Marilyn Monroe's will and Di's wedding cake among memorabilia up for auction

London, October 10 (ANI): More than 800 artifacts, including hundreds of props and costumes from some of Hollywood's most iconic films, have gone up for auction in the exclusive Los Angeles suburb of Beverly Hills.

The trove of celebrity memorabilia range from Judy Garland's 'Wizard of Oz' dress, Marilyn Monroe's will, to a slice of cake saved from Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding in 1981.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe's death and a number of her iconic items including a skirt that was immortalized in the candid photographs taken by John Vachon along with her personal collection make-up in a black check make-up bag.

But perhaps one of the most interesting items in the Monroe collection is her last will and testament.

In it she directs that 10,000 dollars is bequeathed to her half-sister Bernice Miracle and another 50,000 dollars to her secretary May Reis and "all her personal effects and clothing" to her acting teacher Lee Strasberg.

She also left money to her psychiatrist Dr Marianne Kris, the Daily Mail reported.

Other items on sale are Christopher Reeves' original 'Superman' IV suit, a chair from the set of 'Casablanca' and kung-fu king Bruce Lee's diamond-encrusted gold ring.

The most expensive item on sale is the blue and white gingham frock worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 blockbuster 'Wizard of Oz', which still has its original pinafore and blouse, and is expected to fetch 600,000 dollars.

A serigraph print of Leroy Neiman's 'Happy Birthday Mr. President' is set to go for 5,000 dollars, and an 8mm film reel of the President's birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden.

The eight-minute film shows images of President John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Lyndon B. Johnson, Henry Fonda, the event's host Peter Lawford and many other performers and guests.

Award winning film wardrobe designers also highlight the historic sale including William Travilla, who dressed Monroe in eight films, Adrian Adolph Greenberg and Edith Head.

Many of the costumes that brought classical favourites to life will be offered, like Katherine Hepburn's jacket from 'Desk Set', Rita Hayworth's Orry-Kelly designed period gown from 'The Strawberry Blonde', Bette Davis' costume from the finale of 'The Great Lie', and Julie Andrews' dress from her beloved role as Maria in 'The Sound of Music'.

Many costumes synonymous with popular culture will also be auctioned off that will include tough guy Steve McQueen's distressed jeans from the 1966 drama 'The Sand Pebbles', Pierce Brosnan's James Bond suit from 'Goldeneye' and Angelina Jolie's 'Girl Interrupted' costume.

In 1959, Elizabeth Taylor married her fourth husband Eddie Fisher in Las Vegas three and a half hours after Fisher's divorce from Debbie Reynolds had been finalised.

Their wedding certificate is on sale for between 4,000-6,000 dollars.

The auction will be held at Julien's Auctions on November 9 and 10 2012. (ANI)

Related Videos

  • 50 people washed away as heavy rains lash Uttarakhand

    Dehradun, June 17 (IANS) Over 10 people are feared dead and 50 were washed away as heavy rains continued to lash Uttarakhand Monday, officials said. …

  • Venkaiah Naidu asks Nitish not to poke his nose into BJP's internal matters

    Chennai, June 17 (ANI): Taking potshots at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after he accused the saffron brigade of 'betraying and cornering' its senior elders in an oblique reference to the sidelining of Lal Krishna Advani, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said every party should take care of its own outfit and not poke its nose into other parties. …

  • UPA will get a third term: PM

    New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday said he is confident that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) will get a third term. …

  • Rebuilding Infosys will take 3 years, says Murthy

    Bangalore, June 15 -- It will take at least three years to rebuild Infosys, newly reappointed executive chairman NR Narayana Murthy told the company's annual general meeting in Bangalore on Saturday shortly after being formally elected a director of the company. On June 1, Infosys had dramatically announced that Murthy, who had retired two years ago, would once again lead the company that had fallen behind its peers on growth and other metrics."The challenge is daunting and the task is tough. …

  • Nitish clarifies as BJP releases an old video of him praising Modi

    Patna, June 17 (ANI): Reacting to the BJP releasing his 2003 speech in which he praised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as a leader with a future outside the state, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said the speech was made as a railway minister and should not be taken as a political speech. …

  • RAW founder B Raman passes away in Chennai battling cancer

    Chennai, June 17 (ANI): One of India's foremost security experts and one of the founders of India's external intelligence wing-the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Bahukutumbi Raman passed away in Chennai on Sunday evening after a prolonged fight with cancer. He was 77. …

  • Manmohan Singh inducts eight new Ministers

    New Delhi, June 17 (ANI): As the Congress Party gears up for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Monday inducted eight new faces in the Council of Ministers. …

Loading...