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SHAW, GEORGE BERNARD. (1856-1950). Nobel Prize-winning Irish playwright and critic; well known for his many plays including The Devil’s Disciple and Pygmalion. Draft DS. (“GBS”), on which Shaw has initialed a correction made in the contract, changing the date from 1918 to 1919. 3pp. Tall 4to. London, 1918. (1919). A printed contract entirely filled in by Shaw in which he licenses a production of John Bull’s Other Island by American actor and producer WILLIAM A. BRADY (1863-1950) to run from October 1, 1918 to July 31, 1920. Shaw has added a 16th clause at the end of the contract in holograph, which reads: “At all performances given under this agreement that the part of Broadhurst shall be played by its first impersonator Louis Calvert who shall produce the play in accordance with the practice of the Author at its last revival at the Kingsway Theatre in London; and omissions from the printed dialogue which were sanctioned by the Author at that revival shall not be deemed a breach of Clause Eleven of this agreement.” Born in Dublin, Shaw made a name for himself in London as a music and theater critic during the 1880s and 1890s, writing for The Pall Mall Gazette, The Saturday Review and other publications. While writing fiction and plays, Shaw also authored pamphlets for London’s Fabian Society, members of the British intelligentsia with an interest in socialism. Likened by some to Shakespeare, Shaw combined satire, comedy and social criticism into more than 50 plays, which include Mrs. Warren’s Profession (1893); Arms and the Man (1894); Man and Superman (1902); St. Joan (1923), and Pygmalion (1912), which inspired several films including the popular musical My Fair Lady. Our contract is for a New York production of Shaw’s play John Bull’s Other Island, a political comedy about Irish affairs, staged by Brady, whose wife, American actress Grace George, starred in Brady’s production of Shaw’s Major Barbara three years earlier, which ran for only nine weeks. In the original 1904 London production of John Bull’s Other Island, at which King Edward VII laughed so hard he broke his chair, the main character, Tom Broadbent, was played by British actor Louis Calvert (1859-1923), who created several lead roles in Shaw’s plays. Initialed in the left margin of the first page. Neatly folded and in very fine condition.