Lillian Gish, My Religion, Helen Keller, and Jim Patterson

Lillian in the recording booth reading Helen Keller's "My Religion" to vinyl recording for distribution to libraries for the blind. The recording is available today on CD. Rights have not been granted for YouTube distribution. (Special photo courtesy of Talking Books Studios and Swedenborg Foundation.)

Photo Caption: Lillian Gish, silent screen star of the 1920's, recently recorded My Religion, a personal account of Helen Keller's faith, for talking books. Miss Gish did the recording at the request of the Swedenborg Foundation, Inc. and because of her personal friendship with Miss Keller. The book was Miss Keller's tribute to Emmanuel Swedenborg, an 18th century Swedish scientist and theologian. (American Federation of the Blind Newsletter, vol 9, No 3, October 1974.)


In a typed note by Marguerite L. Levine dated July 9, 1974,

Subject: Meeting with Miss Lillian Gish at AFB Talking Book Studios.

Miss Gish came today to the talking Book studios escorted by Mr. Darrell Ruhl, Editor of the Newsletter of the Swedenborg Foundation, in order to record "My Religion," one of Miss Keller's works.

Miss Gish met Helen Keller first in Hollywood in 1918 when Miss Keller was making the film "Deliverance." The Gish sisters, Lillian and Dorothy, were invited to join Helen Keller and her party on a horseback riding excursion. Dorothy refused as she expected it to be a dreadful experience, but Lillian went along and remembers it as one of the gayest times she ever had. Helen was obviously having great fun and shared her pleasure with her companions.

Another memorable occasion for Miss Gish was the premiere of "Helen Keller in Her Story" at which she sat next to Poly Thomson who interpreted for Miss Keller who seemd to follow the film with the greatest interest and ease.

There was never any correspondence between Miss Keller and Miss Gish but they met frequently through their respective lives.

Miss Gish will return July 11 to continue her reading of "My Religion," At that time we will visit the Helen Keller Room together and take pictures for the AFB Newsletter and the Swedenborg Newsletter.


From Box 35 of Lillian's Papers:

Box 35

Letter from Darrell Ruhl, Swedenborg Foundation, March 5, 1974,

Background: "Helen Keller her wonderful life of service which inspired countless numbers of people the world over. Helen Keller was a reader of Swedenborg In 1927 Helen Keller wrote a tribute to Swedenborg an eloquent little book entitled "My Religion" in which she credited the Swedish author with her spiritual development. The book has inspired thousands over the years and has been reprinted 13 times. It was made into a “talking book” for the disabled many years ago but Swedenborg lost the recording.

"We want to re-record it and make it available free of charge to libraries for the blind and offer it at cost to anyone else. The last time this book was recorded it was read by a man, but this time we feel it should be read with the feeling that Miss Keller herself were talking. It would have so much more impact than an impersonal voice.”

“We feel you would be an ideal actress for this project and would be most interested to learn your feelings regarding the undertaking of recording this book. We are aware that your time is valuable and your stature is such that your professional services might well be prohibitive, but unless we approach you, we’ll never know. 

“If you can find the time to read "My Religion," I think you will find it as poetic and inspiring as Dr. Norman Vincent Peale did as you will note in his introduction to the book. “ 

Darrell Ruhl, Assistant to the Manager, March 5, 1974.”

March 12, 1974 letter from Darrell Ruhl to Miss Gish:

"Thank you for telephoning yesterday.  I was most pleasantly surprised and certainly pleased to hear from you. 

“We are thrilled that your reaction to Helen Keller’s book was so favorable. It has long been a goal of mine to have this book recorded again and preferably by an actress who could make the book live. You have the necessary qualities. As a matter of fact, I wrote to you first thinking I would start at the top and go from there.

“As I listened to your voice I could clearly visualize how the recording would sound. I feel that given the eloquence of the writing and the inspirational message of My Religion, your reading will be just exactly the right ingredient to make a recording which will be of so much help to the blind and shut-ins – and to anyone else for that matter.

Letter of July 26, 1974, to Miss Gish from T H Spiers Executive Secretary of Swedenborg Foundation: 

“I would like to express our sincere gratitude for sharing your time and talent with us in recording 'My Religion.'

“We are confident your dramatization of this book will provide inspiration for both those deprived of vision and those nearly blind.  It will be a rare privilege for those ordering this “talking book” to have the eloquent words of Helen Keller read by one of our greatest actresses. 

“Your reading of the book was in perfect harmony with the tone of "My Religion" and even enhanced the meaning. He further stated that you were extremely diligent in seeking to make Swedenborg’s concepts as clear as possible in view of the fact that his 18^th century language is often difficult to read.” For this work, Miss Gish received a check for $200 and a leather bound copy of "My Religion."

                                                                                                                       

Historical note: In August 1974 The Library of Congress, Division for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Mona M. Werner and John Kozar, ordered 900 copies of My Religion by Helen Keller and read by Lillian Gish for its readers. 

The 900 copies were distributed to Libraries for the Blind throughout the country. I am positive it is the grand combination of Helen Keller and Lillian Gish that aroused their interest to such an extent. The service you have provided will be of tremendous value to countless numbers of handicapped people for years to come. Signed: Darrell Ruhl. "PS Thank you for the beautiful letter I received at home.”

In 2014 Helen Keller International and Jim Patterson nominated My Religion to the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry. Winners will be announced in April 2015. Send your supporting cards and letters to Dr. James Billington, Library of Congress, Washington DC.