Hi, you've stumbled upon the page featuring my classic film memorabillia collection. I've always hoarded things, from seashells to rocks and Barbies when I was little. Then it was Titanic memorabilia in 8th grade (oh boy), and post cards in between. But my classic film collection started about six years ago when I saw Gone with the Wind for the first time. My dad got me the LIFE magazine with Clark Gable on the cover for his last film, The Misfits for Christmas, and the rest is history! I used to focus solely on that film witha few random other film treasures, but then it branched off to become largely Vivien and Larry Olivier, and that's mainly what I focus on these days.

What I love about collecting Oliviers memorabilia is that even though it's a narrow focus, there is so much stuff to be had! Each time I think I can find nothing more (that I can afford), something else pops up. For all you new memorabilia collectors out there, no matter who or what you collect, there is always something to find. Start small. The saying "One person's junk is another person's treasure" is absolutely true. Unfortunately, authentic Vivien and Larry goods such as autographs and original photos are not cheap, but I see people overpay, and have done so as well, a lot, especially on ebay. So what's the going rate for those things these days?

Vivien's autograph is worth a bit more than Larry's becuase of the fact that hers is much more rare. As of two years ago, an authentic Vivien autograph was worth about $1800, and today Larry's is worth a couple hundred dollars. Both of their autographs on the same page, photo, or program are worth a lot more. It's hard to know just how much certain things are worth to buyers or other collectors unless you get your collection appraised by a professional or try and sell it at auction and see who pays what for it. I guess the rule is, the rarer the item, the more monetary value it has, epsecially if it's in good condition.

Besides authentic autographs, people seem to pay quite a bit for vintage photos, especially Vivien ones. How do you now if a photo is "vintage"? A lot of photos that were used for publication in newspapers or magazines are stamped on the back with the date that it was received by the publishing company. Others have grease pencil marks and press captions typed out on the back, etc. It seems the other items that are worth a bit of money are personal items owned by either of the actors. As far as paper products, the Alan Dent Vivien biography (Vivien Leigh A Bouquet) as well as Vivien: A Love Affair in Camera by Angus McBean, and the December 25, 1939 issue of TIME magazine with Vivien on the cover seem to be the most sought after collectibles. Of course, as said, to some people, certain items are worth more than anyone is willing to pay.

I've rambled enough but I hope the above info is useful to someone. And now without further adieu, my classic film collection (with more items to be added soon).

The Wall of Fame

Items from top left to right: Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable card stock publicity still from GWTW, LIFE magazine; March 15, 1948 with Laurence Olivier, LIFE magazine; July 29, 1946 with Vivien Leigh, LIFE magazine; October 17, 1938 with Carole Lombard, Screen Guide magazine; April, 1941 with Vivien Leigh, LIFE magazine; December 17, 1951 with Larry and Viv, Screenland magazine; March, 1941 with Vivien Leigh, Picturegoer magazine; April, 1938 with Vivien Leigh, Modern Screen magazine; February, 1941 with Vivien Leigh.

The Bookshelf of Fame

On the bookshelf. Biographies:
The Oliviers by Felix Barker, Olivier by Terry Coleman, Kate Remembered by A. Scott Berg, Vivien Leigh by Hugo Vickers, On Acting by Laurence Olivier, A Season with Vivien Leigh by Dylis Gater, Clark Gable by Warren Harris, Laurence Olivier by Anthony Holden, Bring on the Empty Horses by David Niven. Not pictured: Vivien Leigh a Bouquet by Alan Dent, Vivien Leigh by Anne Edwards, By Myself and Then Some by Lauren Bacall, This 'n' That by Bette Davis, Gable and Lombard by Warren Harris, Vivien by Alexander Walker, My Father Laurence Olivier by Tarquin Olivier, Love Scene by Jesse Lasky, Confessions of an Actor by Laurence Olivier, Lulu in Hollywood by Louise Brooks Up in the Clouds, Gentlemen, Please by John Mills, Cecil Beaton by Hugo Vickers.

Photography books and Filmographies
David O. Selznick's Gone with the Wind , LIFE Goes to the Movies, Vanity Fair's Hollywood, People in Vogue, Beaton Portraits, Beaton in Vogue, Unseen Vogue, Vanity Fair: Photographs of an Age, Peter Stackpole: Life in Hollywood 1936-1952, Unforgettable Hollywood, Hollywood Color Portraits by John Kobal, The Saturday Evening Post Movie Book, Laurence Olivier: Theatre and Cinema, Olivier by Robert Tanitch, High Exposure: Photographs from the LA Times, The Filming of Gone with the Wind by Herb Bridges, Gone with the Wind by Herb Bridges, LIFE Classic Photographs, LIFE Faces, Louise Dahl-Wolfe: A Photographer's Scrapbook, The Films of Clark Gable, Movie Star Portraits of the 40's, The Complete Films of Laurence Olivier, Niven's Hollywood. Not pictured: Jean Howard's Hollywood.

Click category names below to see photos of my collection:

>>Autographs
>>Glossy Photos
>>Magazines
>>Playbills & Programs
>>Other (including my prized posession)

Where can you buy Viv and Larry items? Ebay, DVDplanet.com, and Antique Stores near you are good places to start .