The original mechanical animatronic head of E.T., from Steven Spielberg’s “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” movie, reportedly sold for $635,000 at auction.
Julien’s Auction teamed up with TCM Presents for a four-day, star-studded auction event called “Hollywood Legends,” which kicked off Thursday evening in Beverly Hills. The auction’s theme was “Robots, Wizards, Heroes & Aliens,” and attracted a bidder who was prepared to shell out $635,000, according to TMZ.
E.T. Animatronic Head Sells For $635K at Auction | Click to read more 👇 https://t.co/74ikqeoaEB
— TMZ (@TMZ) December 15, 2023
Legendary special effects artist Carlo Rambaldi created the animatronic head for the 1982 film. The original piece is made of a metal frame and covered with a foam latex outer skin designed to activate the pulsing of E.T.’s veins, an effect visible in some of the close-up scenes from the movie, according to TMZ.
The name of the individual who purchased this legendary piece of movie memorabilia has not been revealed at this time. The cost involved in designing and creating this piece was not declared.
Other pop culture items that were auctioned off included a “Lost in Space” Robot Model B-9, which ended up selling for $455,000, as well as a “Conan The Destroyer” sword that managed to result in a $45,500 sale, which was reportedly four times more than it was estimated to sell for, according to TMZ.
A “Harry Potter” prop wand also sold for higher than expected, bringing in $76,200 at auction. (RELATED: Part Of JFK’s Blood-Stained Limousine Sold At Auction)
E.T. has long been considered one of Hollywood’s biggest hits. The film was credited for launching actress Drew Barrymore and Henry Thomas’ careers.