I feel like singing the Battle Hymn of the Republic and Singin’ in the Rain and every high school Fight Song EVER.

Two lovely, gorgeous, amazing, wonderful, delightful and NOT AT ALL SURPRISING bits from a handwritten letter from Nelson Eddy (whose distinctive handwriting is unmistakable) to Jeanette, Christmas, 1935. What we’ve been able to learn is he’s thanking her for Christmas—not for a present—but for the sharing of the holiday. “And yes, he tells her he loves her!”

If you’re excited right now, raise your glass.

If you still don’t think this is real, raise your eyelids.

He closes, thus:

PLEASE NOTE THAT THAT IS YOUR.

NOT YOURS.

YOUR NELSON.

THERE ARE FOUR LETTERS THERE. Y O U R.

HER NELSON.

Air. I need air. I need air to breathe.

Nearly adequate expression of my feelings, below:

PROOF OF THE PROOF, ASSHATS.

Remember that time when the ASSHAT SAINTS SCOFFED AT THE 14K GOLD CHARM BRACELET NELSON GAVE JEANETTE THAT ENDED UP WITH HER SISTER SORRY I’M NOT SORRY THAT I’M YELLING BECAUSE YES I AM EFFING YELLING. THIS IS FOR YOU, KIDS, JUST FOR YOU.

Anyway, REMEMBER THAT??? YOU DIDN’T THINK IT WAS REAL, YOU ROLLED YOUR EYES, SHARON RICH PROBABLY MADE THAT UP TOO RIGHT, YEAH, OKAY.

HERE’S THE LINK TO THE LETTER. THIS IS EXACTLY AS IT WAS LAID OUT IN MADELINE BAYLESS’S PRESENTATION. She owns the gold charm bracelet now. I’m trying to be calm and it’s not working.

READ IT AND WEEP, JERKS. PLEASE DON’T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT.

PERSONALIZED CHARMS. INCLUDING ONE OF MEN’S UNDERWEAR WITH A HEART SHAPED PADLOCK ON THEM. BECAUSE THAT IS THE SORT OF THING YOU GIVE THE WOMAN WITH WHOM YOU ARE HAVING WILDLY SATISFYING AND MOST EXCELLENT SEX.

Picture of Eddie Nelson on the back (well, okay, they bungled his name but even the layperson who saw this realized that it was, in fact, not Gene Raymond’s unfortunate mug in the picture).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Actress-Jeanette-MacDonalds-Sister-Elsie-Scheiter-Jewelry-Photos-Description-/171805811819

Here’s the charm bracelet presentation from the Mac/Eddy Club Meeting of June, 2013:

I can’t even, right now. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

HA.

Rose Marie Original Portrait

Here’s a picture I acquired recently: an original (not a reprint) portrait of Jeanette and Nelson in Rose Marie. This is one of my favorite poses from this film—it was before the makeup man, Fred Phillips, got ahold of Nelson and slathered him up with pancake makeup on direct orders from the front office (according to an interview with Phillips). It was before they broke up (this time). It was before Jeanette got pissed off and chucked his signet ring in the lake (notice he is wearing it here). It was before everything got messed up. They are young and in love and so, so beautiful. The natural, tender, casual way he’s holding her finger just slays me. I’ve seen this picture many times, scanned many ways, and this is the clearest version of it I’ve ever seen. I have scanned it at high resolution, so please feel free to download it, share it, print it, frame it and ENJOY IT (just don’t be an ass and try to profit from it). Wallpaper the world with them! They should be enjoyed. They would, I feel, want it that way. 🙂

Click the image to get to the full sized version, then save it.