Lillian Gish and Kukla Fran and Ollie

This was the beginning of their correspondence. Lillian often said as a child she never learned to play like other children. Her life was always work and she was always focused on her work and her next gig. These characters gave her the opportunity to see the enjoyment children of a different era could have from something called playtime. She enjoyed the work of Walt Disney and appeared in several of his films. In some newspaper articles, she spoke of Tillstrom and his characters in a similar way she spoke of Disney. She told one New York reporter, in a clipping I located, Tillstrom created a different world for young minds.

Obviously this stationery was designed for kids. Mrs. Gish was delighted to have and never parted with it. For Miss Gish's childhood reflections see her last book "An Actor's Life for Me," which the NYT termed a "masterpiece."

Jim Patterson, Editor
www.LDGish.blogspot.com