A Letter to Three Wives brought in $2.8 million in rentals, not enough to crack the year's box-office top 20. Still, it was a respectable take for the period.

During filming, Mankiewicz had an affair with leading lady Linda Darnell that would last for years. Mankiewicz was notorious for his flings with actresses, particularly those who, like Darnell, were searching for a father figure and had serious emotional problems. They got together while she was still married to cameraman Peverell Marley, with whom she had recently adopted a child. Darnell and Marley would divorce in 1951, the same year Fox dropped her contract and the affair ended. Mankiewicz was married to actress Rose Stradner the entire time.

In his memoirs, Kirk Douglas hinted at an affair with his leading lady: "I played an English professor. Ann Sothern played my wife. We rehearsed the relationship offstage."

In the original story, Rita's husband was named Josh and was a factory worker. Mankiewicz may have made him a teacher because of his own family's love of education. He also gave the character two of his own habits, pipe smoking and correcting others' English.

In choosing a Shakespeare play for Kirk Douglas' character to direct, Mankiewicz went with Twelfth Night, which provided a parallel to the plot of A Letter to Three Wives. In both works a letter (Addie Ross' letter in the film and the letter stating Olivia loves Malvolio in the play) misleads a major character.

The radio commercial for "Crazy Eddie" heard when the Manleighs have dinner with George and Rita Phipps was a spoof of an actual New York car dealer, Earl, "Madman" Muntz, known for his high-energy ads.

Judy Garland would claim that she had inspired the comic bit in which Paul Douglas, distracted after kissing Darnell, lights his cigarette with his car's cigarette lighter and throws the lighter out the window as if it were a match. According to Garland she once did this during her affair with Mankiewicz in the early '40s.

Memorable Quotes from A LETTER TO THREE WIVES

"To begin with, all the incidents and characters in this film are fictitious, and any resemblance to you -- or me -- might be purely coincidental." -- Celeste Holm, as the voice of Addie Ross.

"Why is it that sooner or later no matter what we talk aboutÉwe wind up talking about Addie Ross."
"Maybe it's because if you girl's didn't talk about me you wouldn't talk at all." -- Jeanne Crain, as Deborah Bishop, and Holm, as the voice of Addie Ross.

"Do you remember your first night in town? That was a first Saturday in May, too. Is it Brad? Is it Brad?" -- Holm, as the voice of Addie, triggering the first flashback, involving Crain as Deborah Bishop.

"People in the show business, you know what I mean, those kind of people always drink scotch."
"Well, I know what you mean, but I wish you wouldn't say it in radio English. 'That kind,' not 'those kind.'"
"There are men who say 'those kind' and earn $100,000 a year."
"There are men who say, 'Stick 'em up,' who earn even more. I don't expect to do either." -- Kirk Douglas, as George Phipps, criticizing wife Ann Sothern, as Rita Phipps.

"The cap's out. It makes me look like a lamb chop with pants on." -- Thelma Ritter, as Sadie, refusing to dress up too much for dinner with the Manleighs.

"Tempo fugit. Right, Professor?"
"Almost." -- Hobart Cavanaugh, as Mr. Manleigh, attempting to impress Kirk Douglas, as George.

"Sadie may not realize it, but whether or not she thinks she's listening, she's being penetrated."
"Good thing she didn't hear you say that." -- Cavanaugh, as Mr. Manleigh, and Kirk Douglas.

"(Radio) Gracias."
"That means 'thank you.'"
"Gracias." -- Florence Bates, as Mrs. Manleigh, translating for Linda Darnell, as Lora Mae Hollingsway.

"The purpose of radio writing, as far as I can see, is to prove to the masses that a deodorant can bring happiness, a mouthwash guarantee success, and a laxative attract romanceÉ. 'Don't think,' says the radio, and we'll pay you for it! Can't spell 'cat?' Too bad -- buy a yacht and a million dollars to the gentleman for being in our audience tonight! 'Worry,' says the radio! Will your friends not tell you? Will you lose your teeth? Will your body function after you're thirty-five? Use our product or you'll lose your husband, and your job, and die! Use our product, and we'll make you rich, we'll make you famous!" -- Kirk Douglas.

"Don't feel badly."
"'Bad,' not 'badly.' You feel badly this way. (Wiggling his fingers above his ears)" -- Bates, as Mrs. Manleigh, attempting to comfort Sothern, as Rita Phipps, only to be corrected by Kirk Douglas.

"I want my wife back." -- Kirk Douglas, ending an argument with wife Sothern, as Rita, over her writing job.

"I've got everything I want." -- Darnell, as Lora Mae Hollingsway, claiming Addie's letter hasn't bothered her.

"If I was you, I'd show more o' what I got. Maybe wear somethin' with beads."
"What I got, don't need beads." -- Ritter, as Sadie, and Darnell, as Lora Mae.

"Can't we have peace in this house even on New Year's Eve?"
"You got it mixed up with Christmas. New Year's Eve is when people go back to killing each other." - Connie Gilchrist as Ma Finney and Ritter.

"You win. I'll marry you."
"Thanks for nothing."
"Now what kind of answer is that?"
"I don't know. I just felt like it. That's all."
"We'll do all right. We're starting out where it takes most marriages years to get, out in the open. No jokers. You'll see. You've made a good deal, Lora Mae."-- Paul Douglas, as Porter Hollingsway, proposing to Darnell.

"I'll be at the Callahans playing --"
"Happy New Year, Ma. We're gonna be married."
"Bingo!" -- Darnell, catching Connie Gilchrist, as Ma Finney, by surprise.

"What do you want me to do about it -- build you a personal broadcasting system?"
"You don't need a station. Just yell a little louder." -- Paul Douglas, as Porter, and Darnell.

"I've been a good wife. The best wife your money could buy."
"Strictly cash and carry."
"Isn't that what you wanted? Isn't that what you told me? 'Out in the open. You made a good deal, kid.' Did you ever stop to think, Porter, that in three years there's one word we've never said to each other, even in fun?"
"To you, I'm a cash register. You can't love a cash register."
"And I'm part of your inventory. You can't love that, either."
"I asked you to marry me because I was crazy about you."
"You didn't even ask me!"
"I've been a good husband. You got everything you want."
"If you'd only asked me, if you'd only made me feel like a woman instead of a piece of merchandise!"
"Did you give me a chance to? All you ever showed me was your price tag." -- Darnell and Paul Douglas.

"Heigh-ho. Goodnight, everybody." -- Holm, as the voice of Addie, ending the film.

Compiled by Frank Miller

SOURCES:
The Ragman's Son by Kirk Douglas