Local optometrist collected eyeglasses of world dignitaries and celebrities

Monday, Oct. 23, 2000 | 10 a.m.

In the 1950s just about everybody knew that some unidentified romancer gave Peggy Lee "Fever."

What they didn't know is that a few years later the versatile songstress gave her black, horn-rimmed sunglasses -- a little scratched, but in otherwise good condition -- to Dr. M.J. Bagley of Henderson.

Like Benny Goodman, Anwar Sadat and Lilian Gish, Lee sent the spectacles to Bagley's office, along with a letter attesting authenticity.

What Lee and the others didn't know is that Bagley was an unassuming optometrist with a little office on East Lake Mead Drive. But to certain celebrities and politicians, he was Dr. M.J. Bagley of the Famous People's Eyeglasses Museum.

The museum: a row of display cases in the hallways of Bagley's optometry practice.

"We made them think it was a big deal," Bagley said, recalling the professional letterhead used to request the glasses. "We didn't tell them that it was an alcove of an optometrist's office.

The effort proved fruitful, however. For 20 years packages and envelopes, postmarked from California, Jerusalem, Berlin and Italy, rolled into Bagley's office, sent from world leaders, writers, scientists and Hollywood movie stars -- all grateful that they were considered for the museum.

Today nearly 200 glasses rest in a glass display case on the back wall of the waiting room.

Walter Cronkite's trademark black frames sit beneath two pair sent by Egyptian president President Anwar Sadat. The glasses were in the mail on their way to the museum when Sadat was assassinated, Bagley said.

Loretta Lynn's round, dark shades are on display. So are pairs belonging to Lawrence Welk, Ozzie Nelson, Cary Grant, Cole Porter, Phyllis Diller, Peter Sellers and Jayne Mansfield.

"Of course people walk in and think it's our frame selection," said JoAnn Opfer, optical assistant, who worked on the museum with Bagley.

And despite the old blue sign leaning on the top of the glass case, some await their appointments completely unaware of the Famous People's Eyeglass Museum that for years connected Bagley and Opfer to the famous.

But those who take the time to peruse over the collection and browse through the book of letters will notice that it reveals the habits, the humor (or lack thereof) of those who did or did not send a pair of spectacles to the now-retired Bagley.

Erica Jong's large, square pink frames were sent along with a note from Jong saying she wore them while writing "How To Save Your Own Life."

Betty White sent her silver reading glasses, along with a pair that belonged to her late husband, Allen Ludden. Controversial filmmaker Leni Riefenstal sent a pair of fashionable glasses with oval green frames, along with letters written in German and in English.

It was pretty exciting when the glasses came in, Bagley said. One pair came from Ireland in a handmade box, he said. "Some came in bigger boxes elaborately packed and insured."

Bagley's clever idea came to him about 40 years ago when he cemented old frames into the sidewalk in front of his office for aesthetic purposes. The crafty display caused him to ask himself, "what about saving famous people's glasses?"

Shortly after Bagley subscribed to Current Bibliography, a periodical that not only profiled more than a dozen famous people each month, but provided the featured persons' addresses.

The magazines were collected and in the afternoons a high school girl came in to type the letters, Opfer said. "When I came to work here, it was worked on pretty steady," she said.

(Technically, before famous persons could wind up in the offices of Bagley, they first needed to be profiled in the popular magazine.)

Forty to 100 letters were sent out at a time. "It took about 20 letters to get a pair of glasses," Bagley said. But for every five letters sent, a response came in.

The responses, including refusal letters from people who didn't wear glasses or had none to give, were far more interesting than the glasses, Bagley said.

Alessandro Savorgnan, consul general of Italy, wrote that the consulate general was unable to comply for a pair of eyeglasses belonging to President Giuseppe Saragat.

Irving Berlin explained that he had "no spares" to spare.

Edward Connery Lathem, associate librarian Dartmouth College Libraries, responded for the heirs of Robert Frost: "May I simply point out to you that the famous poet died nearly two and a half years ago. Very Truly Yours, Edward Connery Lathem."

With the exception of Barbara Stanwick, Bagley said he has a letter for every pair of glasses on display.

"Your hobby astounds me," wrote romance novelist Faith Baldwin, "why not hearing aids or dentures? (I don't wear either)."

In lengthy detail, Baldwin noted that she wore reading glasses and, "can't wear bifocals" and is sending "an old pair."

"No one in their right mind could afford to send any he or she is currently wearing, what with the cost of frames as well as lenses," she wrote. "I enclose a card for authenticity, whatever that is. Anyway, as I love Nevada I could not refuse you."

Early muckraker Jessica Mitford sent a pair of glasses in 1982 along with a letter suggesting that Bagley "put the enclosed eye glasses as far as possible from those of Ronald Reagan for fear of an explosion."

Broken yellow-framed glasses were sent by Ronald Reagan along with a a handwritten note scrawled on stationary from Yearling Row that explains:

"These broken parts are all that remain except for one spare pair I keep in hand in addition to my corneals."

In 1981 Teddy Kollek, then mayor of Jerusalem, sent a pair along with an attached note stating, "How nice to know that the Holy City will be included in your collection."

An assistant to anthropologist Margaret Mead replied, "Dr. Mead would like to know whether the Famous People's Eyeglasses Museum wants frames or only lenses."

Artie Shaw's people requested a receipt for $47.50 for his donation for tax purposes.

Jean Stapleton, best known for her role as Edith Bunker on "All In the Family," sent a pair of cat-eye glasses she wore on the baseball field in the film "Aunt Mary."

"We were all excited when they came in," Opfer said of the prized collection. "We could hardly wait to open them."

Bagley said the most exciting turn-ins came from those belonging to Bing Crosby, Col. Harland Sanders (founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants), J.C. Penney and Sadat.

"Today kids come in and they don't know a lot of these people," he said.

Bagley owns the letters, but no longer owns the collection. The project ended in the early 1980s and the museum was sold with the business as part of the deal.

Although the collection would make an interesting little book reflecting popular culture, Bagley said he doesn't have any plans for it.

"That would take a lot of work," he said.

When asked if he has any regrets for passing the unique collection onto another optometrist, Bagley simply responded.

"Nah. He's my son-in-law."

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