Offered is typed letter, dated October 5, 1973, signed by Sir Lawrence Olivier. The letter is written to film producer Euan Lloyd, who was developing the film Paper Tiger, which would eventually star David Niven and be released in 1975. Olivier references being too busy to read the script because his preparing for a role, which was in the production of Saturday, Sunday, Monday directed by Franco Zeffirelli at The Old Vic in London, which was less than three weeks from opening when the letter was written. The letter reads:
Dear Mr. Lloyd, Thank you very much for your letter of September 10th and please forgive the delay in replying. I am still looking forward to reading 'Paper Tiger'. I hope you will be understanding about my incapacity to do so yet as I am in the severest kind of throes of rehearsal for the Zeffirelli production, and I am always and for ever apparently absolutely incapable of turning my concentration on anything other than the part I am trying to learn until I feel I know it all well enough. From this show I go into immediate rehearsal for another, and I do hope you won't thing it bad manners if you don't hear from me for even a few weeks. Yours sincerely, L. Olivier.
Interestingly, Olivier has scratched out his official English title below his name, "The Baron Olivier." Perhaps he considered the reference a bit ostentatious for a work-related missive. He was made a Knight in 1947, and subsequently made "Baron Olivier, of Brighton in the County of Sussex" in 1970. The matted presentation measures 15 3/4 x 12 inches and features a photo of Olivier as Hamlet. The letter is accompanied by a COA from Beckett Authentic. The letter on Olivier's personal executive size stationary which measures 6 x 8 inches and presents taped into the matting with some minor to moderate toning. Excellent condition.