An early script from seminal Hollywood film The Godfather and a painting from Impressionist Pierre-August Renoir are among the items going under the hammer as part of an auction of famed movie producer Robert Evans’ estate.
Evans, known as much for his larger-than-life persona as for his prodigious film-making skills, was credited with resurrecting Paramount Studios.
Under his control during the 1960s and 70s, Paramount released classic films including Godfather I and II, Chinatown, True Grit, Rosemary’s Baby and Harold And Maude, transforming the studio’s fortunes.
However Evans, who died last year aged 89, had a fall from grace in the 1980s following a drugs scandal.
Julien’s Auctions is overseeing an auction of his estate, with more than 650 items once owned by the Hollywood mogul going under the hammer. Many of the items featured in 2002 documentary The Kid Stays In The Picture, which was based on Evans’ famed autobiography of the same name.
Among the items up for sale is an annotated early draft of The Godfather script, dated August 10 1970, which includes handwritten notes on casting.
The notes reveal Gene Hackman was among the actors considered for the role of Tom Hagen, a part which eventually went to Robert Duvall.
The script has an estimated selling price of between £2,300-£3,800.
A Godfather II script marked “second draft” is being sold with a guide price of £760-£1,520.
Evans’ collection of fine art photography and paintings will be sold, including a Renoir oil on canvas of a female nude with raised arm which hung on the producer’s living room wall (£76,000-£190,000) and a nude drawing from French artist Pierre-Paul Prud’hon (£11,000-£15,000), which was in Evans’ master bedroom.
Also up for sale at the auction, set to take place live in Beverly Hills and online in October, is a brass name plate that once hung on the door of Evans’ Paramount Studios office door (£230-£380), a Hollywood Walk Of Fame plaque given to the producer to commemorate his star being laid (£2,280-£3,800) and the Golden Globe award Evans won in 1975 for classic noir Chinatown (£2,280-£3,800) .
And items from Evans’ colourful personal life are also on sale. Three Rolodexes from the 1980s and 90s and containing a who’s who of Hollywood figures – including Warren Beatty, Francis Ford Coppola, Faye Dunaway, Mia Farrow and Carrie Fisher – have a guide price of £300-£455.
His 1995 Jaguar XJS 2+2 convertible (£6,000-£7,600) will also be going under the hammer.
Artwork, furniture and other decorative items will be included in the auction.
Evans’ personal life was arguably as colourful as anything he helped bring to the screen.
He married seven times, including to actresses Ali MacGraw, Catherine Oxenberg and former Miss America Phyllis George.
His distinctive look of a deep, permanent tan, oversized glasses and turtlenecks made him instantly recognisable and he is widely believed to have inspired Dustin Hoffman’s petty-minded Hollywood producer in 1997 satire Wag The Dog.
While his later career was marked by flops, Evans’ last credit was the 2003 Kate Hudson-Matthew McConaughey box office hit How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days.
Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien’s Auctions, said: “Robert Evans was a Hollywood visionary with a charismatic and towering persona who gave the world some of the best films ever made from The Godfather, The Godfather II and Chinatown, just to name a few.
“Julien’s Auctions is thrilled to offer this historic and glamorous collection of Evans’ most intriguing pieces from a storied life and career that was truly the stuff of Hollywood legend.”
The Property From The Estate Of Robert Evans auction is set to take place on Saturday October 24 at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills and live online at juliensauctions.com.