Memorabilia

‘Oz’ Cowardly Lion Costume Sold for $3M

Face bears Bert Lahr's likeness.

Bert Lahr’s Cowardly Lion costume from The Wizard of Oz has sold for more than $3 million at an auction in New York City. The big cat outfit had been authenticated as the one Lahr wore in the 1939 film. Its face is a sculpted likeness of the late actor. It sold at an auction of Hollywood items at Bonhams on Monday. A spokesman for costume owner James Comisar says a secondary costume used in the film was sold at auction in recent years for close to $1 million. Comisar has a trove of TV memorabilia from shows, including I Love Lucy and Lost. He has said he plans to use money from the Cowardly Lion costume sale to exhibit his collection.