NEW YORK, NY.- A remarkable collection of memorabilia that was once owned by the actor and singer Gene Kelly will be offered in
Sothebys Fine Books and Manuscripts sale on 15th June 2012. The group of three lots all previously belonged to the star who is widely acknowledged as one of the most recognizable Hollywood figures of his day. All the pieces were given by the actor to his daughter Kerry
Kelly Novick and go on view at Sothebys on Saturday 9 June. Gene Kelly is perhaps best known for Singin In The Rain, the 1952 musical which he both directed and stared in as Don Lockwood. A Gold Enamel Money Clip was given to Kelly by Cyd Charisse with whom he partnered in the films Broadway Melody ballet sequence. The money clip is both a personal memento and an emblematic relic of the film which has been voted the greatest American musical of all time by the American Film Institute (est. $7/10,000).
Three years before Singin In The Rain Gene Kelly worked with Frank Sinatra in On the Town a movie in which they both played sailors which went on to win an Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring of a Motion Picture. After the completion of the film Sinatra gave Kelly a Gold Notepad inscribed Thank you Gene, For your wonderful, common sense and help, I wouldnt have made it, without you, Frankie with a facsimile of Gene Kellys signature on the inside (est. $5/7,000).
Several pairs of gold and jeweled cuff links and other accessories are also included in the sale (est. $4/6,000). All were worn by Gene Kelly with many having been given to him by his film co-workers including John Springer, the Hollywood publicist and film historian, who gave Kelly a pair of gold, coral, colored stone and diamond cufflinks depicting dancers.