Viewing page 95 of 128

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

-306-

Brock and I struck up a great friendship whick, paradoxically, drew me into a situation that I recall with considerable chagrin. One day, he handed me the script of a play, said he was thinking of producing it in New York, and asked me to read it. I love the theater and I was under the impression that I knew a little bit about it. I read the play and found it mildly amusing but much too whimsical, I thought, for the hard-boiled New York audience. When I returned the script, I said, "Whimsy-wham on Broadway, Brock? It won't last a week." He looked at me thoughtfully and said, "I was hoping you might want to put a little money into this play. I think you should." I shook my head, suppressing a skeptical smile.

Well, the paly was "Harvey," and it ran forever. Friends of mine who did invest in it built a swimming pool and tennis court with the proceeds and began spending every summer on the Riviera. So much for my