Hollywood on the Block

Online auctions tend to be about as dramatic as a quilting bee. But at least the tempo, if not the pulse rates, will quicken when cable TV network American Movie Classics does a live auction of Hollywood memorabilia tonight online and on the air.

The auction, which starts at 6 p.m., features “memorabilia and special experiences” related to Elvis Presley, Bob Hope, Tom Hanks, Frank Sinatra and other stars. Would-be bidders need to register in advance at https://www.amctv.com, where they can peruse at least some of the items in advance.

Among the most tempting: a leather coat worn by Lee Marvin as a drunken gunfighter in “Cat Ballou” and the tweedy chapeau worn by Peter Sellers as the clueless Inspector Clouseau in the “Pink Panther” films.

AMC is using technology from Ibidlive.tv to conduct the auction simultaneously over the Web and on TV. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Film Foundation, a group that supports the preservation efforts of seven major film archives.