Buy Items From Poughkeepsie’s Most Famous Director

A famous (or infamous) Hollywood figure--immortalized on-screen by Johnny Depp--got his start in Poughkeepsie. Now you can own some of his possessions.

My first encounter with Ed Wood came from the same source it did for most people: the Tim Burton biopic starring Johnny Depp as the man himself.

As someone who is completely interested in... erm... eclectic and unique people, Ed Wood has become something of a fascination of mine. That he made what are widely considered to be the worst movies in the history of time only makes him more compelling. His worst is considered to be the "best" bad movie of all-time. And hey, thanks to the magic of YouTube, here it is!

But what I didn't know for a long time was that Ed Wood is from our neck of the woods (pun only slightly intended):

Wood lived at 115 Franklin St. in the City of Poughkeepsie and often saw movies at the city's Rialto Theater. His first job was as an usher at the Bardavon 1869 Opera House.

 

Pretty cool. And if you're interested in him or in historical movie artifacts, here's your chance to own some:

Beginning today, Thursday, RR Auction in Boston is placing up for online bidding numerous items owned by Wood and related to his legacy. The minimum bids range from $200 to $2,500.

"It's a peek into who Ed Wood was," said Bobby Livingston, executive vice president for RR Auction. "You can see his actual papers. It's pretty remarkable."

Included in the auction are Wood's leather briefcase and two trunks; four of his leather-bound notebooks containing original candid photographs; two binders of photos including original candid photographs, on-set photographs and movie stills; items signed by Wood; and numerous other items. Some of the materials are related to Wood's 1959 science-fiction film, "Plan 9 from Outer Space."

 

For more information on the auction, check it out here.