Marlon Brando’s ‘Godfather’ Tuxedo Heads to Auction for the First Time
3 min
It’s an offer fans of The Godfather can’t refuse: The tuxedo Marlon Brando wore in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 masterpiece will be heading to auction for the first time in September.
Carrying a pre-sale estimate of US$200,000, the complete formal tuxedo—which previously had been held in a private collection—was worn by Brando in the opening wedding scenes of his Academy Award-winning role as “Vito Corleone.” (According to Hollywood lore, Brando wore his own personal tuxedo in the film as he refused to have a fitting for a new one.) It’s just one of several Brando items scheduled to be sold by Studio Auctions; also going up for grabs will be his filming script (no estimate provided) from The Godfather , as well as his personal Rolodex containing the names and phone numbers of Hollywood’s elite. (Pre-sale estimate: US$40,000).
The three-day event—titled “From Bombshells to Blasters: An Auction You Can’t Refuse” —will be held from Sept. 20-22 at the auction house’s headquarters in Burbank, Calif.
Thann Clarke
“Each item tells a unique story and holds a piece of cinematic history that has left a major impact on American culture,”says Brad Teplitsky, co-founder at Studio Auctions.
“These pieces span generations and ensure there’s something for everyone, from Star Wars fans to admirers of Hollywood’s Golden Age.”
Collectors of Hollywood memorabilia will get the chance to own authenticated items from icons like Marilyn Monroe and James Dean, as well as collectibles from classics such as The Wizard of Oz, Iron Man, and Alien . The auction will also feature the artwork collection of Academy Award-winning production designer/art director Rick Carter, which spans several films Steven Spielberg had a role in creating, including Back to the Future and Jurassic Park , as well as Avatar and Star Wars.
Thann Clarke
Among the instantly recognisable props never before seen at auction is the rare appearance of a screen-used character suit from the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Iron Man’s “Mark 46 TA Hero Suit Torso,” worn by Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man: Civil War (2020). Constructed of cast fibreglass, resin, and mixed-media components, the electrically wired torso is expected to sell for upward of US$200,000.
Bidders will also have the chance to own the hero wand prop used on screen by Billie Burke as Glinda the “Good Witch of the South” in The Wizard of Oz (1939), which carries a pre-sale estimate of US$100,000.
“These are extremely rare items, and the fact that none of the mentioned pieces have ever been to auction before adds a layer of exclusivity,” says Teplitsky. “Owning something like Marlon Brando’s tuxedo from The Godfather , one of the most iconic movies of all time, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a fragment of cinematic history.”
The live auction will be streamed for bidders worldwide, and pre-bidding will open on Aug. 20 at StudioAuctions.com.
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Borrowers cannot control the Reserve Bank, but they can control how exposed their household budget is to its next decision. The RBA meets on 29 September with inflation concerns still elevated and major-bank economists increasingly bringing forward their rate-rise calls. Fixed mortgage rates have also been moving, reducing the value of waiting for perfect certainty. …
Continue reading “What mortgage holders should do before the next RBA decision”
Australian shares finished higher on Tuesday, September 22, as a technology rally and lower oil prices outweighed weakness in energy companies and continued anxiety about domestic interest rates. The S&P/ASX 200 closed 25.9 points, or 0.30 per cent, higher at 8,757.8. The All Ordinaries gained 0.36 per cent to 8,951.0, while the All Technology index …
Continue reading “ASX Wrap: Technology lifts the ASX as falling oil relieves inflation pressure”
2 minAustralian shares finished higher on Tuesday, September 22, as a technology rally and lower oil prices outweighed weakness in energy companies and continued anxiety about domestic interest rates.
The S&P/ASX 200 closed 25.9 points, or 0.30 per cent, higher at 8,757.8. The All Ordinaries gained 0.36 per cent to 8,951.0, while the All Technology index rose 1.71 per cent.
Information technology was the strongest major sector, up 2.67 per cent. Megaport gained 4.3 per cent, NextDC rose 3.8 per cent and Life360 added 2.9 per cent, according to the ABC’s closing market report. The move followed a record Nasdaq close and reflected renewed demand for growth assets as oil prices eased.
Consumer discretionary gained 1.29 per cent, while real estate and healthcare each rose 0.76 per cent. The simultaneous strength of technology, discretionary shares and listed property was consistent with a modest easing in market inflation anxiety, although it did not erase expectations of a possible RBA increase at the 29 September meeting.
Energy was the clear laggard, down 1.16 per cent, after Brent crude briefly fell below US$100 a barrel overnight. Origin Energy dropped about 4 per cent, Woodside lost 2.4 per cent and AGL declined 2.3 per cent. Utilities were the weakest sector overall, down 2.03 per cent.
Among larger and liquid movers, Telix Pharmaceuticals rebounded 6.85 per cent after the previous session’s sharp acquisition-related decline. IDP Education jumped 20.67 per cent and was the largest percentage gainer in the ASX 300 screen, while Catalyst Metals fell 14.37 per cent. Those moves should be checked against company announcements before publication; percentage rankings alone do not establish cause or index impact.
Mining performance was mixed. Sunrise Energy Metals rose 12.71 per cent, FireFly Metals added 5.7 per cent and Bellevue Gold gained 4.8 per cent, while Resolute Mining lost 4.44 per cent.
The Australian dollar traded near US71.18 cents late in the session. Oil remained volatile as markets assessed potential US–Iran talks, making energy prices a continuing input into inflation expectations, bond yields and the RBA outlook.
For Wednesday, investors will watch oil, offshore technology leads, Australian bond yields and any new evidence that changes the probability of a September rate rise.
Market dashboard
S&P/ASX 200: 8,757.8, up 25.9 points or 0.30 per cent.
All Ordinaries: 8,951.0, up 0.36 per cent.
Best sector: Information Technology, up 2.67 per cent.
Weakest sector: Utilities, down 2.03 per cent. Energy fell 1.16 per cent.
Material winner: Telix Pharmaceuticals, up 6.85 per cent. Megaport rose 4.3 per cent and NextDC rose 3.8 per cent.
Material loser: Origin Energy, down about 4 per cent. Woodside fell 2.4 per cent.
ASX 300 percentage leader: IDP Education, up 20.67 per cent. Confirm announcement context before publication.
ASX 300 percentage laggard: Catalyst Metals, down 14.37 per cent. Confirm announcement context before publication.
AUD/USD: Approximately US$0.7118 late in the session.
Next catalyst: RBA policy decision on 29 September, oil-price volatility and offshore technology trading.
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