'Gone With the Wind' museum to be sold Februalry 11 A museum in Barnesville, Ga., dedicated to the film "Gone With the Wind" and owned by Fred Crane, 88, who uttered the first words in the movie as Brent Tarleton, will be sold on Sunday, February 11th.
News-Antique.com - Nov 30,-0001 - 'GONE WITH THE WIND' MUSEUM IN GEORGIA TO BE SOLD FEBRUARY 11th
AS PART OF THE LIVING ESTATE OF FRED CRANE, AN ACTOR IN THE FILM
Four Seasons Auction Gallery and Atlanta Auction Company will team for this historic event
(Barnesville, Ga.) - Fans of “Gone With the Wind” memorabilia will have a field day on Sunday, February 11th, when the historic antebellum mansion in Georgia that serves as a museum dedicated to the classic film – plus its contents, comprising hundreds of items – will be sold. The museum is owned and operated by actor Fred Crane, who uttered the very first words in the movie.
Four Seasons Auction Gallery of Atlanta will oversee the selling of the items in the museum, while Atlanta Auction Company of Atlanta will sell the approximately 6,000-square-foot mansion and property (on 2.36 acres). The sale is expected to begin at 11 am, on location and under huge, heated tents. Barnseville is located south of Atlanta, off I-75, about an hour from the city by car.
Mr. Crane, who will be 89 in March, played Brent Tarleton, one-half of the Tarleton twins (the other was George Reeves, who went on to become “Superman” on the hit '50s TV show). “It's a marvelous collection of items from the film and many fine people associated with it, but it's time for me to move on,” Crane said. “Besides, I'm not much into material things. It's better that I share it.”
Crane and his wife, Terry, purchased the mansion and property in February 2000, when it was being operated as a bed and breakfast. As it happens, the Cranes were in the market for a B&B themselves. When they were shown the property, it seemed like a perfect fit. “With its beautiful Greek Revival fireplaces and enormous rooms, it was exactly what we were looking for,” Mrs. Crane said.
They moved into the home and immediately began an extensive renovation, which was completed in July 2000. They opened for business initially as Tarleton Oaks Bed and Breakfast, but the Tara-like atmosphere, combined with Fred's involvement in “Gone With the Wind,” eventually led them to showcase Mr. Crane's enormous collection of “Gone With the Wind” memorabilia there.
In 2002, the Cranes unveiled the Gone With the Wind Hall of Stars Museum. It continued to function as a bed and breakfast, and guests were often treated to tours by Mrs. Crane and even reminiscences and a slide presentation by Mr. Crane himself. “We had a lot of repeat business,” Terry said. “People just drank in the experience. It made them feel closer to one of the great all-time films.”
But Mr. Crane's health began to decline, and in late 2004 the couple decided to shut down the business and enjoy a slower pace of life. “It was a hard decision to make,” Mrs. Crane said, “but we're confident the collection and property will be sold to people who will preserve the memory of the film.” She added the ideal
