Gene and Oscar were close friends of Dylan Thomas, first by mail. Oscar and Gene recognized his talent before World War II and Oscar was Dylan's agent for getting his poetry published in America.

This is one of Gene Derwood's paintings of Dylan Thomas, probably donated by my father to Harvard Library. It was assumed by Oscar that they would keep two of my mother's paintings of Dylan Thomas on the wall. Does anyone know where these paintings are now? It would be nice to have them back, says the son, Strephon Williams.

Unfortunately Oscar and Gene had no control over how Dylan was handled when Dylan came and did his speaking tours. John Malcolm Brinnin was Thomas' agent for his speaking tours. Brinnin's 'gang' kept Thomas out drinking with all the fans and poet tasters who fell in love with the Thomas image and poetry. Oscar and Gene were enormously upset at Dylan's not being protected. As Oscar told me, the drinks they gave Thomas were twice as strong as in Wales. Always free drinks and adulation from Brinnin and friends. This killed Thomas in America. I have the whole story with drugs and abuse, as told to me both by my father and by the Irish poet, George Reavey. Read more...