A collection of 1960s telegrams sent by Hollywood icons including Bette Davis, Omar Sharif, and Roger Moore to celebrate a cinema opening is heading to auction, according to reports from BBC News.
The memorabilia features congratulatory messages from film stars and was preserved by cinema manager Len Key. His daughter, Lesley Hyton, recently discovered the historical items while clearing out her parents’ house, according to BBC News. Potters Auction Saleroom is handling the sale, scheduled to take place on Thursday in Messingham, North Lincolnshire, as reported by BBC News.
May 1967 Gala Opening of ABC Doncaster
The telegrams were dispatched for the gala evening on May 18, 1967, which marked the opening of the ABC Doncaster cinema, according to BBC News. The launch event featured a screening of the film Doctor Zhivago.
According to an archival article from The Daily Cinema included in the collection and cited by BBC News, the ABC Doncaster boasted 1,277 seats and operated as part of a new shopping precinct. Directors from both ABC and production company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer attended the opening night festivities.
Childhood Memories of a Red-Letter Night
Hyton, who was 10 years old at the time, shared firsthand memories of the gala with BBC News.
"I remember my hairstyle, I remember the dress I was wearing," Hyton told BBC News, recalling the fanfare outside the building. "I remember a fanfare of trumpeters outside, a yellow ribbon, the mayoress cutting the ribbon and me presenting her with a huge bouquet of flowers."
Messages From Sharif, Moore, and Davis
The auction lot features congratulatory messages from actors of the era, offering a glimpse into mid-century film culture.
In his telegram retrieved from the collection, Omar Sharif stated that he was "truly sad" not to attend the opening night festivities, according to BBC News. Roger Moore sent a message wishing "jolly good luck" to the newly established venue, adding: "May you never know anything other than standing room only," as reported by BBC News.
Bette Davis characterized the launch of the venue as "heartening" in her message, noting in the telegram that she was currently working on the set of her 78th motion picture, The Anniversary, according to BBC News.
Television Stars and Newspaper Archives
Additional telegrams in the collection feature messages from figures including Julie Christie, Raquel Welch, Diana Rigg, Patrick Macnee, and Robert Vaughn, according to BBC News.
Alongside the telegrams, the collection includes various newspaper clippings documenting the opening night.
Paul Potter of Potters Auction Saleroom emphasized the historical value of the find to BBC News, stating, "It’s a bit of a bygone age and these things don’t want to be lost."