What's your prized Hollywood possession worth under $500?

My Tina Turner wall clock that was stolen from my neighbor.

The memory of Arnold's fart smell in my face.

We'll, if you're not talking worth, the yellow glass bowl I paid $1.98 for when I was dirt poor in the 1980s. It glows like crazy.

Three letters from Sondheim

Which three letters, R4?

I assume you mean "showbiz" possession, OP? A Cher Show is showbiz, not a Hollywood production.

The letters may well be worth more than $500.

Phyllis!

A William Travilla costume sketch of Richard Burton from 1955's The Rains of Ranchipur. Although it is worth WAY more than $500.

Charles Nelson Reilly's Codpiece from Match Game.

I used to have this Judy costume.

[quote] The letters may well be worth more than $500.

Probably not. Sondheim answered every letter sent him. There are thousands out there.

R3 here. Mea culpa. Ain't nothing Hollywood about my bowl. Not even Hollywood Bowl.

Oops, my Judy costume doesn't count. I sold it for over $3,000.00.

I have an autographed program of the theater Funny Girl, yes, sighed by Miss Streisand Herself. She didn't sign it in front of me - I found the program at the Museum of the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center "dumping all junk" fair in 1979. It's got to be worth $100.

My uncle gave me an old Playboy magazine that had Marilyn Monroe as its centerfold. I liked her a lot when I was a young gay so I guess he was trying to be my buddy.

Mare Winningham. She's worth about 400 bucks, and she's crashing in my basement.

Old Hollywood: I have an autographed picture of Ramon Novarro.

Broadway: I have an autographed manuscript of the song "Our Little World" from Stephen Sondheim. South Pacific sheet music autographed by Mary Martin.

Literary: First editions autographed by Douglas Adams, George Burns, Gracie Allen, and Jean Kerr.

It's so dumb. I normally hate things like this.

But I'm a huge Rafa Nadal fan and I met him years ago. First and only time I have ever asked a celeb of any variety to sign something (and I grew up in LA!).

But I did. And he did. It was just a piece of paper.

I framed it and have it all my wall. I assume it's worth nothing, but for some reason I love it.

1940s/50s autograph book signed by Mickey Rooney, Louis Armstrong, Ginger Rogers. Got it for $10 at an antique fair in Irvine

Old Judy at Carnegie Hall window card purchased from an eldergay who was prepping to move to a retirement community.

Bret Easton Ellis' cumstain on my first edition copy of The Rules of Attraction.

@r21 will you be prepping to move to a retirement community anytime soon?

^Those go for $3500 and up in excellent condition.

An old receipt from Walmart with Shane Klingensmith's autograph on the back.

R13 Why do you suppose it glows?

R11 Over $500 or not, please tell us how you came to own it.

Forgot - I also have a signed by Billie Jean King right in front of me at Madison Square Garden around 1990 - a copy of her coffee table book autobiography called We Have Come a Long Way Baby. It's the obnoxious book, the true story, unlike that kiss-ass bunch of clap trap autobiography that came out earlier this year. I'd say it's worth over $30! This isn't officially "Hollywood," but since there's a few bio-pics of some of Billie Jean's life, I'm mentioning it.

I have the original Millennium Falcon, but it might be worth more than $500.

A copy of Jane Fonda's 2012 book on ageing: "Prime Time: Love, health, sex, fitness, friendship, spirit; Making the most of all of your life". I won it as part of a Twitter giveaway.

I also have an autographed photo from Ms. Coco Peru, enscribed to me. I purchased it from her merch store, along with a few t-shirts. I've loved her for decades. It was the least I could do!

[quote] "A copy of Jane Fonda's 2012 book on ageing: "Prime Time: Love, health, sex, fitness, friendship, spirit; Making the most of all of your life". I won it as part of a Twitter giveaway."

For some reason, I neglected to mention that this is also autographed.

@r30 I think I liked the sentiment more thinking it wasn't autographed

r11 - I worked at a costume rental/sales shop seasonally. There was a circular rack with various costumes from stock that were for sale. I saw it and knew it looked familiar and then it hit me. The owner had purchased a few items through the years from Western Costume. I tried to remain calm, knowing it could have been one of the other chorus girls. I found the Western Costume label and it said...Judy Garland.

It was just the main one shouldered piece. It was missing the under "blouse" (if you will). I think I paid $20-$25 for it. So for a short period of time I had a Sharaff-designed Judy Garland costume!

^r27 oops

@r33 wow what a story, I would be freaking out seeing that tag and taking it to the register

A postcard written by George Cukor to Joan Crawford. For real.

I had a friend who was married to Arnold Palmer's niece. He got me a picture where he signed it and addressed it to me. I also got one from him for a hat for golf tournament my company sponsored and it is now in their "museum." The friend said he was a great guy.

Two:

1. Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Cindy Birdsong autographs---Obtained by me in person, 55 years ago this week, at the Greater Allentown (PA) Fair. My 3 h.s. friends and I literally blocked their town-car with a banner, at which point the Supremes signed photos for us!

2. Tim Curry autograph---Obtained by me at the "Spamalot" stage door, when he obliged me by signing my RHPS album cover!

OP, Bob Mackie is going to be on the TCM Classic Cruise this year, along with Richard Dreyfus!

I kind of was, r35. I was hoping the owner didn't notice my shaking hands.

I have this, r36...

R26, when the sun hits it, it's like it has its own light source.

A caricature of me drawn by Dan Castellaneta as publicity when we were in high school shows.

Under $500?

My net worth.

I have a CD single to "The Day After That"signed by Liza Minnelli. She looks absolutely stunning on the cover! So glad I got to meet her backstage and had her sign it before one of her concerts.

I have the piece of tooth Liza chipped on a quaalude.

I have an ABBA poo

The silver plated presentation bowl given to Carol Channing for her 1982 appearance on the Love Boat. It was in that auction last June that we discussed here on DL.

You paid $300 for that piece of shit?

^Hey now, he eats lots of creamed corn from it.

Liberace's ass.

VHS copy of “Deep Throat” signed by Harry Reems.

I had a Harry Reems signed 8X10, r52, but I ended up selling it on eBay...which is where I originally got it.

Its worth nothing but I have a set list from a Tori Amos concert given to me by a roadie from the stage after the last encore.

Its worth so much to me and its a great memory from Boston when I lived there. (And its cool to see what she didn't play that was on the original setlist)

Aw that is really special, R54. Very cool

a note from Gertie

Arnold Palmer is Hollywood, R37????

Was thinking of I had anything remotely Hollywood in association and remembered I have some things from a household furniture and decorative arts Sotheby's sale of Cher's discards from her collection. It was at the time she moved from one house to what I think may still be her house, the house were different in style and she weeded out things accordingly. It was one of the first online ventures of Sotheby's and bidders were uncomfortable with the format and everything went quite cheaply, the provenance brought almost nothing to maybe two-thirds of the stuff and not much when it was a factor. Wish I had bought more; the then under $500 items were bargains then and have done well over rime, Hollywood provenance aside.

was this her more medieval gothic home style? @r58

Topps 1964 set of four The Beatles bubblegum cards I bought way back then.

R39, And you know someone is going to say to Dreyfuss, "You're gonna need a bigger boat."

Mine is a Prada bag I got from Sandy Bullock

A Gene Autry autograph that my mom got as a little girl in about 1940.

Mines a small background prop from Xena, Warrior Princess

I don't know what they're worth but I have a collection of original print photos of Joe Dallesandro's erotic pics from early on in his career -- my boss found them among a different stash of BRUCE OF LOS ANGELES photos and my boss knew I liked Joe so he gave me my pick.

Problem is I think Joe is underage in most of the photos so I don't know what to do with them. DL sleuths, tell me what to do! I'm not harboring child pornography here with these thing am I? They seem to sell on legit auction sites for real money -- here's a link to one from the same shoot all mine are from, only mine's not autographed

For the premier party of the movie musical "Hairspray" in 2007 which was at the long demolished Roseland Ballroom, the centerpieces were balanced on tall cans of actual hairspray with the movie logo on them. They were strewn everywhere once the party ended and I took one home. I should have taken a few cases of them, I bet I could get $50 a can now!

An action figure of Robin Hood signed by Kevin Costner. He was making "The Postman" at the time in rural Washington State and signed the figure as an apology for having begged off with an interview with me.

I have an autograph from Alex Haley whom I met at a grocery store while he was shopping for deodorant.

A framed 11 x 14 photo of Petula Clark and me, with the copy of the 'Downtown' Lp she had just signed for me in front of us.

1)I was 14 yrs. old in 1969 and George Maharis picked me up in front of the Gold Cup restaurant on Hollywood Blvd. He took me to a cheap motel room and fucked my nelly ass off. Before he dropped me off he wrote down his phone number signed with his first and last name. 2) I blew Mitch Ryder backstage at the Whisky a Go Go in 1973. I stole his leather jacket with his name embroidered on the lining. 3) A polaroid snapshot of myself on my knees sucking off Jerri Raggni (writer and star of "Hair"). 4)George Furth's script with notes from his play "Company". 5) George Furth's script + notes from the movie "Shampoo". 6) signed to me and autographed plaster cock casts of Dennis Hopper, Joey Ramone, Lance Loud, Klinton Spilsbury, Alan Ginsberg, Joe Dallesandro, Micky Roark, Charles Bukowski, Slash (Guns and Roses), John Doe + Darby Crash. BTW: the plaster casts were made when the gentlemen were loaded & horny out of their minds + either at the beginning or dead end of their careers.

Who "shops" for deodorant?

I never understood the point of autographs. Was it so you could show people you "met" a famous person years after the fact?

And what celebrity would go along with that? "Oh, hi, famous person. You're just out buying deodorant or working, and you don't know me, but could you please sign this slip of paper and never see me again?"

It's one of those cultural things we will soon look back on with confusion and amusement.

[quote]What's your prized Hollywood possession worth under $500?

Tomorrow's thread: "What city do you live in?"

The next day, "Does your street have a Neighborhood Watch?"

R72, You are very young, aren't you? Or just emerged from your WW II cave?

You know, r73, the personal stories on DL are many of the best, and to me, a major reason for being here. Your sneering simply shows you to be an arse.

R74 Under 40, at least. But my question is valid.

Really, step back and think about the concept. Is it really a prize to own a piece of paper or merchandise that has a famous person's signature on it? So what? Why do people collect, buy, and sell such things? It's not a connection to the person's inner self, or a reflection of their talent as an actor/singer/athlete. It's just their signature. Everyone has one of those, and famous people signed so much crap that one individual signature surely isn't anything rare.

Explain it to your grandkids: "Why is the signature of a dead stranger so valuable?"

It was a joke, r75. It had nothing to do with anyone's stories on this thread, and was a joke implying that OP was asking so he could come steal all our cool stuff.

Fuck off, you malicious little shit.

[quote]It's one of those cultural things we will soon look back on with confusion and amusement.

No...we won't. Signatures are a *thing* and have been for a very long time. Your not understanding their value or appeal doesn't make them less valuable or appealing to others. Nor does it make you superior.

Well, R76, I guess we could ask the same questions about idiots who post photographs of vacations, food, cute animals, or their crotch fruit doing stupid things they think are charming. An autograph commemorates the meeting of the individual. Now they take selfies with them.

As for signatures not being worth much, you should check out the prices for anything Marilyn Monroe signed.

Autographs are mementos. Many people like to collect these mementos and make a hobby out of it. If you don't like it, that's fine, but pretending as if you can't understand the basic concepts behind collectibles doesn't somehow prove that autographs are suddenly not worth anything.

I have a Matthew Barney piece worth over $2 million. It's an alien glass dildo that encases a rope made of Bjork's placenta and reindeer hair.

All I'm hearing from you wags is cheap insults and convenient defenses of a behavior you probably engage in yourselves.

You sound like the idiot who poured his life savings into Beanie Babies and McDonald's commemorative drinking glasses. Call the rest of us names, because your idea is SURE to pay off in the end! It's not just a hobby. It's an investment!

[quote]All I'm hearing from you wags is cheap insults and convenient defenses of a behavior you probably engage in yourselves.

Like duh, r82, did you look at the title of the thread you for some reason decided to participate in. Not participate, make that shit on. Truly, it doesn't make you superior.

[quote]You sound like the idiot who poured his life savings into Beanie Babies and McDonald's commemorative drinking glasses.

Autographs are a part of the collectibles industry. If you have any evidence to support the claim that they're a fly-by-night fad and will collapse in value, then post it. I'm sure all the owners of Jackie Robinson signed baseballs will toss them in the trash as soon as they hear your unimpeachable proof that their item is worth as much as a Beanie Baby.

No one called you any names, by the way.

This thread was supposed to be about inexpensive things that we personally value.

Why is the troll trying to bring profit motive into this? Is that the only value he can understand?

I once found an old book about vintage fashions that was stamped as being part of the MGM studio library, and there were notes indicating it had been used as a reference book for making period films at the studio back in the 1930s and 1940s. It was at a thrift shop and the guy who sold it to me said it was from the estate of a woman who also had a bunch of autographs and photos which sold for quite a bit. Inside, once I got the book home, I found a small piece of paper with the autograph of some forgotten silent movie actor named Raymond Hitchcock. She'd used it as a bookmark!

The book is definitely one of my prized possessions but I doubt it's worth anything.

[quote]but I doubt it's worth anything

I'd bet you're wrong on that, r86.

Autographs on certain old books matter. A lot!

[quote]Autographs on certain old books matter. A lot!

If anyone's familiar with Samuel Steward, who wrote gay erotica as Phil Andros, I once bought what was supposed to be an unremarkable paperback collection of his work. What arrived instead was an autographed copy of a rare hardcover edition, with an inscription that read "Remember that hot night on top of the Empire State?" I don't know what it's worth, but sentimentally it's priceless.

I'm a childless lesbian approaching middle age. When I'm old, that and the Garland window card and my original Barbara Stanwyck insert posters will hopefully go to younger gays who care more about the meaning of those objects than whatever money can be eked from them.

The Grammy envelope for 'Song of the Year' given by Olivia Newton John to Christopher Cross at the 1981 Grammys. I was working at Radio City and was Olivia's handler. After the award was given out and we were backstage, Olivia asked me what to do with the envelope? I told her to give it to me and I would take care of it. I still have it. Wish I got her to sign it.

R90 Pocket that shit, and ride like the wind!

Bea

Keep your day job, r77.

Alex Haley deodorant autograph holder here. Would you believe me if I told you I also have a Barney's shopping bag Andy Warhol signed for me with his own black magic marker he pulled out of his jacket in 1983? It was totally his idea so sign the shopping bag while I was fumbling around for a piece of paper. My Alex Haley autograph was signed on the back of a bank deposit slip.

I got Ryan O'Neal's autograph on the back of my Marlene Dietrich program...

Jerry Lee Lewis hit on me relentlessly when we went to see him play. My friend had to put his arm around me and lead me away from him, lol. Brilliant, impressive musician but a very scary man. Anyway, I have his autograph and phone number, lol. Never called him.

Its not Hollywood per se but I have a Playbill from the original run of A streetcar named desire (with Brando and Tandy) from 1948. It smells so wonderfullly old and I love reading the ads of old nyc nightclubs and the then latest fashions. I cherish it and it only cost me like 20$ on ebay.

2 episodes of Rhoda scripts, used with notes by Valerie Harper. I got them directly from her daughter. I loved that show!

I don’t have any such thing that I’m aware of- whatever that is exactly.

If you had it, r99...

A jock strap worn by Billy Barty in “The Wizard of Oz”

My poster for MGM’s 1947 “Green Dolphin Street” starring Miss Lana Turner bought in a memorabilia shop on Melrose Avenue circa 1986 or so for $50. While I see the poster hanging in the den every day, what I remember about buying it is who was outside when I left the store: OJ Simpson getting into a red Ferrari parked at the curb and a then very much alive - and beautiful and smiling - Nicolle Simpson waving “bye” on the sidewalk.

I have a Roger Ebert signed a VHS tape of Beyond The Valley of The Dolls I got at a book signing where he give me an update on Z-man.

If we’re allowed a little latitude on the hollywood bit, I put in a bid for Patti’s Tiffany Apple paperweight when she was selling off her theatrical memorabilia. I won.

Her eBay auctions, r104?

Yes it was r105

What year was that, r106? I remember the Sunset Blvd clock from Anthony Powell with a costume thumbnail at each hour.

I’d need to think about that r107 - maybe 10 years or so? I had a nice exchange with her husband Matt who seemed to take to do with the sales. He explained it was a gift to her on opening night of Evita on Broadway.

I wonder how much she made, r108.

An autographed picture of Betty White from the late 80s.

I'll put mine up against yours, r110.

I have a Star Wars action figure of Luke in a Stormtrooper outfit that was signed by Mark Hamill after I interviewed him in San Luis Obispo in 1999. He was a very gracious guy and easy to talk to.

A personalized, autographed 8x10 from Arnold Palmer. I love playing golf, always enjoyed watching Palmer, so it means a lot to me.

[quote]A postcard written by George Cukor to Joan Crawford. For real.

How interesting!

I have a postcard from Joan Crawford to George Cukor - perhaps we could auction them as a set.

Joan's card says, "Georgie dear, Buy more vodka - Smirnoff's 100 proof. Baskets of Blessings, Joan C."

I own Liza Minnellis's signed contract for Lucky Lady.

I have a bloody sanitary napkin from the time...

I WAS MOLESTED!

I have a copy of the kindest, most heartfelt condolence letter ever written by...

Miss Susan Dey!

[quote] Is it really a prize to own a piece of paper or merchandise that has a famous person's signature on it?

No sense of fascination.

I have a tie-dye rayon shirt that once belonged to Meat Loaf. IT FITS.

I have the uninterred remains of a dead chimpanzee that was once owned by Miss Norma Desmond, the greatest film star of all time!

I have one of Shawnie Mendes' used tampons!

[quote]I have a bloody sanitary napkin from the time...I WAS MOLESTED!

Were you molested by Kotex, Lorna?

I got Hep C from Tommy Lee; herpes from Stevie Wonder; HPV from Moby; chlamydia from Aaron Carter; and AIDS from Charlie Sheen.

Marilyn Monroe limited edition collector postage stamps that I received as a Bday present. They're probably worthless.

Such wit, r116.

For some reason my grandmother had a photo of Cesar Romero lifting Carmen Miranda in the air, and she's not wearing underwear. My mom said it was something passed around a giggled over at parties. It still makes me laugh that my prim little grandma would have something like this!

My Fair Lady movie souvenir book with the cover signed by Rex and Jeremy. Pippin souvenir book signed by most of the original cast. They'll end up thrown out when I die.

^ Does your Pippin book have Irene Ryan's signature?

[quote]A jock strap worn by Billy Barty in “The Wizard of Oz”

That's interesting. I have Margaret Hamilton's jock strap from "The Wizard of Oz".

I have Billie Burke's menstrual belt from "The Wizard of Oz."

R128 Yes it does. I wrote about the incident here. It might though not have the Pippin! John Rubenstein's. I probably didn't care.

They are all on the cover. It also has Vereen's and Jill Clayburgh's. She was in it right? I haven't looked at it forever. Would an original Follies playbill in perfect condition signed by Gene Nelson be worth anything?

[quote]Would an original Follies playbill in perfect condition signed by Gene Nelson be worth anything?

I would assume more than one signed by John McMartin, r132.

I know I staged door Follies but I don't remember meeting Nelson. But I found it in my stack of playbills so I clearly did.