ZANUCK DARRYL F.: (1902-1979) American Film Producer and Studio Executive, Academy Award winner. T.L.S., Darryl, three pages, 4to, n.p., 8th May (1959), to his wife ('Dearest'). Zanuck states that his wife's recent letter made him feel miserable ('actually it so shook and depressed me that I had to force myself to do my work') and continues 'Nothing in the world would make me happier than to be able to relieve your misery, BUT WHAT CAN I DO? I will always have a deep love, affection and respect for you. Certainly you must know this, but it so happens that in spite of my deep feelings for you, I am in love with someone else and have been for almost two years. Do you honestly believe we could ever be happy together if I came back to you, while I was still in love with another person'. Zanuck further writes 'My relationship with the other party has not changed one way or another since I last discussed the situation with you....the fact remains that I do love her, and that, until that love is over, --if it is ever over -- how can I hope to make you happy or relieve you of your misery? It would mean living a lie with you and you would know it and the hurt would be even deeper. I lived a lie with you where Bella was concerned. I have not lied or hidden my feelings or relationship with the woman in question. She did not pursue me or try to lead me to where we are now. I pursued her....I cannot turn off my feelings and try to live another lie. It would never work, feeling as I do now. We are not the first people who have faced this situation and you are not the only woman that has faced this problem....I have tried to figure out the real reason for your letter -- and why you sent it at this time, just when I am working furiously to make a big come-back....I am not just sitting here twiddling my thumbs....I am fighting but at the same time moving cautiously. I will not make another mistake.....Only time will tell if my relationship with her is permanent or not. She is a very clean and independent person.....I am sure she loves me but she also loves her sense of freedom and independence. She is a decent woman....So far, I have hurt her career more than I have helped it. Remember, she was a star in her own right before I ever met her. I don't know what else to say....in spite of my deep and everlasting love and respect for you, and for all the years we spent together, we cannot escape the fact that I love her and she loves me. That's how it is now...' and concludes 'I can only end by saying that I pray that this letter does not make you feel more miserable or distress you as much as your letter distressed me.' With several holograph notes in the hand of Zanuck's wife, Virginia, noting her responses to several of the points raised in the letter. Slightly irregularly torn to the left edge of each page, not affecting the text or signature, about VG €125-150||Virginia Fox (1902-1982) American Actress who starred in many silent films of the 1910s and 1920s. The actress married Zanuck in 1924 although separated in 1956 as a result of the movie mogul's affairs with other women, as illustrated in the present letter. However, they were never legally divorced and Virginia cared for her husband in the last decade of his life.||Bella Darvi (1928-1971) French-American Actress, originally discovered by Virginia Zanuck. Darvi went on to have an affair with Darryl Zanuck, as referred to in the present letter.||Juliette Greco (1927- ) French Actress and Singer who, at the time of the present letter, was conducting an affair with Zanuck.||