Twenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing by the Warden of Sing Sing Prison.

Lawes, Lewis (Warden) (Signed dedication page laid in))

Published by Ray Long & Richard R. Smith, Inc., 1932

About this Item

Splendidly bound in bright black finely woven cloth stamped brightly in silver and red on the front boards and on the spine. Very clean and tight. In a striking dust jacket designed with prison bar motifs by Samuel Schaeffer. With the original price of $3.00 at the bottom of the inside front flap; and with light chipping and some small pieces missing at the top and bottom of the spine ends. Note: This copy has two dedication pages, one laid in and signed by "Lewis Lawes" in purple ink and underscored. The printed dedication reads: "To those tens of thousands of my former wards who have justified my faith in human nature." The signed dedication page fits seamlessly over the original dedication page, but has not been glued in. A very handsome collectible copy and rather scarce with Warden Lewis Lawes' signature. Lawes was Warden of Sing Sing from 1920-1941. This book was the basis for Warner Brothers movie staring Spencer Tracy and Bette Davis and directed by Michael Curtiz. During the early sound era, the subject of prison reform was rarely addressed in Hollywood movies until the release of I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang (1932) which generated a storm of controversy and sparked public interest. After that, the topic became a subgenre of the crime melodramas so popular at the time and, not surprisingly, most of the best entries were from Warner Bros. who specialized in contemporary films with urban settings, often based on true events. This was particularly true of 20,000 Years in Sing Sing (1932) which was based on the memoirs of Lewis E. Lawes, the former warden of Sing Sing. Lawes began his career as a nineteen-year-old prison guard and rose through the ranks to his eventual appointment as governor of Sing Sing. Like his predecessor, Thomas M. Osborne, Lawes was committed to educating the press and the public about the harsh realities of prison life and programs that could successfully rehabilitate prisoners. Many of his experiences would serve as source material for other popular prison dramas such as Over the Wall (1938), You Can't Get Away with Murder (1939), and Invisible Stripes (1939). Because the studio so valued Lawes's involvement in 20,000 Years in Sing Sing he was given final approval of the script and the finished film. In exchange, Lawes arranged for director Michael Curtiz and his cast and crew to have access to Sing Sing where several scenes were shot using actual prisoners - a rare instance of on-location filming for a major studio during that era. (TCM) First Edition with matching dates of 1932 on the title and copyright pages. Seller Inventory # 215

Bibliographic Details

Title: Twenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing by the ...

Publisher: Ray Long & Richard R. Smith, Inc.

Publication Date: 1932

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Near Fine

Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good

Signed: Signed by Author

Edition: 1st Edition.