Beverly Hills, California - (December 12, 2024) Set against the elegant backdrop of the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, Julien's Auctions and Turner Classic Movies (TCM)’s “A Week of Hollywood LEGENDS” four-day year end spectacular got underway Tuesday, December 10th and Wednesday, December 11th in high style and high reaching results with its presentation of Classic Hollywood glamour.
Some of the most indelible objects from the Golden Age of Hollywood to today’s modern and contemporary film and television classics to treasures from the screen’s most luminous icons Marilyn Monroe to Sir Laurence Olivier and Joan Plowright shined on the auction podium.
Perhaps the most famous pop culture artifact in Hollywood, Judy Garland’s “Dorothy” Ruby Slippers clicked its heels to an astounding $104,000, twenty times its original estimate of $5,000. This pair of “Dorothy” Ruby Slippers commemorating the 50th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz in 1989 was made by Western Costume Company who were commissioned to make a limited number of these Ruby Slippers and believed that they worked on the beading for the original pairs back in 1939. Other highlights from The Wizard of Oz included Judy Garland’s iconic blue and white gingham pattern pinafore worn by Garland on October 31, 1938 in a wardrobe test photograph for her role as Dorothy which sold for $65,000 and a hardcover main cast signed 1903 The Wizard of Oz book that sold for $44,450 four times its estimate of $10,000.
The legacy of British stage and screen royalty Sir Laurence Olivier and his wife, the legendary Baroness Olivier, Dame Joan Plowright were feted with their most distinguished awards for their most iconic roles taking top honors on the auction podium as well as items from their Sussex Estate such as: Sir Laurence Olivier’s 1948 Venice Biennale Golden Lion Award ($35,750, three and a half times its original estimate of $10,000) and 1948 Best Actor Golden Globe both for his famed role as "Hamlet" ($29,250 nearly three times its original estimate of $10,000); Olivier’s BAFTA Award ($26,000 twenty six times its original estimate of $1,000); Olivier’s 1982 Golden Globe "Cecil B. DeMille" Award ($22,750 five and half times its original estimate of $4,000); Olivier’s 1956 "Richard III" Golden Globe Award ($19,500); Joan Plowright’s 1961 Antoinette Perry "Tony" Best Actress Award for A Taste of Honey ($13,000 thirty two times its original estimate of $400); Plowright’s Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe Awards for her roles in 1992’s Stalin ($16,250) and 1992’s Enchanted April ($13,000); Olivier’s Cartier Gold and Platinum pocket watch ($10,400); Olivier’s 1981 Great Britain Order of Merit medal ($16,250); Vivien Leigh’s 1952 British Film Academy Award for best actress for A Streetcar Named Desire ($22,750 seven and half times its original estimate of $3,000); a rare photo album of black and white photographs and publicity stills of Vivien Leigh ($16,250 eight times its original estimate of $2,000) and more.
Marilyn Monroe’s most glamourous and legendary items from her life and career from the Actor’s Studio to her Brentwood, California home appeared including her 1962 arm chair ($19,500); gold tube "Helena Rubinstein" mascara ($6,500 nearly eleven times its original estimate of $600); purple eye shadow called "Lumino Violette de Parme," ($6,500) and her 1960 Actor's Studio notebook containing notes in her hand writing that include references to her musical number in Let's Make Love ($26,000).
“A Week of Hollywood Legends” kicked into high gear on Thursday, December 12th with a heart racing collection of Sci-Fi, Horror and Action props and memorabilia from blockbusters, Ghostbusters, Jurassic Park, The Giant Spider Invasion, Conan the Destroyer, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Fantastic Four, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Friday the 13th Part VII and beyond with the event’s grand finale “Property from the Estate of Olivia Newton-John” on Friday, December 13th which featured the Hollywood icon and music superstar’s legendary Grease leather jacket.