Today, 28th April,2021 there is an auction in New York from the estate of Celeste Holm (1917-2012)
Celeste , at the age of 20, was in a touring cast of HAMLET, starring Leslie Howard. The above scrapbook was a gift to Celeste and her husband Wesley Addy from Leslie Howard’s widow.
Estimate $1,000 to $1,500.
This is a 1947 program for the Academy Awards.
What an amazing list of celebrities appearing at the Awards show.
Estimate for program: $300 to $500.
A signed photo of Dooley Wilson who had costarred with Celeste in the Broadway show, BLOOMER GIRL in 1944.
Estimate, $2,000 to $3,000.
The Sarah Siddons Award , given to Celeste for her performance in MAME in Chicago in 1967.
The fictional Siddons society (from ALL ABOUT EVE) became a real awards society in Chicago in 1952.
Estimate: $10,000 to $15,000.
All the items from the Celeste Holm collection can be viewed at http://www.Doyle.com/auctions. ( “stage and screen sale”.)
A Celeste Holm gallery:
With John Garfield. GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT..
With her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT.
With Cornel Wilde and Richard Widmark. ROAD HOUSE.
With Anne Baxter. ALL ABOUT EVE.
With Yul Brynner. THE KING AND I. ( Celeste took over from Gertrude Lawrence on Broadway.)
MAME.
I was fortunate to see Celeste in LADY IN THE DARK in Nottingham in 1981. A precious memory.
With Frank Sinatra. HIGH SOCIETY
Wesley Addy in KISS ME DEADLY.
Wesley Addy was Celeste’s fourth husband. They were married from 1966 till his death in 1996. I’ll always remember Wesley for his brief role in one of my favourites, “Kiss Me Deadly”. His disdain for Mike Hammer was visceral. I wished he’d had a bigger role.
Note: The Leslie Howard scrapbook sold for $945.
The Oscar program went for $189.
The Dooley Wilson photo – $2520.
The Sarah Siddons Award didn’t sell.
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
What a shame her last year’s were blighted with court battles with her sons who were trying to gain control over her estate. Because of lawyers fees she was virtually penniless when she died.
Regarding your earlier postings about the Alice Faye CD it has turned out to be a real disappointment. Incredibly Alice is only featured on half the tracks. The others are not very interesting unless you want to hear a comedy routine between Tony Martin and The Ritz Brothers. Or Buddy Clarks dubbed vocals for Jack Haley in Wake Up And Live. I’ve already put it for sale on eBay.
Can I just clarify I’m not in any way blaming your posts for finding myself with a disappointing CD! The onus was on me to do more research and check the playlist. My post was not meant to be personal . Just been listening to some songs from Bloomer Girl. A lovely score especially Right As The Rain.
No problem. We can’t all like the same things.
At first I thought this was connected with her birthday the next day. I was a fan of hers long before I knew we shared that birthday, and it’s an interesting post – what a curious cast in “Champagne for Caesar” and really piques curiosity about it! Also glad you mention Wesley Addy who, like Martin Gabel of that period, was underused and underrated I feel.
How incredible the Siddons Award didn’t sell!
Yes, Champagne for Caesar is a rare one and unusual casting.
It does seem strange that the Siddons Award didn’t sell.
Especially as it was so featured fictionally in “All About Eve” where I felt she was as good as anyone in the cast.
I wonder what happened to the fictional Siddons award with Eve’s name on it!
It would likely be worth as much as the real thing!