20th Century Autograph Book: Elvis Presley, Judy Garland, Khruschchev, and more:
[HOLLYWOOD; POLITICS; ROYALTY; MARK HOPKINS HOTEL.] An autograph book featuring signatures from a cross-section of celebrities and public figures, between 1955 and 1966; 4 3/4″ x 6″; each signature (or pair) on a single leaf, except as noted. Highlights include Nikita Khruschev’s first visit to the US in 1959, when he stayed at the Mark Hopkins Hotel; Elvis Presley; Judy Garland; Mary Pickford; and European Royalty. HOLLYWOOD/MUSIC: Raymond Burr; Maurice Chevalier; Chuck Connors (on Mark Hopkins note paper, taped in); Judy Garland; Barbara Hutton; Andre Kostelantz; Ozzie & Harriet Nelson, Dave and Ricky; Mary Pickford and Buddy Rodgers; Marie McDonald; Otto Preminger; Elvis Preseley; Ann Southern; Robert Stack; Ed Sullivan; Danny Thomas. BROADCASTERS/JOURNALISTS: David Brinkley; Walter Cronkite; Fulton Lewis, Jr. POLITICIANS/PUBLIC FIGURES/MILITARY: Moussa Al-Shabendar (Iraq Amb.); Herbert Hoover; Richard Nixon (on clipped paper, taped in); Urho Kekkonen, President of Finland; Nikita Khruschev; Viyaho Lakshmi Pandit; Commander Edward Whitehead. ROYALTY/HOLY: Crown Prince Akhita of Japan; King Baudouin of Belgium (verso of Danny Thomas); Prince Bismark; Princess Paola of Belgium; Chao Doan of Champassak (husband of Barbara Hutton, signed twice); King Frederick of Denmark; Queen Frederika of Greece; Prince of Iran Pahlavi; Prince Bertil of Sweden; King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand; HIs Holiness Mar Eshai Shimun XXIII; His Holiness Vasken I. PROVENANCE: THE ESTATE OF JOAN A. NITIS. The book belonged San Francisco Mark Hopkins Hotel waiter John D. Alexander (1943-2008), who collected signatures from visiting luminaries. The Elvis Presley signature is inscribed to John and his children, Joan (Nitis) and Tommy Alexander. In 1959, Nikita Khruschev made his first visit to the US and stayed at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco. In a San Francisco News column of the time, George Dusheck describes the Khruschevs being served by a crew of waiters including John Alexander.
