10 Crazy Things to Buy From Debbie Reynolds' Legendary Hollywood Collection
True story: I was once rummaging in the bowels of the Warner Brothers Costume Department in Burbank when I happened upon a simple white T-shirt with a black ringer collar. Attached to it was a tag that said:
“This is one of 10 T-shirts worn by Marlon Brando in The Wild One.”
I immediately dismissed the possibility of it being real—but later realized that The Wild One was released by Columbia Pictures, which eventually became The Burbank Studios. Both companies shared the Warner Brothers Studio lot, so it’s actually not too far-fetched to think that this piece of iconic movie memorabilia could have still been floating around some 47 years later.
It sounds crazy, but Hollywood studios are notorious for not giving a hoot what happens to the costumes and props used in classic films. Not even 10 years ago, an entire rack of Sissy Spacek’s costumes from Coal Miner’s Daughter was just floating around the aisles of a major movie lot—free for all to touch, try on, and maybe even steal if one was so inclined.
I’ve actually bought some incredible stuff at studio garage sales, like this silver leopard sequined dress Kelly LeBrock wore in Weird Science:
Hollywood loves to mindlessly trash its history (storage space isn’t free, kiddies)—and nobody knew this better than the late Debbie Reynolds.
After purchasing somewhere between 3,000–5,000 classic prop and costume pieces throughout the years (starting with a buying spree at the landmark 1970 MGM Studios auction), Reynolds had amassed quite a collection. Her treasures included the tunic Charlton Heston wore in Ben Hur, Orson Welles’ fur coat from Citizen Kane, the headdress Elizabeth Taylor wore in Cleopatra, and the infamous white dress Marilyn Monroe wore to stand over a subway grate in The Seven Year Itch (created by costume designer William Travilla).
Reynolds dreamed of one day opening a museum to house them all—and a full 25 years after she first began collecting, the Debbie Reynolds Hollywood Movie Museum finally opened in the showroom of her very own Las Vegas hotel.
Sadly, the hotel went bust just two years later—and Reynolds was forced to file for bankruptcy. The museum was no more, and most of her collection was sold at three separate auctions from 2011–2014.
However, some of her massive collection still lives—and appears to currently be available for purchase online via Debbie’s own website.
That’s right. You can, at this very minute, snag yourself a mink-trimmed dressing gown that belonged to Agnes Moorhead (Endora on the classic TV version of Bewitched), a circa 1960/1970 chiffon gown from Reynolds herself, or the waxen head of Sammy Davis Jr. No bidding necessary—just click “add to cart” and call it a day.
Reynold’s boundless passion for keeping Hollywood’s history safe from harm is hilariously highlighted by this quote from daughter Carrie Fisher, warmly speaking about her mom at the 2015 SAG Awards:
“She has actually been more than a mother to me…including unsolicited stylist, interior decorator, and marriage counselor—as well as being the kind of person who would give you the shirt off her back … if Vivien Leigh hadn’t once worn it in Gone With the Wind.”
Now, who wants to go in with me on the red sequin number that belonged to Phyllis Diller?
I am a costume designer living and working in Hollywood. I’m also the author of ‘How to Get Dressed: A Costume Designer’s Secrets for Making Your Clothes Look, Fit, and Feel Amazing’.
Find me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. You can also sign up for my email list here or by texting ALISONFREER to 22828. I’ll only ever send you the cutest stuff—promise!
