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Telegrams from Hollywood stars go up for auction

Grace McGroryin Messingham
News imageBBC/Grace McGrory A woman smiles at the camera. She is holding two pieces of paper which have the headers "GPO Greetings Telegram". She is standing in front of multiple archways. There is a wooden clock on the left, and a sword is hung up on the wall.BBC/Grace McGrory
Lesley Hyton found the telegrams in her parents' house

A collection of telegrams sent by Hollywood film stars to celebrate the opening of a Doncaster cinema in the 1960s are going up for auction.

The messages were sent by actors including Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Roger Moore and Bette Davis for ABC Doncaster's gala evening on 18 May 1967, which also included a screening of Doctor Zhivago.

The telegrams were kept by manager Len Key and were recently discovered by his daughter Lesley Hyton, from Scunthorpe, when she was clearing out her parents' house.

"They're unique, they're special," she said. "[Everybody] I've shown them to has said the same."

News imageBBC/Grace McGrory A collection of pieces of paper laid out on a table. Many of them have a header which reads "GPO Greetings Telegram". Along the bottom of each piece of paper is an elaborate pattern depicting a woodland scene.BBC/Grace McGrory
The telegrams include messages from stars such as Raquel Welch, Diana Rigg, Patrick Macnee and Robert Vaughn

According to an article from The Daily Cinema, which is included in the collection, the ABC Doncaster had 1,277 seats and formed part of a new shopping precinct.

The opening night was attended by directors of both ABC and production company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Lesley said she remembered attending the event as a 10-year-old.

"I remember my hairstyle, I remember the dress I was wearing," she added.

"I remember a fanfare of trumpeters outside, a yellow ribbon, the mayoress cutting the ribbon and me presenting her with a huge bouquet of flowers."

In a telegram, Omar Sharif said he was "truly sad" not to be at the opening night.

Roger Moore wished "jolly good luck" to the new cinema, and added: "May you never know anything other than standing room only."

Bette Davis described the news of the new cinema as "heartening", and said she was on the set of her 78th motion picture, The Anniversary.

News imageBBC/Grace McGrory A piece of paper with a few creases in it. It contains a printed message which is signed "Omar Sharif". There is a yellow border which runs down the left-hand side.BBC/Grace McGrory
Omar Sharif said he was "truly sad" not to be at the opening night

Various newspaper cuttings about the opening night are included in the collection.

Paul Potter, of Potters Auction Saleroom, said: "It's a bit of a bygone age and these things don't want to be lost."

Potters is holding the sale on Thursday at its auction rooms in Messingham, North Lincolnshire.

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