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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With US$40 million already committed, the Global Talent Fund is attracting investor attention with a strategy focused on building globally scalable consumer brands alongside high-profile talent.
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A new investment fund targeting celebrity-founded consumer brands has secured US$40 million in commitments and is rapidly approaching its US$50 million fundraising target, signalling growing investor appetite for alternative opportunities beyond traditional asset classes.
The Global Talent Fund, which has a maximum raise of US$100 million, focuses on building and investing in consumer businesses alongside celebrities, athletes, and influential personalities who play an active role as co-founders rather than simply endorsing products.
The strategy is based on the belief that changes in consumer behaviour, particularly the rise of social media and digital engagement, have fundamentally altered how brands are built and scaled.
GTF founding partner Jeremy Hunt, who is helping lead the fund’s strategy, said consumers increasingly feel connected to personalities they follow online and are more willing to support products developed by those individuals.
“Consumers are searching for content to engage with, and when a celebrity they like or follow takes them on the journey of creating a product or brand, they genuinely feel part of that process,” he said.
The fund is targeting high-growth consumer sectors including wellness, hydration, beauty and recovery, areas Hunt believes continue to benefit from strong global demand and ongoing innovation.
Rather than backing celebrity endorsement deals, the fund is seeking businesses where talent is deeply involved in product development, brand creation and long-term growth.
According to Hunt, authenticity remains one of the biggest differentiators between successful celebrity-backed brands and those that fail.
“The consumer can see clearly if someone is simply being paid to promote a product,” he said. “The winners are typically the brands where the celebrity has genuinely helped build the business from the ground up.”
The model has attracted support from several prominent Australian investors and business families, reflecting broader interest in alternative investments with global growth potential.
Hunt said consumer brands offered a level of tangibility that many investors found appealing.
“Consumer brands are what we touch, feel, smell and taste every day,” he said. “Our investors understand the growth potential in the model, but they also want to be part of the journey.”
The fund’s rapid progress towards its fundraising target comes amid growing recognition that celebrity influence, when combined with strong commercial execution and scalable business models, can create significant enterprise value.
With several high-profile celebrity-founded businesses generating billion-dollar exits in recent years, supporters of the strategy believe the opportunity remains in its early stages.
For more information, contact marc@kanebridge.com.au
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