Francois J. TALMA (1763-1826) ALS Famed French ACTOR Start Price USD 149.99 Current Price USD 149.99 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Monday, September 01, 2008 End Time Monday, September 08, 2008 Location New York, NY See more about 'Francois J. TALMA (1763-1826) ALS Famed French ACTOR' Description Offering an original Autographed letter signed ( ALS in French)   by Legendary French Actor Tragedian     FRANCOIS JOSEPH TALMA  ( 1763-1826 )...No date He is writing to an unnamed lord ( he evidently was in London at the time) to apologize for not being able to attend an evening at Lady Davy's where they were scheduled to meet.....He says that he  is  hoping to be able to extend his stay in London and perhaps  arrange another time for meeting and enjoying his conversation.... Condition:  EXCELLENT  Single page ...it measures approx. 7 " X 9 " ..It is offered without reserve... François Joseph Talma (January 15, 1763 - 1826) was a French actor. He was born in Paris. His father, a dentist, moved to London, gave him a good English education. He returned to Paris, where for a year and a half he practised dentistry. His predilection for the stage was cultivated in amateur theatricals, and on November 21, 1787 he made his debut at the Comédie-Française as Seide in Voltaire's Mahomet. His efforts from the first won approval, but for a considerable time he only obtained secondary parts. It was as a juvenile lead that he first came to prominence, and he only gradually achieved his unrivalled position as the exponent of strong and concentrated passion. Talma was among the earliest advocates of realism in scenery and costume, being aided by his friend, the painter Jacques-Louis David. His first step in this direction was to appear in the small role of Proculus in Voltaire's Brutus, with a toga and Roman headdress, much to the surprise of an audience accustomed to 18th century costume on stage, regardless of whether it suited the part played. Talma possessed the physical gifts to enable him to excel, a striking appearance and a voice of beauty and power, which he gradually trained to perfection. At first somewhat stilted and monotonous in his manner, he came to be regarded as a model of simplicity. Talma married Julie Carreau, a rich and talented lady whose salon attracted the principal Girondists. The actor was an intimate friend of Napoleon Bonaparte, who delighted in his society, and even, on his return from Elba, forgave him for performing before Louis XVIII. In 1808 the emperor had taken him to Erfurt and made him play the Mort de Cesar to a company of crowned heads. Five years later he took him to Dresden. Talma was also a friend of Joseph Chénier, Georges Danton, Camille Desmoulins and other revolutionists. It was in Chenier's anti-monarchical Charles IX, produced on November 4, 1789, that a prophetic couplet on the destruction of the Bastille made the house burst into a salvo of applause, led by Mirabeau. This play was responsible for the political dissensions in the Comédie-Française which resulted in the establishment, under Talma, of a new theatre. Please Note:  PAYPAL  personal   checks or Money Orders accepted from bidders within the USA ...I would be happy to combine multiple purchases whenever possible for postage savings ...Please do NOT use Ebay's Check Out. .. I will send an individual invoice promptly after the auction has ended, Please Note: Worldwide shipping ( Outside USA ) by Priority Post for this item would be US$ 13.05 BIDDERS OUTSIDE THE USA PLEASE WRITE IN ADVANCE FOR TERMS AND RATES..  THANKS FOR LOOKING !!   Place a Bid!