Ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard Of Oz sell for $28m at auction
A pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard Of Oz have sold at auction for $28m (£21m).
The shoes are one of four surviving pairs made for the 1939 classic film, and became the most valuable movie memorabilia ever sold at auction, according to auction house Heritage Auctions.
The buyer will reportedly pay an additional $4.5m (£3.4m) to the Dallas-based auction house, bringing the final price to $32.5m (£25.4m), according to the Associated Press.
Heritage Auctions had estimated that the shoes would fetch $3m or more, but the fast-paced bidding outpaced that amount within seconds and tripled within minutes.
Interest in the item coincides with the popularity of the film adaptation of Wicked, a prequel of The Wizard Of Oz that reimagines the character of the Wicked Witch of the West.
Sequin-covered ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland. Pic: AP
The same pair of sparkly red heels made headlines in 2005 when they were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in the actress’s hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, by Terry Jon Martin.
Their whereabouts remained a mystery until the FBI recovered them in 2018. Martin, now 77, wasn’t publicly exposed as the thief until he was charged in May 2023.
It is believed he stole the shoes after being told they were made with real jewels, only to be told later the rubies were made of glass.
Dorothy wearing one of the pairs of red shoes in a scene from The Wizard Of Oz with the Tin Man and the Scarecrow. Pic: Rex Features
Martin pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served because of his poor health.
After the slippers sold, the auctioneer told bidders and spectators that the previous record for a piece of entertainment memorabilia was $5.52m (£4.3m), for the white dress Marilyn Monroe wore in The Seven Year Itch that blew up when she stood over a subway grate.
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The Wicked Witch of the West tries to get her hands on the Ruby Slippers in The Wizard Of Oz. Pic: Rex Features
Another pair of ruby slippers sold in 2000 for $666,000 (£521,000), Heritage Auctions said. In 2012, Steven Spielberg and Leonardo DiCaprio paid $2m (£1.5m) for another pair and donated them to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in LA.
Other pieces of memorabilia from The Wizard Of Oz, including a hat worn by Margaret Hamilton, who played the original Wicked Witch of the West, were also sold on Saturday.
The hat fetched $2.4m (£1.8m), with the buyer paying a total of $2.93m.
Entertainment
Snoop Dogg becomes co-owner and investor of Swansea football club saying it’s ‘an underdog just like me’
Police are taking no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.
Officers said they had investigated “comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance” at the festival on 28 June.
However, after Crown Prosecution Service advice, they decided there is not enough evidence “to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
The Avon & Somerset force started investigating the Irish group’s show last month, as well as comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
It said they were looking at a possible public order incident.
Police said on Friday that the investigation into Bob Vylan’s performance was ongoing.
The London duo were widely criticised – and caused a BBC crisis – after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).
Kneecap’s Liam Og O Hannaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June. Pic: PA
Kneecap posted a photograph on Instagram, which the group said was an email from police announcing the case was being dropped.
They said their packed Glastonbury gig was a “celebration of love and solidarity” and reporting used “wildly misleading headlines”.
Fears over what Kneecap might do or say during the performance had prompted the BBC not to show it live.
The group said: “Every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close… yet the police saw fit to publicly announce they were opening an investigation.”
“There is no public apology, they don’t send this to media or post it on police accounts,” they added.
The police statement on Friday said they had informed Kneecap of their decision to drop the case.
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One of the group’s members appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
He was released on unconditional bail ahead of a second court appearance in August.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
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