Penrod and Sam

New York: Grosset & Dunlap, n.y.. Hardcover. Illustrations by Worth Brehm. Small 8vo. Light green cloth with dark green lettering, pictorial dust jacket. 356pp, (2pp ads). Frontispiece, full-page plates. Very good/very good. Faintest binding edgewear only; jacket slightly edgeworn and age toned. Photoplay edition ("Illustrated with Scenes from the Photoplay a First National Picture" on jacket front panel), a reprint of Tarkington's 1916 bestseller, sequel to his 1914 smash hit "Penrod." Although this edition is undated, it certainly dates to circa 1923, the year that the first of three film versions of "Penrod and Sam" was released. Jacket rear panel features a closeup of this silent film's star, Ben Alexander, as does jacket spine; frontispiece too depicts Alexander, as do many of the full-page plates. Best of all, this copy bears a choice autograph addition: Tipped to front flyleaf is a large, bold inscription and signature from Alexander, penned in blue ballpoint on an irregular 4¼" X 4" slip, n.p., n.y. [ca. 1960]. "The best to my friend, / Donald Burnell / from -- / Ben Alexander." Each corner slightly trimmed, slightly affecting the "B" in "Ben" and "d" in "friend." BEN ALEXANDER (1911-69) was a silent film star who went on to portray Office Frank Smith on television in Jack Webb's "Dragnet" (1952-59).This edition is quite scarce in dust jacket -- and exceptionally unusual. PETAJA 125.