CELEBRITY SIGNINGS HELP HERITAGE MUSEUM

Cinecon 35 over Labor Day weekend was highlighted by several guest speakers, a number of whom had book signings. Screenwriter/author Fredericka Maas signed copies of her new book, The Shocking Miss Pilgrim detailing her career in the movie industry (she authored the original story The Shocking Miss Pilgrim, later a hit film for Betty Grable).

The 72 copies of the book sold out quickly and the proceeds from the sale, about $600, were turned over to the museum by Cinecon President Robert S. Birchard and Secretary Robert W. Nudelman, both of whom are also on the Board of Hollywood Heritage, Inc. Cinecon has provided thousands of dollars for film restoration (over $10,000 this year alone) and it was a logical step to provide funds for the museum.

Of special interest is that Ms. Maas, who turned 99 this summer, started in the film industry in 1920 and worked on several silent Paramount pictures, including 5 with Clara Bow. Her work at MGM in the 1920s and 1930s helped the film careers of Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, Norma Shearer, and Joan Crawford, among others. Ms. Maas is an amazing person and one of, if not one of the last screenwriters of the silent era. Hollywood Heritage thanks her neice, Phoebe Simpson, and Cinecon 35 for their support.\

During the weekend of October 2-3, Hollywood Heritage had a number of stars signing at the Hollywood Collectors and Celebrities Show, located at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn in North Hollywood. The show is produced by longtime Hollywood Heritage supporters Ray and Sharon Courts every three months at the hotel.

Signing photos, books, posters, CDs, and even baseballs and bats were three Academy Award winning composers: Richard and Robert Sherman (Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Winnie the Pooh, Disneyland songs, etc.), and Leonard Rosenman (East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, Barry Lyndon, Star Trek IV, etc.), and the ever amazing Jonathan Winters (It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, World; The Loved One; The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming; etc.). The generous donations of time and funds from these people thrilled not only the large crowd at the show, but provided the Hollywood Heritage Museum with important funding toward helping to rebuild the porch decking of this historic structure.

To supply materials for all of these true Hollywood legends was a major endeavor. We received valuable assistance from Camphor Tree Press (Carole Mumford), Intrada Partnership (CDs); Film Score Magazine and CDs (Lukas Kendall and Jeff Bond); Hollywood Book and Poster Exchange (Eric Caiden); Acme Posters (David Graveen); and Photobitions Los Angeles (Phil Dockter). Those running sales for Hollywood Heritage were Robert S. Birchard, Marc Wannamaker, Kent Adamson, and Robert W. Nudelman.

The next show is on January 22-23 and Hollywood Heritage looks forward to working with more celebrities at that and future shows (previous donations from signings for Hollywood Heritage have included Robert Wise, Charlton Heston, Carroll Baker, and Robert Vaughn).