Lillian Gish The Spiritual Woman: Trustee of the Future 1955

Ed Sullivan's Little Old New York with photo of Lillian, left, in her Broadway role in "all the Way Home." The play ran for 333 performances in 1960-61 and future star Jeff Conaway (TV's "Taxi" and "Grease") was in the cast.

GOOD NEWS!!!!

I am happy to receive in today's mail a copy of Lillian Gish's chapter from the 1955 book "The Spiritual Woman: Trustee of the Future," edited by Marion Turner Sheehan.

Contributor include Congresswoman Frances P. Bolton, management consultant Esther Eberstadt Brooke,  co-founder Christian Family Movement Patricia Crowley, Valerie Harvey, R. N., research director National Tuberculosis Association Jane M. Hoey, New York University Professor Alice Keliher, Sister Elizabeth Kenny, actress/lecturer Ilona Massey, journalist Anne O'Hare McCormick, Barnard College President Millicent McIntosh,  Congresswoman Mary T. Norton, Casita Maria Community Center co-founder Elizabeth Ridder, author Marion Turner Sheehan, Vice President American Federation of the Arts Elosie Spaeth, and University of Wisconsin Professor Helen C. White.

Lillian Gish is described as "Actress, Lecturer, Philanthropist. Member, Actor's Equity."

The book has 14 chapters and Lillian's 12-page chapter is Woman in Entertainment. [Each chapter begins with "Woman"]

Lillian calls for a big screen biography on pioneer film director D. W. Griffith.

"We have had the biography of the gangster, Dillinger; the story of the trombone player, Glenn Miller; two films about Al Jolson, and not one about the father of the motion picture industry, D. W. Griffith!"

Miss Gish also called for a greater government role in the arts. The second footnote to Lillian's chapter told readers Miss Gish went to Washington to meeting with President and Mrs. Eisenhower on government support for the arts. President Eisenhower was so impressed with Miss Gish's argument he mentioned the subject in his State of the Union Address on January 6, 1955. "[T]he federal government should do more to give official recognition to the importance of the arts and other cultural activities," the president said.

I am happy to have the book among a collection of Lillian's writings and lectures. This book was a gift from a Maine reader. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to my library and files. Lillian was impressive and highly vocal figure for the arts, especially the theater. She was also, as her chapter in this book makes clear, an effective and highly persuasive writer.

Jim Patterson
June 8, 2017

June 8 is the birthday of actor Robert Preston who starred with Lillian in the 1963 Broadway production of George Bernard Shaw's Too Good to Be True." David Wayne was also in the cast. Wayne starred with Lillian and Helen Hayes in the 1969 TV production of "Arsenic and Old Lace."