They are packing up Old Hollywood and moving it to Newbury Park.
That's where about 3 million film studio publicity stills, 50,000 original movie posters and 20,000 vintage fan magazines will be stored until they are auctioned off six months from now.
The huge cache of movie memorabilia, gathered over the last 43 years by film fan and collectibles dealer Malcolm Willits, includes original scripts and studio contracts signed by such actors as Boris Karloff, Frank Sinatra and Vincent Price, and one that was signed by Elizabeth Taylor -- and her parents.
The collection, housed in a storefront on Hollywood Boulevard near the Pantages Theater, is considered by some experts to be second in size only to that of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
"I have a huge respect for this," said collection manager Craig Gilbert as he worked Wednesday to catalog the contents of large envelopes stuffed with movie publicity photos, press kits and other original materials.
"I've worked here six years and I've barely scratched the surface of what we have in here. The owner couldn't know what was in every envelope. Actors and studio people would sell their entire estates to him."
At the front of the sprawling shop, which bears the name Collectors Book Store, Willits' partner Mark Willoughby leafed through large movie posters -- some bearing the autograph of local studio artists who created the colorful ads.
Willoughby, 51, has worked with Willits for 30 years. He recalled how stars such as Mae West would come in to inspect the still photos of her that were stored in Willits' steel file cabinets.
"Mae was so nice. She would trade us better pictures of herself for the ones that she didn't like. Janet Leigh was another one who was always nice. She would come in and sign things for fans."
The star of "Psycho" balked only once at an autograph request, Willoughby said. "A man said, 'I hope you don't take this the wrong way' and unwrapped a butcher knife for her to sign. She said she was sorry, but she wouldn't autograph that."
Some Hollywood figures were less appreciative of the memorabilia. Willits ran afoul of Academy Awards officials in the 1980s when he auctioned off Marlon Brando's Oscar from "On the Waterfront." He has sold about half a dozen of the statuettes over the years.
