In the annals of Hollywood, few tragedies have left an impact as indelible as the murder of Sharon Tate. In August of 1969, the aspiring starlet’s life was tragically cut short when she, her unborn child, and four friends fell victim to the Manson Family. The murders sent shockwaves throughout the nation, casting a shadow on the golden dreams of the ‘60s. Now, 54 years later, the front door of 10050 Cielo Drive, on which the murderers scrawled the word “Pig,” is being auctioned – stirring a blend of curiosity, controversy, and awe.

For many, Sharon Tate will forever be an icon of talent and untapped potential. Her promising career was only beginning to take off, and her death left a void in the lives of her fans and her colleagues.

The decision to auction the infamous door is a reminder of the human fascination with true crime, and while some view it as morbid curiosity, others see it as an opportunity to keep Tate’s memory alive. As the auction house entrusted with handling such a historically significant item, our primary focus is to honor Tate’s legacy and preserve her memory. It is essential for us to remember her as the vivacious person she was, and draw attention to her contributions to the silver screen.

When describing that famous 1950s actress with the, “soft blond hair, bedroom eyes, and sultry pout,” an understandable response would be, “Which one?” Although it would be easiest to assume Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, or Mamie Van Doren – English actress and model Diana Dors offered a unique, relatable separation from the stereotype.

Born in 1968 in Wiltshire, England, a then Diana Fluck was immediately showered with affection and gifts by her mother, due to a dramatic birth which nearly killed them both. Often getting comments on her beauty from a young age, Diana entered her first beauty contest searching for Soldier Magazine’s next pin-up girl at age 1. At 14, progressing to an interest in acting as well as modeling, Dors enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), becoming the youngest full-time student ever to enroll. Many roles and love interests later, the bland brunette from post-war England died her hair platinum, changed her last name, and caught the eye of Hollywood and the public by her likeness to American superstar, Marilyn Monroe.


Contrary to Monroe’s “dumb blonde” image, Dors was painted as more of a “bad girl” and took on harder-hitting roles that reflected her working-class upbringing.  Some of these included Lady Godiva Rides Again (1951), which was temporarily banned by the American Board of Film for too much navel exposure (seen as too controversial for audiences). Another was 1952’s My Wife’s Lodger, where the director made Dors shoot two different versions of scenes – once for the Brits that showed Dors’ navel, and one for the Americans where Dors was forced to cover up.

Offered in Julien’s upcoming September Legends: Hollywood and Royalty auction are pieces from Dors's impressive career, including: a kaftan made of gold Lurex fabric and black nylon trim that was worn by Dors during a 1975 appearance on the comedic game show series Celebrity Squares; a light blue floral patterned evening jacket made of Lurex threaded lace with peasant sleeves, worn by Dors when she met fellow actress Gloria Swanson in 1981; an evening cape made of black silk blend and embellished with rhinestones, sequins, and beaded fringe, worn by Dors during a 1981 appearance on the series The Cannon and Ball Show; and a pale green baby doll dress with a jeweled neck, and matching overcoat, custom-made for Diana Dors by Darnell of London, and worn by her in the film The Counterfeit Constable, in which she appears as none other than herself.

Besides the string of chart-topping songs that earned her the moniker “Queen of Pop,” Madonna has just as often made headlines as the “Queen of Reinvention.”

After becoming a superstar with her first two albums and performance in Desperately Seeking Susan (Orion Pictures, 1985) she quietly underwent her first transformation in early 1986. With the release of the video for her wistful ballad “Live to Tell,” fans got an early glimpse at a brand-new, streamlined Madonna. Shunning her Lower East Side Bohemian goddess image with the multitude of bangle bracelets and revealing garments, Madonna appeared before the camera in softer makeup, a modest dress, and demure hairstyle. She could pass for a prim missionary, which made sense since this was the occupation of her character in her then-upcoming romantic comedy Shanghai Surprise (HandMade Films, 1986).

While the 1930s-set film, which marked the first and only teaming of Madonna with her then-new husband Sean Penn, wasn’t a hit, and she doesn’t sing on the soundtrack (though producer George Harrison did), there were a few people who found positive things to say about the movie. One such person was Andy Warhol, who wrote that he found the clothes “beautiful.”

Perhaps the Pop Art icon was referring to Madonna’s Helping Hands Mission uniform, or her vintage-looking silk slip, or he maybe he fancied Penn’s lightweight conman suit. Whether you’re a fan of the film or just a major Madonna fan, you’re invited to get into the groove when dozens of items from Shanghai Surprise go under the hammer during our upcoming Legends: Hollywood & Royalty sale, September 6-8.

It was a bromance for the ages, and one that would change the cultural landscape. Dennis Hopper was still a teenager when he was cast in a small role in the classic drama Rebel Without a Cause (Warner Brothers, 1955). During filming in the spring of 1955, Hopper, playing a tough-talking member of a high school gang who harassed James Dean’s character, befriended the movie’s leading man. Just a few years older than Hopper, Dean nevertheless took the younger man under his wing and not only inspired him to a be a stronger, more present actor, but to pursue other creative interests, such as painting and photography.

The two would work on another film Giant (Warner Brothers, 1956) that summer and remained close until Dean’s tragic demise in an automobile accident on September 30, 1955. Dean’s death had a tremendous impact on the film industry, and particularly on Hopper. Determined to carry on his mentor’s mantle, Hopper repeatedly misbehaved on the set of the western From Hell to Texas (Twentieth Century Fox, 1958), and saw his career fall into steep decline, forced to appear in low-budget indie films and television sitcoms. During this career lull, Hopper began to follow Dean’s advice by spending his free time painting, taking photographs, and collecting art.

By the time of his career resurgence with the counterculture blockbuster Easy Rider (Paramount Pictures, 1969), Hopper had become regarded as a true renaissance man, an acclaimed painter, an evocative photographer, and a very renowned art collector.

With the upcoming Julien’s Auctions sale of Property from the Life and Career of Dennis Hopper, fans have the opportunity to take home some of the important artifacts that reveal the significance of this short but meaningful friendship.

Among the books Hopper held onto for decades is an early paperback edition of East of Eden, which provided the source material for Dean’s starring debut, and a first edition hardback copy of The Mutant King, a bestselling biography of Dean, for which Hopper was extensively interviewed.  A black and white photograph of Dean playing bongo drums in a field of cows and pigs is numbered and signed by photographer Dennis Stock. A deluxe limited-edition of Photographs 1961-1967, contains many of the most notable photographs Hopper took of his equally iconic friends, such as James Dean, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Tina Turner, which was signed by Hopper just before his death in 2010, and offers a fascinating look at the world through his eyes.

Certainly, the rarest of Hopper’s belongings going under the hammer is his earliest surviving painting – an abstract impressionistic watercolor portrait, circa 1960. Hopper sent his painting as a gift to his brother shortly before a fire destroyed his home and his entire collection and personal artworks.

Hopper was often tempestuous but he made close friends, they often lasted through his entire life. One such friendship was with Pop Art great Andy Warhol. The two became acquainted in the early 1960s when Hopper bought one of Warhol’s friend Campbell Soup silkscreens. Warhol took several Polaroid photographs of Hopper over the years, but the only known one that is signed by Warhol is part of this amazing collection.

All of these historically significant items, and many more, are currently open for bidding in our Legends: Hollywood & Royalty auction taking place online and in Beverly Hills this September 6, 7, and 8, 2023.

Log-in to Juliens Auctions and register to bid.