[ Richard Hearne, 'Mr. Pastry'. ] Corrected typescript of his unpublished autobiography 'Falling up the Ladder' ('Being the Life Story of Richard Hearne | Written at the Age of 48, - | just 48 years after | his first appearance on any stage.'

242pp., 8vo. With autograph emendations throughout. Unbound and stapled into chapters. In good condition, with light aging and rusting of staples. Typed title-page, with the book said to be written 'By Richard Hearne. Assisted (and sometimes hindered) by interpolations from "Mr. Pastry."' Also autograph title, with subtitle: 'Being the Life Story of Richard Hearne | Written at the Age of 48, - | just 48 years after | his first appearance on any stage.' The story begins with an account of the comedian's first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show in 1954, before turning to Hearne's birth and upbringing, surrounded by a host of English theatrical worthies, including Sir Henry Irving, Sir Frank Benson, 'Seymour Hicks and a young girl who danced in "Bluebell in Fairyland", i.e. Gladys Cooper. Present at the end are a number of additional pages, including two pages of text regarding the haunting of the house of Hearne's birth, headed 'Insert No. 2', with autograph note stating 'Return to Jasmin House'. Also a page headed 'The Park Chambers Hotel, New York', carrying an added ending to the book: 'To sum up I've been on stage for coming up to 49 years. I was born in a house filled with a never ending procession of stars of the past. I appeared in drama at six weeks. I was a clown in a circus at seven years. I travelled Europe with my father and mother until I was 13. I worked in industry for two years. [...]' Also a two-page copy of a 'Memorandum of Agreement' between 'Richard Hearne Junior' and 'James Jones of the Railway Hotel Luton', 16 May 1892. Accompanying the item is a typed reader's 'Report on "Falling Up the Ladder by Richard Hearne' from 'L G' of the London publishers Stanley Paul Ltd. He describes the book as a 'rather solid piece of autobiography', with Hearne 'somewhat dangerously outspoken about certain personalities - Fay Compton, for example, with whom he claims to be engaged at a time when she is already married'. The reader considers the book 'a most promising first draft of whaht could be a quite useful stage autobiography', but requiring 'editorial aid'. 'Falling Up the Stair's was not published, but appears to have served as a basis for another book, 'Mr. Pastry's Pantomime', published in 1964. Regarding the present abortive title the Age newspaper reported from Melbourne on 15 January 1957: 'An important luncheon in London is listed for Richard (Mr. Pastry) Hearne soon after his return home from Australia. | He is to be a guest in October at a literary luncheon given by Foyles, the great London book sellers, to launch his autobiography, "Falling Up the Ladder." | The book, written at odd moments snatched in theatre dressingrooms, in trains or aeroplanes, was to have been published in March. | But Richard Hearne (and Mr. Pastry) have been so successful at the Tivoli that Sydney now wants to see him (or them), and the original 12-week tour has beeen stretched to June. | Because of this and the Suez crisis, publication of the book, 75,000 words describing nearly 50 years in show business and considered too serious for lighter buying tastes at Easter or Christmas, has been postponed to October.'