Someone with a spare $26,000 bought a piece of pivotal movie history, after an original copy of the 1927's "The Jazz Singer" script sold at auction this weekend.
The auction, held by Julien's in partnership with TCM April 22-23, featured more than 1,400 items from classic movies to modern fare and included the "Jazz Singer" script, which was the personal copy of studio head and mega producer Darryl F. Zanuck.
Headlining the auction were the white disco suit worn by John Travolta in 1978's "Saturday Night Fever" (which sold for $260,000) and more contemporary "Harry Potter" and "Iron Man" items.
Among the highest priced items at the auction: a cigarette box used in 1931's "Dracula" sold for an unexpected $130,000. The ornate brass box was an original 1891 item, but was used as a prop in the Universal movie (both the English-language version starring Bela Lugosi and the Spanish-language version shot at the same time starring Carlos Villarias).
For classic movie fans, the auction is a treasure box, from a spate of Marilyn Monroe items to "Wizard of Oz" and "Gone with the Wind" memorabilia.
Digging through the auction materials and more, here are a few highlights from the silent era and Golden Age of Hollywood.
Marilyn Monroe items
One of the highlights of the auction is the several pieces of Marilyn Monroe memorabilia. Rare contact sheets (the sheets of photos printed tiny to look at many photos at once) from Monroe's last movie 1960's "Let's Make Love" are included. According to auction organizers, Monroe went through the sheets herself and marked through images not approved by her.
The black swimsuit she wore in "There's No Business Like Show Business" was up at auction as well as vintage and limited editions of various photos of the star, including several from photographer Andre de Dienes. Checks, signed photos, movie posters, lobby cards, wardrobe test photos, scripts, receipts and more.
Theda Bara's 'Cleopatra' headdress
One of the highlights from early cinema history is the headdress worn by Theda Bara in 1917's box office behemoth "Cleopatra" (photo at top). Only seconds survive of the total film, which makes this piece of movie history all the more interesting. And expensive: the winning bid came in at more than $58,000.
Toward the end of her life in 1955, Bara gave Joan Craig a number of her costumes. According to the auction site, Bara called the headdress one of her favorites and said she designed it herself.
'Gone with the Wind' artifacts
Clark Gable's smoking jacket worn in "Gone with the Wind" -- complete with costume tag identifier sewn in -- was part of the memorabilia from the 1939 classic in the auction. Also at the auction: a cast-signed shooting script, the journal of Vivien Leigh's stand-in/body double during the making of the movie and more.
Charlie Chaplin's cane
Another piece of Hollywood memorabilia is a Charlie Chaplin cane, which fetched $39,000 at the auction. The cane was an integral part of Chaplin's iconic Little Tramp character, although it's unknown whether this exact cane was used in any of his films.
Chaplin gave it to Danny Kaye, probably sometime in the 1940s. In the 1960s or early 1970s, Kaye then gave it to Howard Morris, a Chaplin fan and character actor who was on Kaye's television show and most remembered as the mountain man character Ernest T. Bass on "The Andy Griffin Show."
Harpo Marx's nudies!
Apparently, Harpo Marx would strip down to his birthday suit at the drop of a hat for a laugh. On the set of 1932's "Horse Feathers," he did just that and photographed it. He sent a couple as a joke to assistant director Charlie Barton as the movie wrapped filming.
Greta Garbo's original artwork
After she famously (or infamously) left the Hollywood biz, Greta Garbo focused on art. A piece of art by Garbo depicting an angel in flight was sold by a Garbo family member during the auction.
'Wizard of Oz' memorabilia
Never-before-seen photo negatives taken on the set of 1939's "Wizard of Oz" are part of the "Wizard of Oz" memorabilia at auction, offered up for sale by the family of the original photographer. Also on board: The cast of 1939's "Wizard of Oz" signed a 1910 copy of "The Emerald City of Oz" book and it sold for $45,500 in the auction. The pages include signatures for Judy Garland, Margaret Hamilton, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley and Frank Morgan. Also up: a Judy Garland photo album and vintage Judy Garland fan club materials.
Even more ...
- Mary Pickford contract and photos
- Costumes and clothes worn by Elizabeth Taylor from various movies and events
- Bette Davis' ring worn as Queen Elizabeth in 1955's "The Virgin Queen"
- Greta Garbo letter, check and script
- Flapper dress worn by Jean Hagen in 1952's "Singin' in the Rain"
- Faded blue velvet costume worn by Virginia Mayo in 1950's "The Flame and the Arrow"
- Mae West periwinkle blue glass bead jewelry and ivory beaded purse
- Faux diamond necklace worn by Greer Garson in 1951's "The Law and the Lady"
- Signed letter from Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Joan Crawford
- Charlie Chaplin 1914 poster
- Doris Day letter, costume sketches
- Harold Lloyd letter, keybook photos, signature
- Carole Lombard script, signed photo
- Stan Laurel signed check ($25.50), gold watch gifted to Hal Roach,
- Marx Brothers drivers licenses (including their fingerprints!), movie poster, a Harpo nude photo
- Lillian Gish letters
- Film stills and promotional photos for Louise Brooks, Marion Davis, 1933's "Alice in Wonderland," Marlene Dietrich and more.
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