How Debbie Reynolds Saved 'Old Hollywood'

Debbie Reynolds is, of course, most fondly remembered as a star of musicals on stage and screen - but Reynolds did much more for Hollywood beyond standing in front of its shining lights. She is responsible for saving many of the items we today consider priceless historical artifacts, including an iconic pair of Dorothy's Ruby Slippers.

Late in her life Reynolds auctioned off the items she had collected for tens of millions of dollars. One of the series of auctions alone raised over 26 million dollars.

In 1970, when MGM was liquidating all of its props and costume collection, Reynolds spent a reported $600, 000 saving what would later be recognized as priceless and treasured items from classic American films.

"They literally threw away our history and I just got caught up in it," Reynolds was quoted saying in 2014. "The stupidity and the lack of foresight to save our history. Oh yes, they gave them away..."

She was one of Hollywood's most notable collectors. She collected pieces from celebrities such as Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Shirley MacLaine, Charlie Chaplin, Harpo Marx, and so many more.

Reynolds' dream was to house the collection in a museum, which she attempted to do in the 90s' in Las Vegas, but the museum went bankrupt and the collection went back into storage.

As recently as 2014 Reynolds had hoped to find the collection a permanent home, even approaching the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences - but was refused every single time.

"I am a little hurt. I mean, I don't feel that I should donate what I have left of my collection. ... I did it all when nobody else would..." she told The Hollywood Reporter.

Reynolds' dream of making the collection available for the public to enjoy never did come to fruition - and she sold off most of the collection - including Marilyn Monroe's famous "subway dress" which sold for $2 million dollars.

These priceless historical masterpieces are now in the hands of various collectors - and Reynolds never saw her dream of a Hollywood museum become a reality. Still, without Reynolds' foresight today these objects would only live on in memories and on screen - and for that we owe her a great debt.

Read Debbie Reynolds' obituary here.

Here are just a few of the objects Reynolds had collected: