I have limited experience with Hollywood other than an amazing behind-the-scenes tour of CBS Television City when I was about eight-years-old. My dad knew someone who knew someone, who got us the private tour. While being escorted around, my brother and I spotted Ken Curtis in the lunch commissary. Curtis played Festus on the show Gunsmoke. We excitedly ran up to him with our autograph books and pleaded, “Can we have your autograph?” He glared at us and yelled, “Can I have your autograph PUHLEEEEZE!” Yep. I was scolded and given a lesson in etiquette by Festus.
We also walked onto multiple sets including the beach and lagoon on Gilligan’s Island. At the time I didn’t think much of it, but suppose I could have picked up a handful of sand as a souvenir....
Such mementos may seem trivial. Far from it. They now represent big bucks to nostalgic TV fans. Proof of that will be seen later a few weeks from now on June 2 – 4 at a phenomenal memorabilia sale being held by Heritage Auctions in Dallas.
On the block will be one-of-a-kind items from television and film. If that sounds like fluff, consider the chairs in which Edith and Archie Bunker sat on the show All In The Family. (The two originals from the first seasons of the show were donated to and are on display at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. When the show was renewed for another season, exact duplicates had to be created. For sale are those latter two chairs with a starting bid of $100,000.)
On the block also is the mini golf cart driven by “Tattoo” on Fantasy Island. So too for Buddy Ebsen’s (Jed Clampett) bolt action rifle he used in personal appearances. The range of artifacts includes a raft of wearables from the bus driver uniform worn by Jackie Gleason in the 50’s classic The Honeymooners to a houndstooth suit worn by Our Gang alum Billie “Buckwheat” Thomas. Or a smoking jacket from Ricky Ricardo. The bidding for each of those begins at $20,000.
None of that holds a candle to the original Star Fleet Captain’s tunic shirt worn by William Shatner in the first season of Star Trek. For that, bids begin at $90,000. Now, add to that the pique to be created when a pair of prosthetic Vulcan ear tips worn by Leonard Nimoy as “Spock” hits the block. Trekkies everywhere will be drooling. Also, an original Bozo The Clown costume and accompanying wig are guaranteed to horrify any child.
For someone with exceptionally deep pockets and an aversion to anonymity, the actual place where “everybody knows your name” is also set to be sold. It’s the entire bar from the TV show Cheers including the full bar, brass rails, leather stools, back bar set, brass light fixtures, glassware and even the black telephone. The opening bid is $100,000 but estimates are way higher.
The list honestly goes on and on with iconoclastic items dating from the 1950’s to the 2000’s. The “Bat Phone” from the Bat Mobile; the Joker’s costume; Lawrence Welk’s conductor’s baton; Johnny Carson’s desk, chair and couch; David Lettermen’s Tonight Show set; the original Star Trek landing party communicator with phasers; the captain’s uniform worn by Gavin MacLeod on The Love Boat; the directional sign from the M*A*S*H compound (the interior signpost version also is on display in the Smithsonian); the Frasier radio show microphone; a roomful of Huxtable family furniture from The Cosby Show; and hundreds of other items – enough to fill this entire newspaper.
There are a few items I personally recall. One is the life preserver with SS Minnow on it plus the hats worn by the Skipper and Gilligan. Yep. I saw those in person “way back when.” And, there is Marshal Matt Dillon’s five-pointed star badge he wore on Gunsmoke. Again, on the set I saw James Arness wearing that badge which now has a starting bid of $10,000.
All of the lots for sale as well as the current high bids for them can be seen online at www.HA.com. A word of warning. If you visit the site, plan on spending a considerable amount of time perusing the lots for sale. It’s like an endlessly fond and familiar rerun.
For more collecting information and advice, log on to: http://prexford.com/.