Movie artifacts caught in suit over failed museum

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OLATHE, Kan. (AP) -- A former Olathe man's lawsuit over a failed effort to open a museum may force the sale of Hollywood memorabilia owned by actress Debbie Reynolds.

The collection includes thousands of costumes and artifacts valued between $30 million and $60 million. It includes such iconic artifacts as the white dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in "The Seven Year Itch."

The proposed museum to house Reynolds' collection was to be built in Hollywood. But it never opened and the project developers have declared bankruptcy.

Forty-year-old businessman Gregory L. Orman sued in Johnson County in 2002 to recover the $1 million plus interest he lent the museum project.

Nothing happened in the lawsuit until last weekend, when the museum moved to have the case consolidated with its bankruptcy case.

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com