Typed Letter Signed

1987. unbound. Typed and signed letter from Ted Turner to Washington Post columnist Tom Shales. Turner writes "Just read your story on 'Charge of the Light Brigade' and am glad we've done something you like". The correspondence was in response to a surprisingly positive review Shales gave to the colorization of the 1936 Errol Flynn film Washington Post. He felt the "muted, subtle and... powdery" colors improved the desert adventure spectacle, serving as a deft enhancement rather than an abomination.

Robert Edward Turner III was an American businessman, television producer, media proprietor, and philanthropist. He founded CNN, the first 24-hour cable news channel, and WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television. Turner also founded the television networks TNT, TBS, Cartoon Network, and Turner Classic Movies.

This is a new item from the collection of Television critic Tom Shales (1944 - 2024). Shales was an incisively funny Washington Post columnist, he earned the nickname Terrible Tom and had the clout to make or break shows. Shales won the Pulitzer Prize for criticism in 1988. During his three-decade career those in the industry considered him both a kingmaker and a high executioner in an era when network television's hold on American culture was at it's peak. Time magazine called him "brilliant, thoughtful, incisive and screamingly funny...also, vicious, infuriating, cruel and unfair". His thrice-weekly Washington Post TV column, 'On the Air,' syndicated in 59 other newspapers. The Tom Shales collection includes letters, cards and correspondence from celebrated television and entertainment legends, newscasters and politicians, including letters from Norman Lear, David Letterman, Johnny Carson, Conan O'Brien, Garry Shandling, Fred Rogers, Carol Burnett, David Brinkley, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Edward Kennedy, Nancy Reagan and many more. Please inquire for more information.