Lot 9233: James Dean, Signed contract

DEAN, JAMES. 1931-1955.
RARE SIGNED WARNER BROS. DOCUMENT.
Mimeographed Document Signed ("James Dean"), 2 p, 4to, New York, NY, April 7, 1954, being an agreement between Dean and Warn Bros. Pictures, Inc. regarding the repayment of a loan of $700, light creasing and toning, staple perforations to upper left corner; together with Typed Letter Initialed of R.J. Obringer, 1 p, 8vo, Burbank, CA, April 9, 1954, on pink Warner Bros. Inter-Office stationery, to F.E. Witt, providing explication of the Dean document, light creasing and thumbing, otherwise fine.
After a successful turn on Broadway in The Immoralist, James Dean was cast by director Elia Kazan in the film adaptation of John Steinbeck's East of Eden. In the film Dean plays Cal Trask, the wayward son of a Salinas lettuce farmer who fails to win his father's acceptance. Though Dean would rocket to stardom upon the release of the film, it's clear that, at this point at least, the Warner Bros. brass were not that impressed with his talents. In this document they insist on a rigid and speedy repayment schedule for the advance of $700, acknowledging the possibility that the young actor will be fired from his role. From Dean's promissory note: "This is to acknowledge that I have received from you this day the sum of Seven Hundred ("$700.00) Dollars as a loan and I have given you my promissory notes under which I am required to repay you. You are hereby authorized to deduct said sums from my weekly compensation in each of the respective seven (7) weeks that each of the aforesaid dates fall. In the event that I am not allowed to continue to render my services in the role of 'Cal' in the motion picture tentatively entitled 'EAST OF EDEN' and you are required to compensate me for the minimum ten (10) weeks of employment referred to in paragraph 4A of our agreement dated April 7, 1954, you are hereby authorized to deduct from such payment any sums due and unpaid for under the aforesaid promissory notes and loan." The document also notes that, if he is fired, Dean will be responsible for repaying his travel expenses to California as well.