Georges MÉLIÈS - Autograph letter signed to Auguste Drioux.

Georges Méliès (1861.1938)

Autograph letter signed to Auguste Drioux.

Four pages in-8°. Paris. June 24, 1929.

“The stock of memories of Robert Houdin's theater is not ready to be exhausted. »

Very nice letter about the special issue of Passez Muscade dedicated to him. Méliès also evokes the memory of Robert Houdin, of the illusionist Jules-Eugène Legris.

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“Dear Mr. Drioux, I am returning to you the article on Zirka composed by Mr. Clément de Nice. In reality, it is not up to me to make corrections to an article written by another, but since you asked me, I will point out a mistake at the beginning of the article. We cannot say “the illusionist devotes an article to Zirka”. We dedicate an article to someone; or we should say: the illusionist writes an article about Zirka. It is best to keep the text as is, replacing the word on with to . The rest is perfect.

Indeed, there is a bit of a print run for the sale of the special issue [of the magazine Passez Muscade], but I expected it, the price, as I wrote to you from the start, having been found it too excessive. Regardless, the sale continues little by little, and I receive one or two requests every day. It is especially our union chambers which have shown themselves to be stingy. One took 11 copies, the other 12, in all 23. As for isolated requests, from the Province and Belgium, they currently reach the figure 20. This makes a total of 43 numbers sold. This is obviously not a lot, but I find it premature to announce that there are still a few copies , etc. because advertising abroad has not even been able to appear yet, these publications being almost all monthly; (both for the special issue and for the photo of Robert Houdin ) we must therefore wait for the result of this advertisement, and we must allow a month to a month and a half before deciding to use other means for the balance . Moreover, in October, when we resume the sessions, I will certainly have a certain number of numbers purchased by my union chamber, it is the fund which will pay, and will then possibly be responsible for selling these numbers to the high price for latecomers. What do you want, there is nothing your fault or mine in all this, and we will do the best.

For your future PM publications [Pass Nutmeg] I am at your disposal to increase the number of issues if you wish; the stock of souvenirs on the theater of RH [Robert Houdin] is not ready to be exhausted. There is plenty to do ! as long as I don't break my pipe before having finished the job. The idea of ​​a Christmas issue is not bad, but on condition that you don't incur huge costs like for the special issue.  The experiment we are currently doing on the enthusiasm of the followers is not very edifying  !!! So, let's be careful .

I want you to go to the sea! The sea is what I love above all ; especially the very wild coasts. Unfortunately, I can only go there around August 20, until September 12 or 15. In the meantime, I get angry every day seeing the endless stream of people passing through Montparnasse station and leaving vacation , lucky guys, while I stay glued to my stool!

I will write you, as you ask, an article on Carmelli ; but I don't have any photos of him. In any case, I won't be able to say about him what I said about Legris, he was a man of a completely different type, but there are interesting things to say about him, from an artistic point of view, because, in his genre, he was almost unrivaled. Have fun during your vacation, and say many things on my behalf to your friends in Nice, whom unfortunately I do not have the pleasure of knowing. Sincerely yours. G. Méliès. »

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Georges Méliès ceased all cinematographic activity in 1913. A widower, ruined by the First World War, forgotten by the artistic world, he married his second wife, Jehanne d'Alcy. This manages, within the Gare Montparnasse, a small toy and candy store. From then on, Méliès took care of the small business with Jehanne. During the long hours spent running the toy store, seven days a week, Méliès becomes bored and suffers from this closed world – as he testifies in this letter; but he continues to draw (even sketching himself chained to the station walls). It is in this place that Léon Druhot, editor of Ciné-journal, finds him. One morning like any other, a cafe owner passing by greets Méliès with a resounding “ Hello, Monsieur Méliès!” ". Léon Druhot , finding himself there, could not believe his ears, he imagined Méliès dead a long time ago. He asks her: “Are you related to Georges Méliès who worked in cinema before the war? » – “But it’s myself.”

Auguste Drioux (1884.1937), recipient of this letter, was a recognized conjurer at a very young age. In 1916, he founded the Revue Passez Muscade , the quarterly bulletin for conjurers. Apart from the regular publications, Drioux published a special issue in honor of Georges Méliès (1929) who is mentioned in this letter.