[quote name=\'Desperado\' date=\'Apr 10 2005, 11:35 AM\']I can't believe that things like this would simply be "trashed." Seems to me that those working in the industry would see the potential value in keeping these things around. How about an exhibit in the Smithsonian? They did it for Archie Bunker's chair and the M*A*S*H set. Or the Museum of TV & Radio?? Or eBay, for chrissakes? I don't exactly have the space for it, but if it's going to be trashed, then hell, I'd MAKE room.
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Where's the "value" in giving a set to the Smithsonian (assuming they would take a game show set) or to the MTV/R (I've tried; they want no items of any kind)? Neither they nor any museum pays cash or even Lee Press-On Nails for acquisitions of this sort, and the tax write-off would be minimal and probably trigger an audit!
You and Modor DO have a valid suggestion about having selected items fall into the hands of fans - Jeopardy! did it with the 4-foot high lighted letters in their logo some years back.
Hollywood has a deplorable history of casting off its past. As the era of the film moguls gave way to the corporate ownership of the film studios, sets, props and wardrobe were unceremoniously trashed. Some was sold in large lots at bargain basement prices. Even real estate was sold off or donated to goverment agencies. 20th Century Fox's huge acreage seen in a billion productions including "Planet of the Apes, "M*A*S*H" and "The Poseiden Adventure" is now the Malibu Creek State Park. Paramount's nearby massive land was saved from private development at the last minute in a deal with the Federal Government. It's now also park land open to the public. To the Feds' credit, they try to keep Paramount's filming legacy alive - the last surviving western street was rebuilt for tourists, and is still occasionally used for filming. The last major production of note to use the exteriors was "Dr/ Quinn, Medicine Woman"
The great sell-off started with MGM's great auction of props and wardrobe in the 1970s and the sale of their acres and acres of backlot with the standing sets from their glorious motion picture past. Incidentally, you can see some of MGM's old backlot and its exterior sets in the Bee Gees music video from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack... I think it's the video from "Stayin' Alive"... remember the train station and vacant building in which they are singing? That video was shot after the MGM property fell into disrepair, shortly before the land was sold off to a real estate developer for condos.
Among the most outspoken who have saved some of Hollywood's past is Debbie Reynolds who has hundreds of the magnificent costumes from the most famous and glamorous movies. And she's had most of it locked away in storage for decades because there was no place to display any of it. Back when MGM announced their intended sale of the backlot acreage she and a number of her friends suggested it be saved and operated as a profit generating drive-through museum; she even offered to collect the admission charge from the cars passing through!
Debbie's counterpart in game shows is Bob Boden, and may the lord bless him for filling his property with artifacts large and small. It's a thrill to see it all, but it's a hobby far more cumbersome and less profitable than collecting stamps.
You think this stuff has value? Make an offer for the FF Feranti-Packard board!!
Randy
tvrandywest.com
