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jim harbert hill Stafford music media productions * 10874 willow crest pi ?╟≤ studio city, calif. ?╟≤ 985-2564 June 26, 1973 Mr. Donn Arden c/o MGM Thalberg Building Culver City, California Dear Donn: This is a sad letter for me to have to write. I have decided not to take the job of Composer and Musical Supervisor for your "Grand Hotel" production. It's a particularly rough decision for me ?╟÷ for I know this show is going to be a sensational production with plaudits for e?erybody involved. Nonetheless, there are times in everyone's life when difficult choices have-to be made. As you know, the thing I want most in life is to have a go at Broadway, TV, and Film... with my own original book, music, and lyrics. I am juggling three such projects for the Fall" "Becket" with John Williams; my own "Hang-Ups" musical; and a third offer to write the book, music, and lyrics'for a TV special based on "Rumplestiltskin" (to be filmed in Germany). Taking the Grand Hotel for six months means I must forget all of these projects ?╟÷ and they will die on the vine. I hope you will understand that this is an agonizing decision for me. First, you and I have had over ten years together (pretty successful ones); second, in your field I think you are, without doubt, the "best in the biz" ?╟÷ and I will miss the fun (and even the fights!). Thirdly, whatever I know of show music, most of it has been learned from you, and I owe you a lot for your belief in my talent. One last apology to you, Al, and Bernie: I didn't really mean to stall you so long, but such is the nature of Broadway show business (on again, off again, you have the production money, you don't have it, and so on). All I can say is: forgive my delay and indecision. One last word: My suggestion is that, like Broadway productions, you hire a staff consisting of a composer-pianist, a lyricist, a musical supervisor (could be the conductor), one or two solid orchestrators who know the problems of writing for a small Vegas orchestra, click tracks, vocal rehearsals, and so on; you may (because of the film) also