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Lettre autographe signée au sujet « D’occupe toi d’Amélie »

1908210 x 270 mm

Feydeau settles scores with an author accusing him of plagiarism.

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AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED TO "D'OCCUPE TOI D'AMÉLIE".

"It seems, Mr Valabrègue (Daniel) that it runs in the family. A few weeks ago I received a letter from Mr Valabrègue (Albin) asking for the rights to "D'occupe toi d'Amélie", compensation for a play for which he had once provided me with the title and milieu, but which I have not been able to do until now for the good reason that I have not yet found the subject. Today I received a letter from Valabrègue (Daniel) asking me for compensation for the same work. "Take care of Amélie on the pretext that he had once provided me with a scenario or a project in which there was, it seems, a question of a fake wedding, with a fake mayor, in a fake town hall.
I remember well that you urged me several times to recommend to Samuel a little act that you presented to him. As for a scenario that you suggested to me, I've forgotten all about it.
In any case, one thing is certain, and that is that if it was, I refused to read it, because that's a principle with me, unless we're talking about exceptional personalities, or people I know inside out. I know only too well that one can only expect trouble from this kind of complacency without ever having the chance to come across a profitable idea.. And then all it takes is for you to write a play that takes place, say, in a living room, and just as soon your gentleman pops up and says: "My play also took place in a living room! you've plundered my play".
And now, to leave you in no doubt, I'm going to tell you something that will set everything straight! You wrote to me that it was in 1903 that you gave me your idea, how right you were to specify the date! Well, my idea dates back to 1898. And it's easy for me to prove this, because at that time I gave my project to Paul Bilhaud, with whom I had to do the play, and it so happens that I have a whole correspondence that proves it. If our tentative collaboration at that time was not followed up, it's because Bilhaud didn't provide me with the additional information I was looking for.
I think all that is clear.
Having said that, I don't see what's stopping you from dealing with your subject in the future. You're telling me that it's a fake wedding, with a fake mayor, in a fake town hall; in my play it's just the opposite! It's a real wedding with a real mayor in a real town hall. As you can see, there's no connection between the two, so...!
Ah, but my God, what a waste of time fighting over nothing in life!
Thank you, though, for all the praise in the preamble to your letter.
Kind regards
G Feydeau

Brussels,March 1908.In folio, Sheets,210 x 270 mm,1 ff.

Black ink, on Grand Hotel Bruxelles letterhead.

Bio

Georges Feydeau

(Paris: 8 December 1862 - Rueil-Malmaison: 5 June 1921)

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