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Helen Cooper's (Marilyn Eastman) screen-matched cellar dress and bracelet from George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead with two stills from the production autographed by Eastman. Helen wore her striped dress and bracelet when she and her husband Harry (Karl Hardman) took refuge in the Cooper family cellar from a growing horde of flesh-eating ghouls, though the cellar ultimately proved insufficiently protective. The stitching and stripe pattern along both shoulder seams and the collar screen-match this dress.
This lot originated from Eastman's personal collection, a pivotal figure both onscreen and behind-the-scenes of the film's production. Eastman and Hardman's company, Hardman/Eastman, Inc., partnered with Romero's production company, The Latent Image, to found Image Ten, which produced Night of the Living Dead. In addition to starring alongside Hardman as Helen Cooper, Eastman also contributed script editing, makeup, and prop assistance on the independent production.Upon release, Night of the Living Dead became one of the most profitable and influential works in horror history, earning more than $30 million at the global box office against a production budget of as little as $114,000 and inspiring a beloved multi-film franchise. In 1999, the Library of Congress selected the film for permanent preservation in the National Film Registry for its historic contributions to American culture, none of which would have come to pass if not for Eastman's work.
The costume components are:
A striped knit polyester short-sleeve dress with a zip-back closure
A metal bracelet with geometric patterns
A glossy black-and-white still of the Coopers signed and dated "2010" in black marker by Eastman, who appears in Helen's striped dress
A color-printed cast-and-crew photograph from the production signed and dated "2015" in black marker by Eastman, who appears in Helen's striped dress
The dress and bracelet show evidence of wear consistent with on-set use, handling, and age.
Additional Provenance: Two Grad Authentication Letters of Verification authenticating the signatures.
Estimate: $8,000 - 16,000
View all lots from NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)
This item comes with a Propstore Certificate of Authenticity.