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Posted: Wednesday, October 26th, 2005 4:41 AM HST

Oahu librarian putting Hawaii film collection up for auction

By Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) _ A collection of rare 16-milimeter Hawaii-themed films is up for auction. The opening bid is 87-thousand-500 dollars. The collection contains about 250 examples of features, documentaries and newsreels. It begins with a 1925 silent western in which surfing great Duke Kahanamoku plays an Indian chief. The collection also has Bing Crosby crooning ``Sweet Leilani'' in the 1937 film ``Waikiki Wedding,'' surf footage of big wave legend Eddie Aikau, and 1930's scenes of sugar mills, volcanoes and Waikiki. The collection was assembled by Steven Fredrick -- a librarian at Kailua Public Library. Fredrick has been a collector of classic horror and silent films since he was a teenager. After arriving in Hawaii from Los Angeles in 1994, he began building up his Hawaii-related stock as a way to learn more about the history and culture of the islands. (Copyright 2005 by the Associated Press. All rights reserved.)