A Guide to the Best of Southern California : ANTIQUES : House of Screen Immortals

“SHE WAS THE last of the great movie stars,” says Al Morley, owner of Matinee Idol, an intriguing shop in West Hollywood that specializes in film and theater collectibles. Morley is referring to the late Bette Davis, and he recently devoted an entire window display to her: movie posters, autographed letters, signed photographs and sheet music (also signed) from some of her many movies such as “Now, Voyager” and “Dark Victory.” Davis often boasted that nothing went out of the studio that she did not personally sign.

When Davis died last fall, people were in the shop the next day looking for autographs and other memorabilia. “It’s something that didn’t happen when some other great stars died,” Morley says, “stars like Cary Grant and Fred Astaire and Lucille Ball.” He attributes this to Davis’ stature as the ultimate movie star. Even for those who aren’t Davis fans, a trip to Matinee Idol will prove worthwhile for playbills, posters, souvenir programs (including “Birth of a Nation” and “Wings”), signed photographs of Errol Flynn (looking quite pleased with himself) and a $3,000 press kit (called a “campaign book”) for “Gone With the Wind.” The rarest and most expensive pieces deal with Marilyn Monroe, Humphrey Bogart, James Dean, Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin--or anything to do with Rick’s cafe in “Casablanca.” Matinee Idol , 8650 Melrose Ave . , West Hollywood, (213) 659-5569.