Rick - That's one helluva story!
Glenn ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 5:00 PM Subject: Re: [MOPO] THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY! About 25 years ago, there was an ad in a Pennysaver-type weekly paper here in L.A. for a "Frankenstein 7 Foot Statue" being sold for $75. I would check the paper every week religiously when it came out on Thursdays and immediately call if anything sounded promising. On this particular Thursday, something "important" came up and I somehow didn't get around to making the call about the "statue". I remember I couldn't sleep that night, kicking myself for not contacting the person who'd placed the ad. My "rational" mind told me-- "this thing is probably some blow-up, dumb piece of garbage from the 70's or 80's that isn't worth anything---it COULDN'T be! I mean--the guy--whoever he is-- only wants 75 bucks for it!" I finally made the call at 10 the next morning---the guy who owned it told me that the probable buyer was walking up his driveway at that very moment---"but if he doesn't buy it", the guy told me, "I'll call you back". Of course, he didn't call me back. The buyer had paid the $75 and left with it. I asked the seller about it and he said it was a full-sized 7-foot likeness of Boris Karloff used in the movie "Frankenstein". I remember telling myself that he must have been mistaken---I couldn't admit to myself that I'd missed out on something so incredible.... Flash forward 3 or 4 years--- I had listed a movie poster for sale in the same weekly publication. To make a long story short, a man called me and after speaking with him for awhile I discovered that he was the guy who was walking up the driveway a few years earlier...the guy who bought the Frankenstein "statue" that I'd missed out on because I was a day late with my phone call. The "statue" turned out to be a 7 foot tall "stand-in" for Boris Karloff from The Bride Of Frankenstein. It was dressed with the original wardrobe of the monster and had a life-mask of Karloff as its face. The guy told me the face needed a little restoration--but once that was completed he was going to put it up for auction somewhere. Looking back now, I can't believe that I never asked him if I could swing by and take a look at it. Those were the early days of my collecting. It's been quite a long time and I really can't remember how our whole conversation went... Flash forward again...2 years. I remember looking at Movie Collector's World or possibly even the L.A. Times---I'm not really sure which. Anyway, there was a short article about a movie memerobilia auction ( it was called Guernsey's) that included what I'm sure was the very same Karloff stand-in statue from The Bride Of Frankenstein---that I could have had for 75 bucks---having sold for $50,0000! This was probably in 1988. I don't know where that incredible piece is now, but I have no doubt that in today's market it would easily sell for a million bucks! And I coulda had it for $75! For me, THAT'S the one that got away! Rick rixposterz ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
