[Pink Tights]
Jule Styne. Three musical manuscripts signed and inscribed for the never produced Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra film Pink Tights , 1954. Three musical manuscripts in pencil on staff paper folios, each with a later ink inscription from Styne to "Bonnie." Each sheet 12 x 9 1/2 inches. Comprising: The Hottentot, 4 1/2 pages in pencil with a few crayon notations, noted in the header as for Pink Tights and signed by Styne at upper right and indicating lyricist Sammy Cahn at upper left, with ink inscription from Styne near top of first page; I've Got the Best Shoulder in Town , 5 1/2 pages in pencil, with indication of lyricist Sammy Cahn at upper left, with ink inscription from Styne near top of first page; and Run for Your Life, 8 pages in pencil, noted in the header as for Pink Tights and signed by Styne at upper left and indicating lyricist Sammy Cahn at upper right, with ink inscription from Styne near bottom of first page. Some residue from old tape, light dust soiling and minor signs of handling, one with a small modern sticker to the verso of the final sheet.

Scarce original Jule Styne manuscripts with Sammy Cahn's lyrics for Pink Tights, the never made Twentieth Century Fox film that was to star Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe - but Monroe famously did not show up for the filming prompting her suspension from the studio. Pink Tights was to be a refreshed version of the 1943 Bette Grable film Coney Island featuring all new songs by Cahn and Styne, the composer who had written "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" as performed by Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in 1953. Monroe's star continued to rise that same year with the release of How to Marry a Millionaire, and she quickly became the top asset of Twentieth Century Fox. But Monroe's contract with the studio, headed by Darryl Zanuck who disliked her, had not changed since 1950 and she earned less money and had much less creative control over her projects than lesser stars that she had eclipsed in popularity. Monroe was due to arrive on set in early January 1954 to start filming Pink Tights but she became incensed upon learning Frank Sinatra would earn $5000 per week to her $1500, and didn't show up prompting her suspension. But Monroe was not silent during this period - in January 1954 she married Joe DiMaggio, honeymooned in Japan, and greatly raised morale at home and abroad by performing for over 60,000 troops with the U.S.O. in Korea, all of which increased her stardom. In March 1954, Monroe settled with the studio, received a $100,000 bonus and was cast in the starring role in The Seven Year Itch; in the fracas Pink Tights was scrapped.

Ahead of the drama with Monroe, Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn composed the songs for Pink Tights and these working manuscripts likely date from late 1953. It is known that the song I've Got the Best Shoulder in Town was written for Sinatra with its crooning opening "If you need a shoulder to cry on/When the one that you love lets you down..." It is also very likely that The Hottentot was to be performed by Monroe: "Everyone at ease! Hands up on your knees, Mister!" Materials relating to the aborted production of Pink Tights are scarce, as are Jule Styne manuscripts in commerce. We trace few sold and note that his papers are collected at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas.

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