Recently, Debbie Reynolds sold off her collection of Hollywood costumes and memorabilia in a huge blow-out auction that caused jaws to drop for two reasons: the historic significance of what she owned, and the prices that were paid for those items. For the next few weeks, I will feature some of the amazing pieces that were part of this auction.

How much would you pay for a crazy blond wig and a top hat? Probably not much. If the wig and hat belonged to legendary comedian Harpo Marx, then the value goes up exponentially, as in $45,000. Here's the description from the catalog:

Harpo Marx signature historic vintage top hat and wig acquired directly from him. Vintage ca. 1930’s collapsible pop-open fur and felt top hat (quite fragile, but intact) with internal attached blond wig, which was acquired directly from Harpo Marx, and worn by him in numerous on-screen Marx brothers film appearances. Gifted by Harpo Marx to Debbie Reynolds.

Here's a photo of Harpo himself, my very fave Marx Brother:



If you couldn't win Harpo's hat, then Charlie Chaplin's derby might have been another option for you—as long as you have a spare $110,000. Yes, that's right folks. It's amazing what a little head sweat from a star on an old black derby can do for the value!

From the catalog:

Charlie Chaplin signature bowler hat from numerous productions as “The Tramp” character. Signature black felt bowler hat with “London Best Custom Made” label. Gifted by Charlie Chaplin to the Hollywood Heritage Museum and acquired by Robert Nudelman for Debbie Reynolds’ collection.



Charlie can be seen resting between takes on the right side of this vintage photo:



Much of Reynolds' collection was acquired during the famous MGM auction of 1970; however, there were quite a few pieces from other studios, including this 20th Century Fox Shirley Temple "The Littlest Rebel" (1935) dress.

Shirley Temple “Virginia Cary” green plaid period dress with jacket from The Littlest Rebel. (TCF, 1935) Green plaid period dress with matching jacket. The dress has handwritten “Shirley” and stamped 5”130 2 27 7 3904.” Jacket has no label. Worn by Shirley Temple as “Virgie” singing “Polly Wolly Doodle,” visiting her father in jail, tap dancing on the sidewalk, and visiting the President at end of film in The Littlest Rebel.



Besides this scene with Bill Robinson, Shirley can be seen wearing this dress when she sits on the lap of President Abraham Lincoln. And yet, the dress sold for a mere $35,000. I guess people are more into stinky old hats and wigs than Shirley's Presidential outfit!



If these items seem a little low-brow to you, perhaps you'd care to acquire some paintings owned by William Randolph Hearst's mistress, Marion Davies.

Marion Davies monumental oil painting by Federico Beltran Masses from Davies’ estate. Oil painting of Marion Davies by Federico Beltran Masses (1885-1949) depicting various images of Davies measuring 6’ 4” long x 4’ 8” high x 2” deep. Special shipping arrangements will apply.



Shirley shouldn't feel so bad; Marion's painting went for a paltry $10,000. So much for art!

These two went for a bit more; $11,000 for this one:

Marion Davies oil painting. Large oil painting of Marion Davies in stripped pants and black jacket housed in a gold frame. Measures 81” x 41”. 3” tear on bottom left. Commissioned by Marion Davies and hung in her home. Special shipping arrangements will apply.



And $17k for this one:

Marion Davies oil painting. Large oil painting of Marion Davies in a floral vest housed in a gold frame. Measures 81” x 41”. Large amount of cracking and paint missing. Commissioned by Marion Davies and hung in her home. Special shipping arrangements will apply.



More to come! To see more classic Hollywood photos, visit my regular website.

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The upcoming restoration of the Sleeping Beauty Castle Diorama probably has me more excited than I've been for any new Disneyland attraction in over 10 years. April 29, 1957 marked the unveiling of the original, with Shirley Temple Black serving as the hostess. Both the entrance and exit areas of the Diorama at the back of the Castle had fanciful canopies that matched the Midieval Faire look of the original Fantasyland:



Eyvind Earle, the man responsible for the look of “Sleeping Beauty” also spearheaded the diorama project.



Here you can see the concept art Earle created for one of the scenes, followed by a rare photo of how it panned out in the original Diorama.





This image from the newly released Blu-ray version of “Sleeping Beauty” shows the virtual walk-through tour of the same Diorama scene. This virtual tour was crucial in selling the concept to the top brass for the actual Castle restoration.



Tony Baxter and Chris Merritt are two of the Imagineers who worked on this project and provided much of the blood, sweat, and tears that helped it to see the light of day.



Note the booklet that Baxter is holding; this commemorative souvenir was given to each person who toured through the scenes of the Diorama.



Additional copies were a mere 25¢!



Here in a behind-the-scenes section of the Blu-ray, Chris describes more information about one of the Diorama’s rooms:



Here are a few more scenes that you can view on the DVD and Blu-ray versions of “Sleeping Beauty”...and trust me, these shots do not do it justice. To see it in high-def is breathtaking.









For the handful of you that might be saying, “Big deal...a bunch of scenes from a 50 year old movie.” It may be hard to comprehend, but this Walkthrough paved the way for The Pirates of the Caribbean & Haunted Mansion attractions. Many of the special effects that debuted in the Diorama were later used in the other 2 beloved attractions. So what are you waiting for? Go pick up the newly restored “Sleeping Beauty” on Blu-ray or regular DVD at Amazon.com. See more vintage & current Sleeping Beauty Castle Diorama photos at my regular website.

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Coinciding with the recent restoration and re-release of the animated classic, “Sleeping Beauty,” I thought I’d do a few posts dedicated to it. Shot #1 shows America’s Princess, Shirley Temple, marching up to the Castle at Disneyland on April 19, 1957. Walt is on the left, son Charlie is holding up her cape in back, and as you can see in the detail shot, husband Charles is on the right carrying their daughter Lori. Shirley was onhand to do the unveiling of the Sleeping Beauty Diorama.



The animated feature “Sleeping Beauty” was still over a year away from being released. One of the things that makes the movie work so well was its leading lady, Mary Costa. The clarity and emotion in her voice gave Princess Aurora the perfect mix of innocence and rebellion.



To see Mary Costa today in the featurette section of the DVD is a total treat to watch. She is still lovely and gives heartwarming memories of her work on “Sleeping Beauty.” Born in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1930, Mary’s family relocated to Los Angeles while Mary was a teenager. After High School, she entered the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music to study with the famed maestro, Gaston Usigli. In 1952, Ms. Costa was personally chosen by Walt Disney to be the speaking and singing voice of Princess Aurora in “Sleeping Beauty,” which turned out to be a 7-year production.



In 1958, Mary substituted for Elisabeth Schwarzkopf at a gala Hollywood Bowl concert conducted by Carmen Dragon. Because of her glowing reviews, she was invited to sing the lead in her first fully staged operatic production, “The Bartered Bride.” Following these triumphs, Leonard Bernstein deemed her “perfect” as the leading lady for his “Candide,” which had both a U.S. tour and a London season, receiving great acclaim from critics and public alike. The San Francisco Opera then engaged Ms. Costa for several operas and she immediately became a favorite leading soprano. In 1961, Ms. Costa recorded “La Boheme” for RCA Victor from the stage of the Rome Opera House. This recording was re-mastered and re-released in 1998 and was awarded the RCA Victor Red Seal CD release of the month. The original recording has been used in music schools across the country as an example of a high standard of artistic singing.



Later in 1961, Mary sang her first “Manon” in Cincinnati, followed by an appearance at the Royal Opera House in London’s Covent Garden, where she sang in “La Traviata,” the opera in which she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera on January 6, 1964.



Ms. Costa’s Metropolitan Opera debut received one of the season’s greatest ovations and enthusiastic praise from critics. It is considered one of the most outstanding debuts of an American singer in the history of the company. One of Ms. Costa’s favorite remembrances was being chosen by Igor Stravinsky for the role of Anne Trulove in the San Francisco Opera’s production of the new work, “The Rake’s Progress,” which included an unforgettable three weeks of private vocal coaching in the Stravinsky home. Also considered a special occasion was the invitation to perform in the Western Hemisphere production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”



Among Ms. Costa’s most treasured memories, was receiving a personal request from Jacqueline Kennedy to sing for the John F. Kennedy Memorial Service. The President and Mrs. Kennedy had been following the career of the diva for many years. Mary’s choice to sing at the Bolshoi Opera in 1970, during her first tour of Russia, was “La Traviata.” She made such an impact on the audiences that she was asked to extend her two-week trip to an unprecedented thirteen weeks in order for audiences all over Russia to hear her. In 1972, Ms. Costa returned to film, and flew to Vienna to star in Andrew L. Stone’s feature film, “The Great Waltz,” singing the role of the wife of Waltz King, Johann Strauss, Jr., for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe.



In November of 1993, Mary was chosen as one of the “Women in the Performing Arts,” an award presented to her in Washington, DC at the opening of the National Museum of Women in the Arts. In the latter part of the 1990’s, Mary divided her time between personal appearances for the Disney Corporation, which afforded her the opportunity to raise funds on behalf of various charities. In August 2002, Ms. Costa was recognized, along with a panel of other Disney legends and performers, when the newly-digitized Disney classic, "Sleeping Beauty," opened at Hollywood's El Capitan Theatre. Rhett Wickham, a critic who covered the event, wrote, "[The panel] delivered some very articulate and often moving observations on the film. Chief among these was Mary Costa, whose true grace makes it seem for all the world like she has some angelic key-light that follows her." On February 5, 2003, Ms. Costa was nominated by President George W. Bush to serve on the National Council on the Arts from 2003–2006. In speaking about her responsibilities with the National Council on the Arts, Mary commented, “Throughout the years, I have had many mentors who helped further my career. Without their assistance, I would not have been able to accomplish numerous goals that were important in my life. I now have the opportunity through the National Council to be a mentor to deserving artists who are seeking to achieve their destiny. This is a wonderful chance for me to return to others a portion of that which was so generously given to me.” In my opinion, Mary Costa is a total class act. I hope you’ve all enjoyed this brief bio of a truly talented lady.



You can pick up the newly restored “Sleeping Beauty” on Blu-ray or regular DVD at Amazon.com. See more vintage & current Disneyland photos at my regular website.

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