Louis Leithold Collection of Vintage Movie Posters at Bonhams & Butterfields

Wednesday, 06 December 2006 08:47

Los Angeles, CA - International fine arts auctioneers Bonhams & Butterfields announces the sale of The Leithold Legacy Part Three: the continuation of a series of sales of property from the Louis Leithold Collection of vintage movie posters - all to be sold without reserve.  This segment of the collector's property contains a number of titles spanning the history of cinema from the silent era to the contemporary blockbuster.  Pieces from the noted educator, author and dealer will be offered following the sale of Entertainment Memorabilia in Los Angeles on December 17, 2006.

Louis Leithold was a major figure in national High School Advanced Placement (AP) circles, known not only for his workshops for AP calculus teachers, but also for the development of the textbook credited with revolutionizing the methods of mathematical study -- "The Calculus 7".  Passing away just days before his calculus class at Malibu High School was to take the AP calculus exam, his 16 students vowed to honor their long-time teacher.  Fourteen students received 5s --the highest possible score on a five-point scale-- while two earned 4s. It was the best performance of any class taught by Leithold, who, at 72-years of age, began teaching at Malibu High in 1998.

Leithold was a mentor to many math teachers, including Jaime Escalante, made famous when portrayed by Edward James Olmos in the film "Stand and Deliver."  Escalante gained recognition for his success teaching calculus to inner city students.  The legacy of Liethold lives on through his students, publications, teachings and collection of rare Hollywood memorabilia.

Although he was most famous as an author and a professor, many knew Leithold as a poster dealer.  His love of movie poster art began in the 1950s, when he owned the Kiva, a movie theater in Scottsdale, Arizona, frequented at the time by a young Steven Spielberg.