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It rapidly became evident that the authors liked Phyllis at sight because she's warm, she's intelligent, she's attractive. Of course, she was busy with a little baby and, after a five-year lapse, Jonathan arrived.

That first important author who liked Phyllis very much was Eugene O'Neill. I can still remember nights with Eugene O'Neill, one in particular at this house, when we had Burl Ives and his wife and Eugene O'Neill and his wife as our guests for dinner. I told Burl to bring his guitar with him because I had heard Gene sing some of his old sea chanties, and if we could get Gene started....! He was very ill and Carlotta was making him miserable because she was always reminding him how sick he was when he was having any fun.

You told a little bit about this.

That night, Burl started singing after dinner and, sure enough, Gene began remembering songs. A light came into his eyes and he began having a wonderful time. Carlotta got indignant as the songs got dirtier and dirtier. Carlotta, the great prude, said “I won't stay for this. It's disgraceful.” So Gene said, “All right. Go home.” Off she marched. We said that we'd get him home. He was already very shaky on his pins. We wouldn't trust him to go home alone. But he sat here for hours, he and Burl Ives singing these songs! Can you imagine what a treat that was?