Imagine standing before the machine where John Lennon tapped out his first Beatles songs, where Jerry Siegel gave life to Superman or where Ernest Hemingway poured out his most gripping stories.
“There is a special synergy that can be felt when you look at these typewriters,” said Palisadian Steve Soboroff who has built a collection of 28 noteworthy typewriters. “There was no cut and paste with typewriters. No delete. It’s completely different than a computer. You have to think.”
Photo: Michael Bulbenko
Quoting Andrea Bocelli, whose typewriter is among those on display, Soboroff referenced the unique relationship between a typewriter and its owner.
“This is a part of me. Together, we have created something greater than each of us would have alone,” he said.
The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills is hosting a unique month-long exhibit debuting the world’s finest collection of famous typewriters amassed by Soboroff, president of the L.A. Police Commission. His collection includes 28 original typewriters, previously owned by iconic authors and personalities, including Truman Capote, Tom Hanks, Tennessee Williams and Ted Kaczynski, and most recently, Bing Crosby. The criterion for purchasing each machine was that its owner had to be on the cover of Time, or Soboroff wasn’t interested.
Photo: Michael Bulbenko
On opening night Dec. 4, Soboroff discussed his historic collection and the fascinating stories behind his prized possessions, including the fact that Angelina Jolie gave him a deposit on one of his Ernest Hemingway typewriters as a wedding gift for Brad. The launch also convened Laura Siegel Larson (daughter of Superman creator Jerry Siegel) and Joanne Carson, a close friend of Truman Capote (who spent his final years living at her L.A. home).
The collection will be on display through Jan. 4. The exhibit is free and open to the public. The Paley Center is open Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
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