A number of iconic film props and memorabilia from The Big Lebowski were auctioned off this year in honor of the film's 25th anniversary.
In total, the special auction event featured more than 250 items, from storyboards, costumes and more, as part of Julien's auctions and TCM Present: Hollywood Legends: The Big Lebowski: The Complete Storyboards Auction.
One of the most coveted costume pieces up for grabs was the iconic brown robe and off-white shirt that Jeff Bridges wore in the film as Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski. It ended up selling for $169,000, and that's after it was appraised at $30,000 – $50,000.
It cost one lucky bidder $88,900 to get The Dude's sunglasses, which are expected to become a hot item again with movie buffs after being valued at between $20,000 and $30,000.
As the auction progressed, a rather unique piece from the bowling alley set, a signed bowling ball returner, sold for $16,250 despite being estimated at $1,000 – $2,000.
More than 250 items from the set of the cult classic The Big Lebowski were auctioned as part of the Julien's Auctions and TCM Present: Hollywood Legends: The Big Lebowski: The Complete Storyboards Auction
Some of The Big Lebowski's other movie props and memorabilia, including The Dude's iconic coat and off-white shirt, were up for grabs at The Big Lebowski and are up for auction, including the iconic brown coat and off-white shirt that Jeff Bridges wore in the film. movie
There were an array of bowling balls signed by Bridges, featuring some cool artwork from the acclaimed actor, all up for grabs.
One of the most coveted bowling balls that Bridges wrote with his signature “take er easy” on the side fetched $7,620 after being appraised for $300-500.
There were many pages from the original storyboard created by J. Todd Anderson prior to the film's production that were put up for auction. Anderson is known for laying out the storyboards, scene by scene, for all of the Coen Brothers' cinematic masterpieces dating back to Raising Arizona.
J. Todd Anderson's official storyboards were estimated at $500-$700 and sold for $13,000.
The Big Lebowski One Page Original Storyboard Scene 21 / Setup 2 / Home Invasion Scene 2 grossed $1,170 after going for an estimated $500-$700.
Some of the other artwork, such as the original One Page storyboard, scene 53 / Set-Up 1 / Larry Sellers End Scene, was purchased for $3,575 after it was thought to sell for $500-700.
The One Page, Scene 23 / Set-up A Bowling Scene 4, original storyboard sold for $1,170 after appraised at $500-$700.
The final bid for the One-Page, Scene 18 / Set-Up 1 / Jesus Quintana Scene sold for $4,550 after an estimate of $500-$700.
Bridges, now 74, is pictured rocking the robe, shirt and glasses in a still from the Coen brothers' 1998 cult classic, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year
It cost $88,900 for one lucky bidder to get The Dude's sunglasses, which were predicted to be another popular item with movie buffs, after being valued at between $20,000 and $30,000.
One of the most coveted bowling balls that Bridges wrote with his signature “take er easy” on the side fetched $7,620 after being appraised at $300-500
In a video on the Julien's Auctions website, Bridges showed how a portion of the proceeds from this auction will go to No Kid Hungry By Share Our Strength in the effort to end child hunger in America.
Directed by Ethan Coen from a screenplay he co-wrote with his brother Joel Coen, The Big Lebowski focuses on Bridges as The Dude, a Los Angeles slacker with a passion for bowling, caught in the middle of a crime caper with a wrong identity.
The cast also included John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, David Huddleston, John Turturro and Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tara Reid, David Thewlis, Peter Stormare, Jon Polito and Ben Gazzara.
A rather unique piece from the bowling alley set, a signed bowling ball return, sold for $16,250 despite being estimated at $1,000 – $2,000
A slew of pages from the original storyboards created by J. Todd Anderson were auctioned off, including the album cover which sold for $13,000 after being estimated at $500-$700.
The Original Storyboard of Big Lebowski One Page, Scene 21 / Setup 2 / Home Invasion Scene 2 grossed $1,170 after going for an estimated $500-$700
Although the crime comedy was not a major success at the worldwide box office upon its release in US theaters in March 1998, grossing $46.7 million against a budget of $15 million, it has become a cult favorite thanks to its eccentric characters, comedic dream sequences, quirky dialogue and eclectic soundtrack.
In January, Bridges and Goodman reunited at the Critics' Choice Awards, where Goodman presented Bridges with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Goodman gave a heartfelt speech about his old friend, revealing all the “camaraderie and friendship” they felt behind the scenes translated to the screen, “all thanks to Bridges.”
Steve Buscemi and John Goodman star alongside Bridges as his bowling friends
Some of the other artwork, such as the original One Page storyboard, scene 53 / Set-Up 1 / Larry Sellers End Scene, was purchased for $3,575 after it was thought to sell for $500-700.
The One Page, Scene 23 / Set-up A Bowling Scene 4 original storyboard sold for $1,170, after appraised at $500-$700
The One Page, Scene 23 / Set-up A Bowling Scene 4 original storyboard sold for $1,170, after appraised at $500-$700
Bridges famously played The Dude – a freewheeling, joint-smoking Angeleno slacker with a penchant for bowling and White Russians – alongside his friends; star John Goodman is pictured with Bridges' The Dude
“He was so dedicated and delivered his hilarious 'Dude-isms' so effortlessly that no one ever knew where Jeff ended and the dude began,” Goodman said, adding, “he continues to play such a wide range of characters and tends to lose himself in all of them, before they showed a clip package and Bridges took the stage to accept his award.
'Thanks, Johan! Thank you, Johannes. Thanks, critics. The Dude, from Lebowski, he would say, this is exactly your opinion, man,” Bridges joked as he accepted the award.
The Academy Award-winning actor, now 74, previously called The Big Lebowski “one of my favorite films I've ever been involved in,” a sentiment echoed years earlier by Goodman, who told Rolling stone that playing The Dude's uptight friend Walter Sobchak was also one of his greatest roles of all time.
In 2014, The Big Lebowski was selected by the Library Of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant'.