Someone bought this lion costume for $700,000 on eBay this month. Yes, I do think it's an awful waste of money, even if it is the original Cowardly Lion costume that Bert Lahr wore in The Wizard of Oz back in the 30s. Apparently, it's made of real lion pelts. The listing reads:
One of the most coveted pieces of Hollywoodhistory extant, it stands alone as the sole "Wizard of Oz" costume thatremains available to collectors in the public domain: the "Tin Man" waslargely destroyed (only pieces remain), and the "Scarecrow" iscurrently housed in the Smithsonian. Considered the "Holy Grail" of allHollywood memorabilia, this costume is worthy of inclusion in the veryfinest collections of film artifacts!
Cool. I still think I'd rather buy a studio in Manhattan for $700K.
Bert Lahr Cowardly Lion Costume [via King Nutter]
