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Cilfford Odets and His Favorit Artist

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Cilfford Odets and His Favorit Artist KLEE GOES TO HOLYWOOD – CILFFORD ODETS AND HIS FAVORIT ARTIST OSAMU OKUDA SUMMARY It’s fairly well known that American dra- collection or what specific works it includ- matist and scriptwriter Clifford Odets ed. In fall of last year, I started investigating (1906-1963) collected many artworks by the many unknown aspects of Odets’ Klee Paul Klee shortly after World War II. A pho- collection as part of an editing project for a tograph taken in 1951 showing Odets in his digital edition of Klee’s oeuvre. In the pro- study next to a wall covered with closely cess, I began to feel it was necessary not hung Klee works offers particularly im- just to reconstruct Odets’ collection, but to portant historical documentation of the understand it in terms of his work as a dra- reception that Klee’s works received in matist and the historical conditions in which the United States and has often appeared he lived. This article is an interim report on in essays and catalogues focusing on that the progress I’ve made thus far. theme However, very little research has been conducted on how Odets built his Klee Prologue age of 30, he was nicknamed the “Bernard It’s fairly well known that American Shaw of the Bronx” and was truly the dar- 1dramatist and scriptwriter Clifford ling of the age. Later, in the 1940s and ‘50s, Odets (1906-1963) collected many artworks he left political themes behind and focused by Paul Klee shortly after World War II. A instead on various aspects of the American photograph taken in 1951 showing Odets in Dream as seen from a personal point of his study next to a wall covered with closely view, but he never again achieved the kind hung Klee works offers particularly impor- of celebrity he enjoyed in the ‘30s. What is tant historical documentation of the recep- fascinating from our point of view, however, tion that Klee’s works received in the United is that Odets began collecting artworks, es- States and has often appeared in essays pecially those by Klee, just after the war in and catalogues focusing on that theme (FIG. the mid-1940s, when Communism was per- 17). However, very little research has been ceived as an enemy ideology and American conducted on how Odets built his Klee col- society was roiled by the possibility that lection or what specific works it included. scriptwriters, actors and film directors Odets is recognized as one of the most im- in Hollywood where Odets worked were portant American dramatists of the first card-carrying Communists. Of course, as half of the 20th century. His friend, the ac- a professional scriptwriter himself, Odets tor Marlon Brando, once commented that had ample income, which was probably “To me, he was the thirties.”1 This pithy as- the first condition that an art collector had sessment reflects Odets’ stature as a new to meet. Another important factor was the playwright at the Group Theatre during fact that Odets became acquainted with the the Great Depression, who wrote many hit art dealer J.B. Neumann (full name Jsrael plays performed in quick succession that Ber Neumann, 1887-1961) who made Klee had a leftist political viewpoint. Becoming paintings available for a relatively low price. well established in his career before the Neumann had moved to New York from ZWITSCHER-MASCHINE NO. 4 / AUTUMN 2017 ARTIKEL / KLEE GOES TO HOLYWOOD 27 Berlin in 1923 and opened a gallery; he fright forced him to quit.4 It’s also worth was a pioneer in introducing Americans to noting that Odets was not without con- modern German art. Odets was therefore nection to Reinhardt himself, having been able to learn from him about Klee and other deeply impressed by a production of the members of the European avant garde and play The Miracle staged by Reinhardt on receive advice. Odets moreover dabbled in Broadway in 1924. Also, Odet’s second wife painting himself. Although his works were Luise Rainer, whom he married in 1937, had influenced by Klee, he also developed a until 1935 performed at the Theater in der variety of original styles2 and had two solo Josefstadt in Vienna, where Reinhardt had exhibitions at Neumann’s gallery. In fall of been the intendant. Neumann’s interest in last year, I started investigating the many theater and performance was evident af- unknown aspects of Odets’ Klee collection ter he became an art dealer in the projects as part of an editing project for a digital edi- he planned for his galleries. His first foray tion of Klee’s oeuvre. In the process, I began was in Berlin in January 1918 at his gallery to feel it was necessary not just to recon- Graphisches Kabinett, where he hosted struct Odets’ collection, but to understand Richard Huelsenbeck’s famous “First Dada it in terms of his work as a dramatist and Lecture in Germany.” After immigrating to the historical conditions in which he lived. New York, Neumann continued to include Of course, my research has not progressed lectures, concerts and performances in to the point where I can fully explicate these his gallery programs. He was particularly issues. This article is therefore an interim fond of the plays of Bertolt Brecht, and was report on the progress I’ve made thus far. an opera lover as well; as mentioned in his personal notes, he frequently attended per- 2. Odets and Neumann formances of such works as Mozart’s Don Odets met the art dealer J.B. Neumann Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro, and in 1940. Odets was with stage designer Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier.5 For Boris Aronson, doing preparatory work his part, Odets was no less an enthusiastic on Odet’s play Clash by Night. They were music aficionado than Neumann; in 1924 visiting Staten Island in New York Harbor, he became “America’s first disc jockey” by where the play is set.3 Though the focus of hosting a radio show on WBNY that featured the story was a tragic love triangle, the play classical and modern music combined with indirectly reflected Odet’s antiwar senti- improvised narration.6 In his critical bi- ments. Premiering as it did shortly after ography of composer Aaron Copland, who Japanese forces attacked the U.S. Navy at was Odets’ friend, the musicologist Howard Pearl Harbor in December 1941 (marking Pollack mentions Odets’ obsession with the beginning of America’s participation in music: the Pacific War), the play ended in failure. “Odets was passionate about In any case Aronson, a native of Kiev, had music. He loved Mozart, Schubert, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1923, the same especially Beethoven, in whom he saw, in year as Neumann, and enjoyed initial suc- earlier years at least, a prefigurement of cess as a stage designer influenced by communism. He became good friends not Russian Constructivism. Beginning in the only with Copland but with Hanns Eisler, mid-1930s, however, he also began creat- with whom he collaborated on a number ing traditional, realistic stage designs. In of projects. He amassed a large records 1935, he was the stage designer for Odets’ collection of old and new works […]. Odets Awake and Sing!, which was performed by especially admired Copland’s music, and in the Group Theatre. Aronson was also ac- 1939, flush from the success of Golden Boy, tive as a painter and had participated in an he agreed to commission the Piano Sonata exhibition organized by Neumann. It seems (1941), which was dedicated to him, for plausible that Aronson had invited his $500. […] In the early 1950s, he attempted friend Neumann along on the Staten Island to interest Copland in writing another piano trip with Odets. In his youth before becom- sonata or a string quartet in exchange for a ing an art dealer, Neumann had aspirations Klee that he owned.”7 of becoming a stage actor and attempted Viewed in this way, one can un- to study at the Max Reinhardt Seminar in derstand how Odets and Neumann shared Berlin, but his inability to conquer his stage similar interests and cultural backgrounds ZWITSCHER-MASCHINE.ORG NO. 4 / AUTUMN 2017 ARTIKEL / KLEE GOES TO HOLYWOOD 28 despite the nearly 20-year difference in could hardly be called a smashing suc- their ages. Of course another unifying fac- cess, Barrymore did win an Oscar for Best tor we can’t overlook is their shared Jewish Actress in a Supporting Role, Grant was heritage rooted in Russia and Eastern nominated for Best Actor, and composer Europe, but it was works of art, particularly Hanns Eisler was nominated for Best Music. those of Klee, that tangibly deepened their In 1946, Odets wrote the screenplays for the friendship. film noir Deadline at Dawn and the comedy As early as 1921, Neumann had Humoresque. The latter in particular proved already organized a Klee exhibit in this popular, ranking 46th in box office receipts Graphisches Kabinett gallery in Berlin. for 1947. After relocating to the United States, he This was the period when Odets wrote a letter to Klee saying how, from began to get serious about collecting works 1930 on, he had fallen increasingly in love by Klee. Choosing not to deal exclusively with Klee’s work and had begun working to with Neumann, he also bought paintings disseminate it in America.8 The first fruit from Neumann’s competitors, includ- of those efforts was a Klee show mounted ing Curt Valentin of Bucholz gallery (re- in the New York Museum of Modern Art named Curt Valentin Gallery in 1948); the (MoMA) in 1930.
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