The Man with the Golden Arm was Algren’s great commercial success, and the harvest was reaped by others. The story is told, or at any rate that part which has any bearing on this discourse, in a classic letter from Nelson to Otto Preminger, producer of the movie which bore the title, if not the imprint, of the novel:
Hotel Vermillion
6162 West Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, California
February 16, 1955
Mr. Otto Preminger
Columbia Studios
1438 Gower Street
Los Angeles, California
Dear Mr. Preminger: