The black leather motorcycle jacket worn by Olivia Newton-John in 1978’s blockbuster musical “Grease” was the top-selling item at a four-day auction of memorabilia from classic Hollywood films, fetching $476,000 — nearly six times its original estimate of $80,000, officials said.
The year-end auction, titled “A Week of Hollywood Legends,” was conducted Tuesday through Friday at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills by Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies and brought in a total of $4.5 million, Julien’s announced Friday.
The auction “sold over 1,000 of the most famous and beloved artifacts of all time representing the Golden Age of Hollywood to modern classic films and television series to the biggest box office blockbusters and genre films, to exclusive collections from the likes of British stage and screen royals Laurence Olivier and Joan Plowright, legendary designer Bob Mackie and pop culture phenomenon Olivia Newton-John,” Julien’s said.
Newton-John, who died in 2022, was nevertheless a big presence at the auction. Other items of hers included a custom-painted Steinway turquoise baby grand piano and bench that sold for $158,750; an emblazoned “Olivia” stage- worn rhinestone-stud leather motorcycle jacket worn during her Las Vegas residency and other tour dates that sold for $76,200; a faux black leather motorcycle jacket that went for $12,700; a tour-worn T-shirt from 1982 that also sold for $12,700; her RIAA Platinum Record Award for “Physical” that sold for $16,250; and her 2000 California driver’s license, which fetched $16,250.
Gowns designed by Bob Mackie also brought in big bucks, including $101,600 for Cher’s 1977 “It Had to Be You” performance costume worn on “The Sonny and Cher Show,” $95,250 for her 1975 “Take Me Home Country Roads” performance ensemble worn on “The Cher Show,” and $25,400 for Carol Burnett’s famous Norma Desmond costume on “The Carol Burnett Show.”
Other highlights included:
- A pair of ruby slippers that commemorated the 50th anniversary of 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz” ($104,000);
- Judy Garland’s blue-and-white gingham pattern pinafore worn in a 1938 wardrobe test for her role as Dorothy ($65,000);
- Sir Laurence Olivier’s 1948 Venice Biennale Hamlet Golden Lion award ($35,750);
- Dame Joan Plowright’s Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe awards for her roles in 1992’s “Stalin” ($16,250) and 1991’s “Enchanted April” ($13,000);
- Marilyn Monroe’s 1960 Actor’s Studio notebook ($26,000), 1962 arm chair ($19,500), mascara ($6,500) and purple eye shadow ($6,500);
- Bruce Lee’s “Enter the Dragon” shoes ($22,750);
- Jason Voorhees “Friday the 13th Part VII” hero machete prop wielded by Kane Hodder ($13,000);
- Original Robot B-9 technical drawing from “Lost in Space” ($9,100).
“We could not have been more thrilled with the results of this magnificent auction that truly lived up to Julien’s and TCM’s unrivaled reputation as the ultimate destination for Hollywood memorabilia,” said Martin Nolan, executive director/co-founder of Julien’s Auctions. “One legendary item after another from `Grease’ to ‘The Wizard of Oz’ smashed all expectations in this wildly successful four-day event that was topped off by the white glove sales of Olivia Newton-John and Bob Mackie’s historic collections.”
