobs secured the rights to the property and began developing a musical version of the story, hiring veteran Broadway lyricist Alan Jay Lerner to write the music and actor Rex Harrison to star. The production was snakebit from the beginning. Jacobs fired Lerner for procrastination (Lerner was still working on the Broadway musical On a Clear Day You Can See Forever). He then hired British composer Leslie Bricusse, coming off the recent success of Stop the World—I Want to Get Off. Bricusse worked on both the script and the songs, and proved to be an efficient collaborator. Two weeks into the job, he submitted the music and lyrics for "Talk to the Animals," written expressly for Rex Harrison, a song that would go on to win the Academy Award® for best song.
The present manuscript is page 1 of an early draft of "Talk to the Animals," though the song as it appears here is fundamentally the same as its final form. The music is in the hand of composer and arranger Alexander Courage, best remembered for having composed the theme song to the Star Trek series. This early version contains important notes for revision from the film's notoriously difficult star, Rex Harrison: at the top in black pen reads "RH wants it down a tone to Bb." In the 9th measure, also in black ink is added "RH wants a SHORT pause!"
Ever since Hugh Lofting published The Story of Dr. Dolittle in 1920, movie studios have been interested in adapting for the screen the story of the doctor with the ability to talk to animals. In 1963 producer Alan P. Jacobs secured the rights to the property and began developing a musical version of the story, hiring veteran Broadway lyricist Alan Jay Lerner to write the music and actor Rex Harrison to star. The production was snakebit from the beginning. Jacobs fired Lerner for procrastination (Lerner was still working on the Broadway musical On a Clear Day You Can See Forever). He then hired British composer Leslie Bricusse, coming off the recent success of Stop the World—I Want to Get Off. Bricusse worked on both the script and the songs, and proved to be an efficient collaborator. Two weeks into the job, he submitted the music and lyrics for "Talk to the Animals," written expressly for Rex Harrison, a song that would go on to win the Academy Award® for best song.
The present manuscript is page 1 of an early draft of "Talk to the Animals," though the song as it appears here is fundamentally the same as its final form. The music is in the hand of composer and arranger Alexander Courage, best remembered for having composed the theme song to the Star Trek series. This early version contains important notes for revision from the film's notoriously difficult star, Rex Harrison: at the top in black pen reads "RH wants it down a tone to Bb." In the 9th measure, also in black ink is added "RH wants a SHORT pause!"