Melrose/21/dp1st/mark2nd

By NOLA L. SARKISIAN

Staff Reporter

Do I hear $100 for Dr. Peter Burns’ scrub suit and stethoscope? How about $200 for Amanda Woodward’s desk at her advertising agency?

As “Melrose Place,” the onetime darling of the Spelling Entertainment empire, prepares for its swan song on May 24, the producers are planning the first-ever online auction of props, furniture and other keepsakes.

“We want fans to have a lasting piece of the show,” said Kevin Sasaki, Spelling Entertainment’s publicist. “Because of the show’s position as a cultural phenomenon of sorts, what better way to honor our fans and thank them for their support than providing them with lasting mementos?”

The auction site will launch on May 17 through a partnership of Hamilton Projects, the merchandising arm of Spelling, Amazon.com and Encino-based Artist Direct.

Amazon.com will serve as the exclusive host of the site. Fans can tender offers on an array of mementos that are everything Melrose the pool table from Shooters bar, Sidney’s wedding dress and stripping outfit, Jake’s motorcycle helmet and jacket, Allison’s blue bathrobe, Amanda’s couch and desk.

Even the eight green front doors from the “Melrose Place” apartment complex are up for grabs, according to Randy Levy, president of Artist Direct’s entertainment division, which is overseeing logistics for the event. The piece de resistance the plaque marking the entrance of Melrose Place will be raffled off at the end of the auction on May 31.

All told, about 250 items will be up for grabs during the two-week auction. Proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society, the Big Brothers of Greater Los Angeles and the Big Sisters of Los Angeles.

Though skeptics may question the ultimate need for Amanda’s bed sheets, there appears to be a market for such pop icon remnants.

“If you think of their target demographic, it’s somebody who is computer literate and on the Internet. They’ll do much better with an auction than a ‘Murder She Wrote’ finale would have done when it went off the air,” said Steve Cesinger, managing director of the media and entertainment practice at Greif & Co., an investment bank in Los Angeles.

Considering that auction sites are hot places on the Internet, sales of the “Melrose Place” memorabilia could prove to be a pioneer approach in television merchandising.

“With the growth of online retail, more businesses are realizing that online auctions are a seller’s dream, especially when the product is in demand,” said Evie Dykema Black, an analyst at Forrester Research. “Rather than settle for the first offer, they can wait until they receive the best offer.”

“Melrose Place” marketing won’t stop on the computer screen. Fans can tune to local radio stations for a chance to win their very own party at a Planet Hollywood on the night the final episode is broadcast. The chain’s 33 locations nationwide will all be hosting such gatherings complete with appearances from past and present cast members.

Then there’s the pool water giveaway. Fox is distributing several hundred snow domes filled with water from the famed Melrose Place pool, as well as hundreds of Spanish-style tiles from the courtyard, to radio stations that can use the souvenirs for giveaways.

“Having a vial of water to put on your desk is a great conversation piece and knickknack that many fans would love,” said George Greenberg, executive vice president of marketing for Fox Broadcasting Co.

Despite the 7-year-old show’s slipping ratings, “Melrose Place” carved out a lucrative viewer niche by targeting 18- to 49-year-olds with a stunning cast, sexy fashions and somewhat racy dialogue.

“The show came on at a time when there wasn’t much fare targeting younger people,” said Larry Auerbach, an executive director at the USC School of Cinema-Television.

Heavy promotion of the series finale is likely to generate a spike in ratings and boost ad rates for the network. The ploy is especially critical in May, when the networks are scrambling to put their best programming on the air during sweeps.

“‘Melrose’ could get two times more than it commands during the season, or even more,” said Bill Croasdale, a media buyer at Western Initiative Media in Los Angeles. “Since the show doesn’t have much competition that evening, it should do well.”