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Auction History Result 9j0034 SPARTACUS money clip 1961 given by Kirk Douglas to cast and crew members & engraved, rare! Date Sold 8/3/2021 Sold For: Login or Register to see sold price. An Original Vintage Money Clip (measures 1" x 2 1/4" [3 x 6 cm]) (Learn More) Spartacus, the classic 1960 Stanley Kubrick sword-and-sandal Ancient Wars gladiator sports action adventure epic ("Winner of 4 Academy Awards!"; "They trained him to kill for their pleasure... But they trained him a little too well..."; "A mighty motion picture!"; "Based on the novel by Howard Fast"; written by Dalton Trumbo) starring Kirk Douglas (in the title role as Spartacus), Laurence Olivier (as Crassus, who liked both oysters and snails, or was it truffles and artichokes?), Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton (as Gracchus), Peter Ustinov (winner of the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for this film), Woody Strode (as Draba), Tony Curtis ("as Antoninus"), John Gavin (as Julius Caesar), Charles McGraw (as the gladiator trainer), and Herbert Lom. Note that Kirk Douglas was the producer of this movie and originally Anthony Mann was directing. But three weeks into filming, Douglas fired Mann and replaced him with Stanley Kubrick, who then fired Sabine Bethmann, who had been the female lead, and replaced her with Jean Simmons! Also note that Dalton Trumbo had been blacklisted during the HUAAC hearings in the early 1950s, and he was still blacklisted at this time, so he was not going to receive screen credit. Kubrick heard this and wanted to be given the screenwriter credit (since someone had to be credited), but producer Douglas courageously insisted on Trumbo receiving the credit on screen, which effectively ended the blacklist! NOTE: Click on linked names to see a biography. Important Added Info: What a cool item this is for any Saul Bass, Kirk Douglas, or Stanley Kubrick collector. The movie was first announced in mid 1958, and by late 1959, it was not yet finished (it would be first released in October of 1960). Star/producer Kirk Douglas wanted to do something special for the cast and crew members at Christmas 1959, and he gave all the cast and crew members a special money clip with Saul Bass art of a gladiator converted into a die-cut figure on the front of the money clip, with a tiny three-link chain coming off his wrist, and Mr. Douglas had each money clip engraved with the name of a specific cast or crew member, and engraved "Thanks! Kirk" under that. The money clip was given in a special wooden box that has a slide top with a sticker from "Michaud" attached to it. In the case of this specific money clip, it was given to Virgil Proctor, who was a member of the crew (we don't find him in the official credits, but he was a "best boy" on a number of other movies of this period). In addition, Mr. Douglas had a special Christmas card made that is a flip book showing the same gladiator drawn by Saul Bass slowly raising his sword triumphantly, and on the second to last page, his sword has turned into a Christmas tree, and the final page says "HOLIDAY GREETINGS, Kirk Douglas" (it is printed on the card and not hand signed)! We have never auctioned either of these items before, and we are currently auctioning them in two separate auctions. Either would be a wonderful part of the new owner's collection, whether they collect on Kirk Douglas, Saul Bass, or Stanley Kubrick (or all three!). Condition: very good. The money clip has tarnished slightly (see our images). It will be sent to the winning bidder with the original wooden box. Learn More about condition grades 
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