Sold For $2,500
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Desirable lot of five items from President John F. Kennedy's famous birthday celebration held at Madison Square Garden on May 19, 1962, including: a rare original 13 x 9.5 poster for “New York’s Birthday Salute to President Kennedy,” featuring an image of Kennedy, a list of scheduled performers, and a printed mailing form, marked at the bottom, “New York Post, Wednesday, May 2, 1962”; an 8.5 x 11.25 handbill and a blank 6 x 9 ticket order form for the event, both with matching design and information as the poster; an original ticket stub for "President Kennedy's Birthday Party and Gala All Star Show," 6.25 x 3.75, featuring his portrait on the left side and stamped “Pres[s]”; and the original program from the event, entitled 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President' on the front cover, two pages, 8.25 x 10.5, listing the performers inside, including Ella Fitzgerald, Maria Callas, Peter Lawford, and Marilyn Monroe—whose sultry rendition of 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President' is remembered even today. Includes an original ticket stub for “President Kennedy’s Birthday Dinner” from 1961, 5 x 3.75, which was held at the National Guard Armory in Washington, DC, on May 27, 1961. In overall fine condition, with light stains to the program, and two vertical, unobtrusive tears to the poster's horizontal fold.
On the evening of May 19, 1962, 17,000 people filled Madison Square Garden to celebrate the birthday of President John F. Kennedy. The star-studded gala featured appearances and musical numbers by many noted celebrities, including Maria Callas, Peggy Lee, and Diahann Carroll. The song that stole the show, however, was Marilyn Monroe’s now-infamous, sultry rendition of 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President.' Wearing a dazzling, skintight dress, the spotlight was on Monroe as she delivered the breathy number to the thrilled crowd. President Kennedy was then presented with a massive birthday cake, and he humorously remarked: 'I can now retire from politics after having had Happy Birthday sung to me in such a sweet, wholesome way.'
