ALS: Tuesday, September 23, 1919

Provincetown, Mass.
Sept. 23, 1919.

My dear Madden:

As there is no mention in your letter of today of having received my telegram of yesterday regarding "Beyond" and the notice concerning that play in Sunday's Times, I presume your note was written before receiving it. I earnestly hope I shall have word from you tomorrow on that matter. This being in the dark about the production of a play on which rehearsals were long since supposed to begin is "no fun for a man"!

I cannot accept the Shadowland offer of $75. My only excuse for submitting the play to them was a belief that they paid big money -- 150 or 200 at least. (Even the most mediocre story in a first class magazine sells for more than that). The M. P. people evidently are pikers and the only thing left for them to do is return my script and call the deal off.

As for Williams, I want you to hand him my emphatic ultimatum. There is no such thing as a further extension of even one day on "Beyond". Either the play is produced by Dec. 1st or he loses his thousand! Make it clear to him that such is my absolute determination, and don't leave him a single hope that any plea or excuse will be listened to -- for it won't! I'm heartily sick of his stalling, and the termination of any hold he has on my work will certainly, in the light of his unfairness to me, not break my heart. If the Times notice be true, this will be the third time he has made "Beyond" wait on the production of some other play. Last season it was "Redemptions" -- then "The Jest" -- now it is some Chicago production in which Bennett is slated to appear before he can play in "Beyond".

This last is too much! My consideration for him ceases if this report is true, and I shall consider the forfeit of his money, in case of non-production by the date specified, as but a very inadequate return for the injury he has done me by holding up my play so long.

So put it to him as strongly as you like! Either he produces according to contract or he loses the play. And as for "The Straw", I cannot urge you too earnestly to pin him down to cases immediately and either get his money or else get the manuscript free to submit to Tyler, Hopkins and Belasco.

The time for damn fooling with Williams is at an end. I've taken my stand and I'm not going to be budged from it by any more of his futile subterfuges.

The present situation calls for decisive action on your part if you sincerely are interested in the future of my plays. I must request that, in justice to me, you keep me in closer touch with my affairs than you have lately. Confess now, it is rather hard for me to have to go to a Sunday newspaper for information about a play slated for immediate production! Your letter of today contains the first mention of "Beyond" I have had from you in nearly three weeks. And I have plenty enough to worry about right here at home without a complete outside uncertainty being piled on.

With very best regards,

Very sincerely yours,

Eugene O'Neill.