From My Collection
It's a bit of a crazy week here so far, between my work and one of my daughters having her wisdom teeth out yesterday.
Here's a couple fun publicity stills from my favorite movie, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, to pass the time with until I have time to blog something a little more substantive!
Ruta Lee with Matt Mattox:
And Julie Newmar:
Both these photos were signed at an evening celebrating SEVEN BRIDES at the Academy a number of years ago.
There's more where these came from...I may unload my cupboards and share some more fun stuff like this in future "Collection" posts.
posted by Laura @ 8:36 PM
12 Comments:
Oh, Laura, what a wonderful idea! I love to see what stills others prize, and knowing these two come from you personal collection adds another layer of interest. What's more, these two photos are smashing!
I hope you will continue with "Collection" posts.
Best,
Carrie
You're right up my alley with this post, Laura, I had no idea until now that you even had a collection. Agree with Carrie Liz, I want to see more!
Wow, I love that Julie Newmar photo, great piece!
Thanks so much, Carrie and Cliff! (Carrie, wonderful, amazing box from you today which I saved to enjoy late tonight after finishing work -- will write you tomorrow! How did you *know* exactly what I wanted?!?)
Cliff, I haven't added a great deal to my collection in recent years due to time and money -- most newer additions are simply signed books! -- but I spent years and years haunting places in Hollywood like Larry Edmunds, and I do have a pretty great collection of movie memorabilia, if I may say so. :) I'm also fortunate to have met many Golden Era stars, especially from MGM, at various events. My collection consists of autographs, stills (many with the original Production Code approval stamps on the reverse), original lobby cards, original posters, autographed event programs, autographed theater programs, autographed stills, and the like.
Two of the most significant parts of my collection are an extensive collection of 7 BRIDES stills and lobbies (seems like there must be over 150 at last count -- maybe more) and also a good-sized collection of costume test stills for some of the children in THE SOUND OF MUSIC, as well as lobbies and other stills from that film.
I recently had the idea to share some of these "favorite things," and today was perfect timing -- thank you both so much for the positive feedback!
Best wishes,
Laura
Very nice! Thanks for sharing.
How neat! I love the Julie Newmar picture. It's fun to see what other people have collected.
I'm not really an autograph person myself, but I'm that rare bird who's mouth is watering at the thought of those stills with PCA stamps on back! Can't wait to see more stuff!
Thanks very much, Raquelle and Deb! It really is fun to share and also, as Deb mentions, see what others have collected.
Cliff, it's so exciting to get an "original" still on heavy stock with that stamp, isn't it? :) Nice to chat with someone who can relate to the thrill!
Best wishes,
Laura
Oh, I know that thrill, too. I've been collecting Paramount stills lately, and one of the gems among them is a double-weight, keybook still from ROAD TO RIO.
On the back of the still are two stamps: one reading, "Approved--Advertising Advisory Council--June 13, 1947--Hollywood"; the other, "Retouch as Indicated". The indication on the still itself is a black squiggle over Dorothy's décolleté.
Laura, I received your lovely letter, and will reply tonight.
Best,
Carrie
That's marvelous, Carrie! What a fun story. As I paged through a box of stills tonight I kept admiring the "Approved" stamps, LOL.
Best wishes,
Laura
Laura, my favorites, though not as desirable as the ones you and Carrie Liz mention are the press photos--the more marked up the better! Multiple stamps from news agencies and newspapers; heavy touching up and crop marks on the front of the photo surface; press tags attached on back and sometimes even the final published newsclip that the photo was turned into in the newspaper. Not always ideal for framing but so neat, such a piece of history in a way, of Hollywood and journalism.
I don't think I have anything like that, Cliff! I have some pressbooks (I'd forgotten I have one for SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF!) but nothing like you describe where a photo was marked up for publication. I agree, as you say that's a neat intersection of Hollywood and journalistic history.
Best wishes,
Laura
What an interesting point you've made, Cliff. I have a few stills sourced from newspaper archives, and have heretofore considered them as major retouching jobs to be done on my part, that I might see what the photographer (and then the studio retoucher) saw before the photo was smeared and distorted by the newshound's paint.
But those "messy" stills do have value--you're quite right. I'd like to take another look at them.
- Carrie
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