“American Idol” will finish its season this month with a whimper. Last night’s half hour results show hit an all time series ratings low: 6.92 million total viewers, with a 1.5 rating in the key demo. It ranked third at 9pm after “Two a Half Men” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” It was the 7th most watched show on broadcast TV for the whole night. The “I Heart Radio Awards” beat it in the demo, but not the audience. The Wednesday “Idol” did slightly better. But it shows that with any competition now,”Idol” is an afterthought for viewers. And for youngish audience, the interest is minimal at best. Two more weeks and the agony is over. Then Fox has to figure what the heck to do next.
Broadway: “Kinky Boots” Taking a Vacation as Univision Buys Out Theater for One Week
The Tony winning musical “Kinky Boots” is so hot that it finishes fourth every week at the box office after “Wicked,” “The Lion King,” and “The Book of Mormon.”
But next week it will seem like the Cyndi Lauper-Harvey Feinstein phenom has suddenly fallen out of favor. It will only show results from four performances next week.
Why’s that? Well, Univision has rented the Al Hirschfeld Theater for one week starting Thursday May 8 through Tuesday May 13th. They’re going to do their upfront presentations. They’ve bought out all 8 performances of “Kinky Boots,” lock, stock, and red leather.
The cast and crew will get a much needed week off, and the producers will cash a check as if every seat was sold out. Even though it’s a total sell out, the Univision money won’t be counted as box office. It’s a private sale and no one will be in the house but Univision execs and their stars. Maybe they’ll try on all those boots backstage!
A source tells me “Kinky Boots” made the deal last November, and knew it was coming so they blocked out the week.
Disappointed? Go see “Pippin,” or “Gentleman’s Guide,” or better yet, “Here Lies Love.”
Talking Heads Leader David Byrne’s Brilliant “Here Lies Love” Re-Opens off Broadway
The best show on or off Broadway, sorry Tony nominees, is the revived David Byrne musical, “Here Lies Love,” at the Public Theater. The kooky wonderful brilliantly staged show about, of all people, Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos, re-opened last night after a break of a few months. The Public says it’s there indefinitely. But if you don’t get down there right away, you are missing something important.
It’s easy to say “Here Lies Love” is new, fresh, refreshing, etc. Especially in light of the really awful original musicals of this season. But “Here Lies Love” is more than that. Byrne, director Alex Timbers (now on Broadway with “Rocky”), musical contributor Fat Boy Slim collaborated on something ingenious here. I guess the new name for this is immersive theater.” The audience is part of the show.
No, it’s not “Tony and Tina’s Wedding.” The audience is a character. Parts of the stage move so that the audience, mostly standing (there are some seats) flows with the sung-through show. We are spectators as Imelda meets Ferdinand after dating Benigno Aquino. She marries the Phillippine dictator and they become drunk with power. The audience– us — are the Filipinos who witness this trajectory.
Meanwhile, a small but hugely talented cast of almost all American-Filipino actors perform a kind of pop opera. Byrne’s songs are “immersively” catchy. The lyrics advance the story. The music ranges from rock to ballads with sparkling originality equal to Byrne’s best work with the Talking Heads. Everyone who’s heard the original score album and the best selling guest star album already has favorite numbers. From the title track to the potential top 40 rock hit “Why Don’t You Love Me?” the songs little masterpieces.
Of course, they wouldn’t without the actors. Ruthie Ann Miles is still a revelation as Imelda, and Jose Llana as charismatic and then some as Marcos. Conrad Ricamora is a breakout as Aquino (and apparently Hollywood has already come calling during the show’s break). There isn’t weak link in the chain. “Here Lies Love” has the most consistent cast in town.
During last night’s show, Byrne stood in the audience, danced with abandon, and had a grand time. What else would he do? He’s written something he can be confident is special. “The Great Gatsby” director Baz Luhrmann was a surprise audience member. He came with a friend, fell in love with the show, and visited the cast backstage.
See this show, that’s all I can say. Other than “Gentleman’s Guide,” it’s the best show in New York right now, or anywhere else. The only reason it’s not on Broadway was the producers couldn’t figure out how to move it without losing the interactive part. Byrne told me “we actually priced how to change over a theater and it was just too expensive.” Forget “If/Then.” This is “Right/Now.”
White House Correspondents Dinner: Fox Studio Oscar Winners Aren’t Sitting with Company’s News Division
Just checked out the lists posted for the White House Correspondents Dinner. What a change from previous years! The guests look like they’re going to a bad version of the Emmy Awards. What ‘s happened is the main network news divisions have recruited TV stars from their companies.
Actual movie stars? Even though 20th Century Fox released Academy Award Best Picture “12 Years a Slave,” the movie’s Oscar winners are not sitting with Fox News. Can you imagine? Lupita Nyong’o and Steve McQueen are sitting with TIME Magazine, owned by News Corp rival Time Inc. Of course, Fox News would be hard pressed to find appropriate employees to sit with this Oscar winning duo.
And the rest of it? “Jesse’s Girl” singer Rick Springfield? Actors from “Revenge,” “Glee,” “Nashville” and “Scandal”? I’m trying to figure out how Diane Lane (she’s very nice) is the only actress CNN could rustle up? JC Chasez? He’s the one from ‘NSync who’s not famous.
How about The Hill? They’re hosting– are you ready for this?– Connor Cruise, the teenage deejay son of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.
This is why Tom Brokaw has refused to attend this event. It’s only gotten worse and worse. But now the big movie stars are gone. And this is what they’re left with. I’d rather stay home and watch the Kentucky Derby.
ABC NEWS
Connie Britton, “Nashville”
Chip Esten, “Nashville”
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, “Modern Family”
Tony Goldwyn, “Scandal”
Hayden Panettiere, “Nashville”
Kelly Ripa, “Live with Kelly and Michael”
Eric Stonestreet, “Modern Family”
Michael Strahan, “Live with Kelly and Michael”
Sofia Vergara, “Modern Family”
Bellamy Young, “Scandal”
M.C. González Noguera, director of communications for Michelle Obama
Jeh Johnson, secretary of Homeland Security
Jack Lew, secretary of the Treasury
Lisa Monaco, deputy national security adviser to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism
Elizabeth Sherwood Randall, White House coordinator for defense policy, countering weapons of mass destruction, and arms control
Christian
Broadcasting
Network
Todd and Sonja Burpo, “Heaven is for Real”
Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins
CBS
Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”
David McCallum, “NCIS”
Brad Paisley, singer-songwriter
Kimberly Williams-Paisley, actress
Gloria Estefan, singer-songwriter
Emilio Estefan, musician
Spike Jonze, director
William Bratton, New York Police Dept. commissioner
Shaun Donovan, secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.)
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.)
CNN
Diane Lane, actress
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and Mary Pat Christie
Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R)
Reince Priebus, Republican National Committee chairman
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)
Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Deborah Dingell
Josh Earnest, White House special assistant to the president
Mo Elleithee, Democratic National Committee communications director
Creative Coalition
Jaimie Alexander, “Thor”
Drake Bell, “Drake & Josh”
Tim Daly, “Private Practice”
Omar Epps, “Resurrection”
Peter Facinelli, “Nurse Jackie”
Sean Giambrone, “The Goldbergs”
Jonathan Groff, “Frozen”
Cheryl Hines, “Suburgatory”
Emile Hirsch, “Into the Wild”
John Leguizamo, “Ice Age”
Rose McGowan, “Charmed”
Wendi McLendon-Covey, “The Goldbergs”
AnnaSophia Robb, “The Carrie Diaries”
Michael Shannon, “Boardwalk Empire”
Ian Somerhalder, “The Vampire Diaries”
Jeffrey Tambor, “Arrested Development”
Dean Norris, “Breaking Bad”
Marlon Wayans, “A Haunted House”
Mae Whitman, “Parenthood”
Constance Zimmer, “The Newsroom”
Fortune
Armie Hammer, “The Lone Ranger”
Elizabeth Chambers, “The Game Plan”
Patrick Duffy, “Dallas”
Fox News Channel
Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys, and Candice Romo
Matthew Morrison, “Glee,” and Renee Puente
Sir Patrick Stewart, actor, and Sunny Ozell
JC Chasez, singer
Jeremy Irvine, “War Horse”
Chace Crawford, “Gossip Girl”
Ryan Kwanten, “True Blood”
Will Poulter, “We’re the Millers”
Rick Springfield, singer
Katharine McPhee, “Smash”
Richard Marx, singer
MSNBC
Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
NBCUniversal
News Group
Samantha Power, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
Kevin Hart, comedian
Eniko Parrish, model
will.i.am, singer
Sage Kotsenburg, professional snowboarder
Denis McDonough, White House chief of staff
People
Scott Foley, “Scandal”
Joe Manganiello, “True Blood”
Lindsey Vonn, professional skier
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)
The Hill
Andy Roddick, tennis player
Brooklyn Decker, model
Spike Mendelsohn, chef
Nancy O’Dell, journalist
Connor Cruise, deejay
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.)
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.)
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)
The Huffington Post
Anna Kendrick, “Pitch Perfect”
Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks
Questlove, musician
Kristen Bell, “Frozen”
Thomson Reuters
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings Olivia Munn, “The Newsroom”
Darren Criss, “Glee”
Madeleine Stowe, “Revenge”
Ron Dermer, Israeli ambassador to the U.S.
Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
Jack O’Connell, “Unbroken”
Ray Mabus, secretary of the U.S. Navy
Jeremy Bird, political strategist
Christine Fox, acting deputy secretary of Defense
Courtney O’Donnell, Jill Biden’s former director of communications
Oliver Luck, director of intercollegiate athletes at West Virginia University
Time
Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”
Steve McQueen, director
Travis Kalanick, Uber CEO
Alfonso Cuarón, director
USA Today
Jessica Simpson, singer
Freida Pinto, “Slumdog Millionaire”
Jeff Goldblum, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Josh Gad, “Frozen”
Rosario Dawson, “Cesar Chavez: History is Made One Step at a Time”
Taylor Schilling, “Orange is the New Black”
Uzo Aduba, “Orange is the New Black”
The Washington Post
François Delattre, French ambassador to the United States
Anthony Foxx, secretary of Transportation
Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles mayor
B. Todd Jones, director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Leon Panetta, former secretary of Defense
Tim Pawlenty, former Minnesota governor
John Podesta, White House counselor
Rick Santorum, former Pennsylvania senator
Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY’s List
Garry Trudeau, “Doonesbury” creator
Yahoo News
Marissa Mayer, Yahoo CEO
Katie Couric, journalist
Bobbi Brown, Yahoo beauty editor
Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley
David Karp, Tumblr CEO
Jon Huntsman, former Utah governor
Matt Olsen, National Counterterrorism Center director
Cody Keenan, assistant to the president and director of speechwriting
Kathy Ruemmler, assistant to the president and counsel to the president
Eric Holder, U.S. attorney general
Sam Kass, “Let’s Move” executive director
Leonardo DiCaprio’s Second BFF Gets a Federal Prison Term
Leonardo DiCaprio does not have an Oscar. But he does have the distinction of being the only major box office star to have two different friends sent to federal prison. And it’s only within a 14 year time frame.
Leo’s BFF, art dealer Helly Nahmad, got a 366 day sentence yesterday in Manhattan federal court for participating in wide spread gambling scheme. Nahmad, 35, used over a $1 million from his father’s Madison Avenue art gallery to get involved with Russian gangsters.
Nahmad had proposed not going to jail but donating $100,000 a year to education programs. Judge Jesse Fuhrman wasn’t having it. At the sentencing the Judge said: “There is only one way for Mr. Nahmad to understand his actions have consequences … and that is to send him to prison.”
The judge observed of Nahmad’s proposal: “Doing good works before sentencing is as low-hanging fruit as it comes and he didn’t pick it,” the judge said. “It kind of baffles me, to be completely honest.”
Nahmad has been BFF with DiCaprio for several years, traveling with him all over the world. He was still part of DiCaprio’s entourage this past winter during the Oscar campaign for “Wolf of Wall Street.”
This isn’t Leo’s first pal to go to the slammer. In 2000, his erstwhile business manager Dana Giacchetto was sentenced to five years in prison on multiple counts of fraud. He was ordered to pay $14 million in restitution to his victims for subjecting them to his Ponzi scheme. The victims are still waiting.
Nahmad may not have learned his lesson. According to Bloomberg News: The judge said he was troubled by a secretly recorded call made by U.S. investigators in which Nahmad can be heard saying he would sell a Raoul Dufy painting at a price that was inflated by $50,000 and that he would split a $25,000 profit with another member of the gambling ring. Nahmad can be heard bragging that he was “raping” the buyer for the profit.
As part of Nahmad’s plea agreement, he forfeits $6.4 million and rights to the Dufy painting. He must turn himself in by June 16th to Otisville Prison in upstate New York.
The Nahmad Gallery, at the Carlyle Hotel, is still in business despite rumors that the scandal shut it down. Nahmad’s lawyers said at the sentencing that he’d lost his lease. In any case, the business built and run by his father until Nahmad Jr took over, is suffering in the aftermath of his notoriety.
Daytime Emmys Irony: Cancelled “One Life to Live” Nominated Instead of “General Hospital”
How weird. The Daytime Emmy nominations are out. “One Life to Live,” cancelled by ABC, then resurrected briefly online, was nominated for Best Drama. “General Hospital,” resuscitated by the “One Life to Live” team after it was cancelled, was almost completely snubbed.
What?
Not only that, “The Young and the Restless” male actors earned four of the five nominating slots, leaving one to “GH” and none to “Days of Our Lives” or “The Bold and the Beautiful.” The nominations are quite screwy. And so far, there’s no network to carry them. So it all may be a moot point.
The whole “One Life to Live”-“General Hospital” scenario is beyond bizarre. “GH” has come on like a firestorm for the last 18 months under the old “OLTL” regime. It also boasts at least two of the best actresses on TV– Finola Hughes and Nancy Lee Grahn. Neither was nominated.
My advice: ignore the whole thing, and just stick to enjoying your shows.
The rest of the Daytime Emmys nominees can be found somewhere on line– certainly not easily on the Emmys’ own website. Just about everything else on TV during the day was nominated for something including “TMZ.” That should tell you everything.
Paul Simon, Edie Brickell Release Post-Arrest Duet (Listen)
Paul Simon and Edie Brickell have released a post-arrest duet on SoundCloud. It’s called “Like to Get to Know You.” There’s no info with it, but my guess is that Steve Martin is playing the banjo. He and Brickell are working on a musical together. On Sunday, Simon and Brickell, as the world knows, were arrested at home in their $17 million New Canaan, Connecticut home on a domestic disturbance call. They subsequently held hands in court while explaining to the judge they weren’t a threat to each other. It’s a bizarre story, that’s for sure.
Here’s a couplet from the song–
Paul sings “I know how you like your coffee”
Edie responds: “I know how bad you lie”
Yikes! They need a bridge over troubled water!
Michael Jackson ‘New’ Single Written with Paul Anka is Actually 31 Years Old
The Michael Jackson single being released today was co-written with Paul Anka. It comes from the session Michael and Anka did for the song “This is It” in 1983– 31 years ago. Johnny Mathis covered it. Like that track, this one has been blown up and rearranged from the original demo. The songs were long forgotten until Jackson died. I wrote about all this in 2009 right after Michael died. Here’s the original demo:
Here’s another version:
And a clip of the new version:
My original stories about the Anka-Jackson records:
http://www.showbiz411.com/2009/10/14/20091014paul-anka-wrote-a-second-song-with-michael-jackson
http://www.showbiz411.com/2009/10/12/20091012michael-jackson-paul-anka-this-is-it
And here’s Johnny Mathis doing it way back in 1984:
Here are Michael and Paul Anka from their “This is It” session, from Anka’s “Duets” album:
The new album, “Xscape,” due May 13th, includes a cover of America’s 1972 hit “A Horse With No Name” with different lyrics. If it walks like a horse, and sounds like a horse, it’s a horse.
Mariah Carey Announces New Album, Title for May 27th, One Song Features Twins
Mariah Carey has just announced her new album due May 27th a year late. But here it is. “Me I Am Mariah The Elusive Chanteuse” is renamed from last year’s “The Art of Letting Go.” Carey says it’s a very personal album. DefJam is hoping it’s a hit album, too. Carey is opening the Today show’s summer concert series on May 16th to promote it. Last May she opened Good Morning America’s concert series to promote the original version that never happened. If this album isn’t released, next year she can do Fox & Friends.
But seriously, everyone’s crossing their fingers. My sources say no one’s actually heard the whole record yet, not even the label.
It does seem from the video that the album cover is printed, with a self portrait drawn by Mariah when she was 3 years old. One song, “Supernatural,” features her twins. The other songs are “Cry,” “Faded,” “Dedicated” featuring Nas, “#Beautiful,” “You’re Mine (Eternal),” “Thirsty,” “Make it Look Good,” “You Don’t Know What to Do” featuring Wale, “Meteorite,” “Camouflage,” “Money,” “One More Try,” and “Heavenly.” The latter seems like it will be a big gospel number. Not on the album is that single, “The Art of Letting Go.” Mariah has let that concept go.
Debbie Reynolds Puts Chaplin’s Bowler, Dorothy’s Red Shoes Up for Auction
Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds— sometimes known as Princess Leia’s mom (Carrie Fisher, in real life, so to speak) – was always smart about collecting Hollywood memorabilia. She’s had a museum, and I believe she’s had some pieces up for auction in the past. But now Reynolds is putting her big pieces up for auction on May 17th and 18th at the Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio in North Hollywood, California. I think all proceeds go to Debbie Reynolds. And why not? Her generation of performers never received the astronomical amounts paid today to stars. Plus, the business manager husband after Eddie Fisher ripped her off.
Here’s a list of what’s up thanks to auction house Profiles in History:
Pair of Elaborate Diamond Ear Pendants Gifted to Debbie Reynolds By Her Second Husband, Harry Karl. In 1960, Debbie Reynolds married shoe millionaire Harry Karl, who was known to spend lavishly on jewelry. These exquisite ear pendants suspend 2 exceptional pear-shaped diamonds, of D-E color (colorless grade) and VS1-VS2 clarity, with total approximate weight of 8.07 carats, mounted in platinum with 12 marquise-cut diamonds totaling approximately 10.43 carats, and 2 round brilliant-cut diamonds totaling approximately 1.25 carats. Gifted to Debbie Reynolds ca. 1960, these stunning ear pendants were worn by Debbie at numerous Academy Award ceremonies and when she met President Kennedy. Truly fit for Hollywood royalty.
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $250,000 – $350,000
The Famous Debbie Reynolds Touring Pair of Ruby Slippers From The Wizard of Oz! These slippers were on permanent display at the Debbie Reynolds Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas (The Hollywood Motion Picture Museum) and were exhibited next to her famous Arabian-pattern Ruby Slippers from 1994 to 1998. The slippers are a faithful recreation by Western Costume Company, who made the original Ruby Slippers for The Wizard of Oz. They are red sequined, 2-inch heel pumps with red bugle beads and round and rectangle faceted stones accenting the bow. The slippers are lined in yellow kid leather, each featuring a “Western Costume Co. Hollywood” label typewritten “Judy Garland” and “Wizard of Oz”. Western Costume Company created these replica slippers in 1989 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the film’s release. Originally sold for $5,000 per pair, these shoes were hand-made to the exacting standards of the originals, from the same patterns, and a very limited number were created. In November of 2013, one of the 15 replica pairs sold at auction for $35,000.
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $30,000 – $50,000
Signature Orson Welles’ “Kane” Mink Coat From Citizen Kane. (RKO, 1941)
One of the greatest American films of the 20th Century, Citizen Kane was nominated for eight Academy Awards and earned Orson Welles an Oscar for “Best Writing, Original Screenplay”. Welles was just 25 years old when he directed, co-wrote and starred as “Kane” in his very first feature film. Under the costume supervision of Edward Stevenson, this mink coat served as a symbol of the wealth and position of the character in the film. It is a significant piece of movie history from one of the most celebrated and acclaimed films of all time!
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $40,000 – $60,000
Elvis Presley’s Grand Piano From His Holmby Hills, California Mansion. Vintage Baldwin brand walnut grand piano with double-column pillar legs. Includes piano bench. Baldwin has been a leading manufacturer of pianos since 1895. Measuring 72 x 38.5 x 57.5 in., this grand piano was present in Elvis’ two-acre Holmby Hills home located at 144 Monovale Drive, which he and Priscilla Presley purchased in December of 1970.
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $12,000 – $15,000
Elvis Presley’s Pool Table From His Holmby Hills, California Mansion. (ca. 1970) Vintage carved wood, green-felted pool table. This pool table features carved wooden frame and ornate claw-foot legs, clean green felt, crisp rails and bumpers and dark rust-colored fringe-tasseled brown leather corner cups. No manufacturer’s mark present. Measuring 101 x 31 x 56 in., this pool table was present in Elvis’ two-acre Holmby Hills home located at 144 Monovale Drive, which he and Priscilla Presley purchased in December of 1970.
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $6,000 – $8,000
Elvis Presley’s Soda Fountain From His Holmby Hills, California Mansion. (ca. 1960s-1970s) Vintage soda fountain manufactured by Anderson & Wagner, Inc., Los Angeles. This commercial soda fountain is constructed of stainless steel with (1) sink, (2) ice cream freezers, (2) drink dispenser taps, (3) flavor dispenser canisters, and (3) pump syrup dispensers. Measuring 41.5 x 30 x 42 in., this soda fountain was present in Elvis’ two-acre Holmby Hills home located at 144 Monovale Drive, which he and Priscilla Presley purchased in December of 1970.
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $2,000 – $3,000
Charlie Chaplin Signature Bowler Hat. Signature black felt bowler hat with black ribbed satin band with two self-material buttons and two vent buttons. Gifted by Charlie Chaplin to the Hollywood Heritage Museum and acquired by Robert W. Nudelman for the Debbie Reynolds’ collection.
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $20,000 – $30,000
Historic “The Rat Pack” Tuxedo Ensemble: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford. Exceptional suite of (5) tuxedo ensembles representing the principal members of the Las Vegas “Rat Pack”, namely Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford. Debbie Reynolds was very close friends with the members of the Rat Pack and she directly obtained these personally-worn tuxedos from each of them; the only exception being the Lawford ensemble – a tailcoat and matching pants from his screen role in Mrs. Parkington – obtained at the famous MGM auction. Each of the other four ensembles consists of tuxedo jacket and pants, and white shirt (except Davis’ which is dark pink). Some of the ensembles include accessories like vests, cufflinks, bowtie, etc. Martin, Davis, Sinatra and Bishop groupings include shoes (Bishop has signed both soles). Lawford’s tail-suit contains original MGM labels marked for him. This is a prized grouping from Ms. Reynolds’ collection, representing a cornerstone of her Las Vegas museum.
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $20,000 – $30,000
Panavision PSR-148 35mm Camera Used on The Exorcist, The French Connection and Other Classic Films. (ca. 1950s-1980s) The Panavision PSR-148 was one of the original Panavision cameras. The PSR (Panavision Silent Reflex) was a remarkable camera in that it took the Mitchell technology and upgraded it to the highest technological possibilities available. This PSR had photographed hundreds of motion pictures in its original configuration as a Mitchell BNC owned by Metro Goldwyn Mayer. After Panavision partnered with MGM in the development of large format technologies for Raintree County and Ben Hur, Robert Gottschalk (president of Panavision) convinced MGM that he could develop a smaller camera to house the heavy equipment. Gottschalk began purchasing as many Mitchell cameras as possible, gutting the bodies so that the desirable movement could become the benchmark for their new, much smaller, lighter, and quieter camera. This is how Mitchell camera #251 came into Panavision’s machine shop where it was redesigned into the beautiful new PSR-148. Although records are difficult to track, interviews with cinematographers and camera assistants have discovered that PSR-148 was the “Master Camera” on Warner Bros. The Exorcist (1973), The French Connection (1971), The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight (1971), Play It Again Sam (1972) and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974). One of only a handful of privately-owned Panavision cameras in the world. Profiles in History sold Panavision PSR-153 used to film Star Wars in ‘Debbie Reynolds The Auction Part II’ for an astounding $624,000, which was in a similar configuration as the example here offered. In production-used, operational condition.
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $100,000 – $150,000
Historic Mitchell NC Standard #257 35mm Camera Used to Shoot Dracula, Frankenstein, Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Effects for Star Trek: The Original Series. (ca. 1920s-1930s) This historic Mitchell NC Standard #257 camera has an incredible lineage. According to Mitchell Camera Corporation records, camera #257 was originally purchased by Universal Studios in 1929 and was used to film All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931) and for special photographic effects for the re-release of 1925’s Phantom of the Opera. The camera remained in service at Universal until 1939 when Technicolor purchased the camera and rented it to the Disney Studio from 1939-1945. Some of Disney’s greatest works passed through this camera, including Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi and Dumbo. Technicolor loaned #257 to RKO Pictures Optical Effects Department for special photographic effects projects. It was there when multiple Academy Award-winning visual effects pioneer, Linwood Dunn, ASC, became familiar with what he considered one of the finest Mitchell cameras ever built. When Dunn left RKO in 1961 to start his own company, Film Effects of Hollywood, he rented Mitchell #257 and shot effects shots on West Side Story, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and virtually any prestige production needing special optical effects, including Star Trek: The Original Series.
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $40,000 – $60,000
Previously announced highlights include:
Vivien Leigh “Scarlett O’Hara” Pale Peach “New Bonnet” Hat Designed by Walter Plunkett from Gone With the Wind. (MGM, 1939) Petite very pale peach hat with ivory chiffon overlay and grey metal hat pin accented with large faux pearls and ivory chiffon tie. Designed by Walter Plunkett. Worn by Vivien Leigh as “Scarlett O’Hara” when she visits Ashley (Leslie Howard) at the mill with her “New Bonnet” in Gone With the Wind. Obtained by Debbie Reynolds directly from the Selznick family.
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $20,000 – $30,000
Grace Kelly “Linda Nordley” Safari Outfit Designed by Helen Rose From Mogambo. Worn by Grace Kelly as “Linda Nordley” arriving at the priest’s compound. It was also worn in the final scene of the film as she and her husband board the boat to return home in Mogambo (MGM, 1953).
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $3,000 – $5,000
Gregory Peck “General Douglas MacArthur” Military Jacket and Shirt from MacArthur. This dark olive wool Eisenhower style jacket with 8th Army Air patch, chest pin, pair of stars on the epaulettes and a pair of U.S. pins on the lapel was worn by Gregory Peck as “General Douglas MacArthur” on television with the Japanese leader and when he is informed of his retirement in MacArthur (Universal, 1977).
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $800 – $1,200
Harpo Marx Signature Vintage Top Hat and Wig Acquired Directly From Harpo. The vintage 1930’s collapsible pop-open fur and felt top hat with internal attached blonde wig was acquired directly from Harpo Marx, and attributed by him to numerous appearances.
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $20,000 – $30,000
Disney Studio’s VistaVision Motion Picture Camera Used to Film Mary Poppins, Tron and Other Features Through the 1980s and Borrowed for Use on Star Wars. This was Disney’s only VistaVision camera and was used for visual effects composite shots on Mary Poppins (1964), Tron (1982) and other Disney films throughout the 1980s. Academy Award-winning visual effects genius Richard Edlund of Industrial Light & Magic borrowed this camera for use in creating the effects shots on Star Wars (1977).
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $60,000 – $80,000
Ingrid Bergman “Ivy Peterson” Period Dress Designed by Adrian from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Later Worn by Angela Lansbury in Gaslight. Worn by Ingrid Bergman as “Ivy Peterson” when she visits Spencer Tracy (as Dr. Jekyll) at his office in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (MGM, 1941). Three years later under the costume supervision of Irene, dark grey pleated material was added to the collar and back bodice for Angela Lansbury’s Oscar-nominated role as “Nancy”, when she is across the street from the house when Charles Boyer is apprehended in Gaslight (MGM, 1944).
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $4,000 – $6,000
Mae West “Ruby Carter” Black and Ivory Period Dress Designed by Travis Banton for Belle of the Nineties (Paramount, 1934). Worn by Mae West as “Ruby Carter” when she goes to the big fight with Ace Lamont (John Miljan) in Belle of the Nineties.
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $3,000 – $5,000
Wooden Chest From Quo Vadis, Julius Caesar and Valley of the Kings. Wooden chest with gold-painted metal ornaments and Greek key decorations. Used in Nero’s (Peter Ustinov) bedchamber when he receives the news of Petronius’ (Leo Genn) death in Quo Vadis (MGM, 1951) and in Julius Caesar with Louis Calhern “Julius Caesar” threatening Lana Turner (MGM, 1953) and in the tomb of the Pharaoh with Robert Taylor “Mark Brandon” and Eleanor Parker “Ann Barclay Mercedes” in Valley of the Kings (MGM, 1954).
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $400 – $600
Extremely Rare Singin’ in the Rain Three Sheet Poster (MGM, 1952). Widely considered the most attractive poster for one of the best Hollywood musicals of all time, as well as the most beloved and respected title in Debbie Reynolds’ extensive film repertoire. This exceptionally well-preserved and complete oversize poster is, to our knowledge, the only known complete original in this format to be publicly offered for sale, as only a single incomplete version shows in auction records as changing hands some years ago. This is quite possibly the only opportunity in the conceivable future to own one of the greatest rarities in vintage film-poster collecting.
Auction Pre-sale Estimate: $3,000 – $5,000
“We are excited to produce our third and final auction for Debbie Reynolds, who spent most of her lifetime amassing the single greatest Hollywood collection in the world. Her first two sales generated a world record $25 million dollars, so it’s nice to see the market appreciate the time and energy Debbie devoted to her collection,” said Joe Maddalena, owner of Profiles in History.