Skip to main content
Movie Madness

Search Our Collection:

Movie Madness Museum Movie Madness Museum

Yankee Doodle Dandee / James Cagney’s Tap Shoes

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) – James Cagney’s Tap Shoes

Yankee Doodle Dandee

Tap Shoes worn by James Cagney

These custom made tap shoes were worn by James Cagney when he sings and dances to the “You’re a Grand Old Flag” musical number. This remarkable and iconic slice of film history originated from James Cagney’s estate, and was previously sold at a Profiles in History auction in 1996 along with a number of his other personal treasures. Although he was a respected and admired force in the film industry from the beginning of his career until the very end, Cagney was not the typical sort of screen character which the Academy members tended to honor. Hence, it follows that his one and only Oscar win for Best Actor would be for this thoroughly patriotic biopic of the great stage entertainer George M. Cohan, in which Cagney literally danced his heels off, and in these very shoes to boot.

Godfather II / Diane Keaton’s Dress

Godfather II (1974) – Outfit worn by Diane Keaton

Godfather II

Dress Worn by Diane Keaton

Designed by Theodora Van Runkle. Ms. Keaton wore this lavender dress and sweater during the confirmation scene in THE GODFATHER: PART II. Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 masterpiece was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 6, including awards for Best Picture and Best Director.

Movie Madness purchased this dress in 1995 from Antiquities International, located at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. This was the very first costume obtained by Movie Madness.

Citizen Kane / Fu Dog Statue

Citizen Kane (1941) – Fu Dog Statue Set Piece

Citizen Kane

Fu Dog Statue

This Fu Dog statue appears in the scene when Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) encounters his wife Dorothy working on a puzzle in the great hall of the Xanadu Mansion. CITIZEN KANE was nominated for 9 Academy Awards, and saw Orson Welles take home his first Oscar for Best Writing, Original Screenplay. CITIZEN KANE is considered by the motion picture industry to be the greatest film ever made.

Chinatown / Wall Telephone

Chinatown (1974) – Wall Phone

Chinatown

Wall Telephone

CHINATOWN was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Director (Roman Polanski), Best Actor (Jack Nicholson) and Best Actress (Faye Dunaway). The film took home the Oscar for Best Writing, Original Screenplay.

The phone, which was owned by the Ellis Property Co., was loaned out to Paramount Pictures in 1974 for use in this film.

Bonnie & Clyde / Fay Dunaway’s Dress

Bonnie & Clyde (1968) – Faye Dunaway’s Dress

Bonnie & Clyde

Fay Dunaway’s Dress

Designed by Theodora Van Runkle. This beige see-through dress was one of the most sensational dresses to ever hit the screen up to this time; it completely changed the way audiences and costume designers came to accept on-screen fashions. This film was Theodora Van Runkle’s first major work. Ms. Dunaway wore this dress through the first few scenes of the movie. BONNIE AND CLYDE was nominated for 10 Academy Awards (including Theodora Van Runkle for Best Costume Design) and ended up winning the awards for Best Supporting Actress (Estelle Parsons) and Best Cinematography.

Some Like It Hot / Tony Curtis Hat

Some Like It Hot (1959) – Tony Curtis’s Hat

Some Like It Hot

Tony Curtis Hat

This is the original hat worn by Tony Curtis (in drag as Josephine) throughout the last several scenes from this classic Billy Wilder comedy. SOME LIKE IT HOT was nominated for 6 Academy Awards including Best Actor (Jack Lemmon), Best Director and Best Screenplay (Billy Wilder). The film took home an Oscar for Best Costume Design (Orry-Kelly).

The make-up artist for SOME LIKE IT HOT (Emile LaVigne) purchased the hat from the costume department at Paramount Studios and upon his death in 1990, gave the hat to his son. In 1998 his son put the hat up for auction through Profiles in History, where it was purchased by Movie Madness.

JEANNE EAGELS/ Kim Novak’s Exotic Costume

Jeanne Eagels (1957) – Kim Novak’s Exotic Costume

Jeanne Eagels

Kim Novak’s Exotic Costume

Ms. Novak wore this exotic two piece costume along with tiara in this 1957 hit. She was also featured wearing this incredible costume on the cover of the July 29, 1957 issue of Time Magazine, and was featured in the March 5, 1956 issue of Life Magazine, as well. Movie Madness purchased this incredible piece of movie history from the December 1999 Profiles in History auction.

Sunset Boulevard / Erich Von Stroheim’s Uniform

Sunset Boulevard (1950) – Erich Von Stroheim’s Uniform

Sunset Boulevard

Erich Von Stroheim’s Uniform

This dark grey chauffeur’s uniform was worn by director/actor Erich von Stroheim, who played the role of Max in this classic Billy Wilder film noir. SUNSET BOULEVARD starred William Holden, Gloria Swanson and Nancy Olson. It has been considered to be one of the greatest film noir ever made. SUNSET BOULEVARD was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, taking home Oscars for Best Art Direction, Best Music, and Best Writing. Movie Madness purchased this wonderful costume from the June 2004 Profiles in History auction.

The Owl & The Pussycat (1970) – BARBRA STREISAND’S COSTUME

The Owl & The Pussycat (1970) – Barbara Streisand’s Costume

The Owl & The Pussycat

Barbra Streisand’s Costume

This incredible looking costume was worn by Ms. Streisand as the character Doris in the Herbert Ross directed comedy which also featured George Segal and Robert Klein. To everyone’s amusement, the character Doris wears her “modeling outfit” as pajamas in the film. It was also used heavily in the promotion of the film and was featured on the original theatrical poster. Movie Madness purchased this costume from the “Career of Barbra Streisand” auction which was put together by Julien Entertainment in 2004.

The Untouchables / Baby Carriage

The Untouchables (1987) – Baby Carriage

The Untouchables

Baby Carriage

This baby carriage appears in the film during the climactic train station shoot-out, where director Brian De Palma combines the baby carriage and stairs in a nod to Sergei M. Eisenstein’s classic Soviet Era Silent film BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN. The Untouchables starred Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Andy Garcia and Robert De Niro. THE UNTOUCHABLES was nominated for 4 Academy Awards, with actor Sean Connery taking home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Movie Madness purchased this iconic movie prop from the April 2006 Profiles in History auction.

Casablanca / Ingrid Bergman’s chair

Casablanca (1942) – Ingrid Berman’s Chair

Casablanca

Ingrid Bergman’s chair

This was the actual chair that Ingrid Bergman was sitting in during the famous scene which takes place at Rick’s Café in CASABLANCA, when she first sees her long lost love Rick (played by Humphrey Bogart). CASABLANCA was nominated for 8 Oscars and went on to win the awards for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Writing, Screenplay. CASABLANCA is considered to be one of the greatest love stories ever filmed. This rare item was purchased by Movie Madness at the June 2009 Profiles in History Auction.

Young Frankenstein / Peter Boyle’s Frankenstein Outfit

Young Frankenstein (1974) – Peter Boyles’s Frankenstein Outfit

Young Frankenstein

Peter Boyle’s Frankenstein Outfit

This is the actual Frankenstein monster outfit which was worn by actor Peter Boyle throughout this Mel Brooks comedy classic. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN starred Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Terri Garr and Cloris Leachman. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN received 2 Oscar nominations (Best Writing and Best Sound). Movie Madness purchased this costume from the famous Profiles in History – Hollywood Auction in 2002.

Fight Club / Soap

Fight Club (1999) – Soap Bar from Promo Photos

Fight Club

Soap

This is the bar of soap that was used throughout the publicity campaign for David Fincher’s film adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s novel FIGHT CLUB.

Director David Fincher personally donated this one-of-a-kind prop to Movie Madness through the courtesy of his sister Emily Fincher. The back of the soap was personally signed by Mr. Fincher.

Sound of Music / Julie Andrews Dress

The Sound of Music (1965) – Julie Andrew’s Dress

Sound of Music

Julie Andrews Dress

Ms. Andrews wore this beautiful dress in the sequence where she sings “Do-Re-Mi” with the Von Trapp children. THE SOUND OF MUSIC was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, winning five including Best Picture, Best Director (Robert Wise), Best Film Editing, Best Music and Best Sound. Movie Madness purchased this wonderful dress in 1999 from a Sotheby’s Auction in Hollywood. It was previously owned by Actress Jane Winters who obtained this dress from 20th Century Fox.

Psycho / Knife

Psycho (1960) – Mother’s Knife

Psycho

Knife

Knife used in the shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s PSYCHO, as well as in the 1983 sequel.

The knife on display at Movie Madness is one of two original knives used during the famous shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s PSYCHO. Hitchcock did not believe in trick knives, so he had two knives made out of balsa wood created for this scene. The first knife had a sharp end which was used during most of the filming of the shower scene. The second knife was shortened and rounded at the end, designed so it could get as close as possible to Janet Leigh’s stand-in. This helped create the illusion that the knife was actually stabbing Janet Leigh’s character Marion. It was used in only three frames of the movie. The PSYCHO knife on display at Movie Madness is the only surviving knife from this classic film. This very same knife was used again by director Richard Franklin in the 1983 sequel, PSYCHO II, when Vera Miles character, Lila, is stabbed through the mouth.

Blade Runner/Ghostbusters / Building Model

Blade Runner (1982) / Ghostbusters (1983) – Building Model

Blade Runner/Ghostbusters

Building Model

Model used for the Yukon Hotel in BLADE RUNNER, as well as an apartment building in GHOSTBUSTERS.