The Silver Whip - Screenplay by Jesse Lasky Jr

Los Angeles: Twentieth Century - Fox, 1953. Two original mimeographed screenplay drafts bound together in a custom hardbound volume in full textured maroon cloth with gilt-stamping. This script was screenwriter Jesse Lasky Jr.’s own personal copy with his name stamped on the cover. Lasky has signed the script on the title page of the final 92 page shooting script (with blue re-write pages) writing: “I wrote this on loan from Columbia to 20th Century Fox - where it was produced under the eye of Darryl Zanuck. Jesse Lasky Jr.” The second script is Lasky’s original 127 page first version entitled Stage to Silver City. There are some bits of annotation in Lasky’s hand. The finished film, The Silver Whip is a 1953 American Western film directed by Harmon Jones and starring Robert Wagner, Dale Robertson, Rory Calhoun,, and Kathleen Crowley. The picture was based upon a novel by Jack Schaefer, the author of Shane. Frustrated with the lack of opportunities in his hometown, young Jess Harker (Robert Wagner) plans to leave, but sympathetic stagecoach armed guard Race Crim (Dale Robertson) persuades his boss to give Jess, the stage driver job. Rory Calhoun plays Sheriff Davisson. About fine with just a hint of edge wear.