Eloise in Paris (Signed by Kay Thompson and Andy Williams)

"In a worn binding of dark blue paper-covered boards stamped brightly in silver on the front boards and on the spine. Slight repair to the bottom 2" of the spine with some paper missing. With light soiling and mottling to the front and rear boards. Internally very clean and tight. In an attractive, price-clipped dust jacket featuring Eloise gazing out at fireworks and the Eiffel Tower from her hotel balcony. This copy is boldly signed and inscribed in blue ink over two pages from the copyright page to the verso of page 1: "Kay ThompsonFor Jack Lazaar Allo Cheri. Moi Eloise. and Andy Williams" (in red ink).Thompson discovered Williams and promoted him as a singer: Andy Williams revealed in his memoir "Moon River and Me" that he and Kay became romantically involved while on tour, despite the age difference (he was 19 and she was 38). The act broke up in 1949 but reunited for another hugely successful tour from the fall of 1951 through the summer of 1953. Kay Thompson(bornCatherine Louise Fink; November 9, 1909[1] July 2, 1998) was an American author, singer, vocal arranger, vocal coach, composer, musician, dancer, actress, and choreographer. She is best known as the creator of theEloisechildren's books and for her role in the movieFunny Face. Kay Thompson, a former radio star who was head of the vocal department at MGM, had a nose for talent and she hired the remaining three Williams Brothers to sing in her large choir on many soundtracks for such MGM films as The Harvey Girls (1946). When Bob was done with his military service, Kay hired all four of them to sing on the soundtrack to Good News (1947). By then, Kay Thompson was tired of working behind the scenes at MGM so, with the four Williams boys as her backup singers and dancers, she formed a nightclub act called Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers. They made their debut in Las Vegas in 1947 and became an overnight sensation. Within a year, they were the highest paid nightclub act in the world, breaking records wherever they appeared. Andy Williams revealed in his memoir "Moon River and Me" that he and Kay became romantically involved while on tour, despite the age difference (he was 19 and she was 38). The act broke up in 1949 but reunited for another hugely successful tour from the fall of 1951 through the summer of 1953. After that the four brothers went their separate ways. Andy and Kay, however, remained very close, both personally and professionally. She mentored his emergence as a solo singing star. She coached him, wrote his arrangements, and composed many songs that he recorded (including his 1958 Top 20 hit "Promise Me, Love" and, later, "Kay Thompsons Jingle Bells" on his 1964 No. 1 "The Andy Williams Christmas Album"). Using her contacts in the business, Kay helped Andy land his breakthrough television gig as a featured singer for two-and-a-half years on The Tonight Show starring Steve Allen (it helped that the producer of the series Bill Harbach was Kays former aide de camp). Kay also got Andy his breakthrough recording contract with Cadence Records (the labels owner Archie Bleyer had gotten early career breaks because of Kay and he owed her a favor). Meanwhile, Andy sang backup on many of Kays recordings through the 1950s, including her Top 40 hit Eloise based on her bestselling books about the mischievous little girl who lives at the Plaza Hotel in New York. Kay also served as a creative consultant and vocal arranger on Andys three summer replacement network television series in 1957, 1958, and 1959. In the summer of 1961, Kay traveled with Andy and coached him throughout his starring role in a summer stock tour of the musical "Pal Joey". Their personal and professional relationship finally ended in 1962 when Andy met and married Claudine Longet and Kay moved to Rome.".…