I found some old Warner Bros. Studio press items. What is all of this?
04-20-12, 02:48 PM
#1
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
I found some old Warner Bros. Studio press items. What is all of this?
If this thread belongs in other please move it, but it is movie related.
I recently attended a local auction and bid on a "box lot" that included the following along with an Ansel Adams portfolio for Wolverine Boots and Shoes Company. The movie related items looks to be a lot of original promotional photographs and biographies, complete with original envelopes mailed from Warner Bros. Studios. Most of the photographs come with a typed biography on the subject taped to the photograph in some way, although a few do not and I'm having trouble identifying them. If you can help with the ones without a biography attached that would be great.
I didn't mean to edit the size of them so small so you can't read, so I'll post larger images if anyone wants me to. So what is all of this exactly? Is there a name for it or is it just things mailed to newspapers and media outlets across the country back in the day?
There may not be much to all of this, but I got it for next to nothing and to me it's just plain interesting.
I recently attended a local auction and bid on a "box lot" that included the following along with an Ansel Adams portfolio for Wolverine Boots and Shoes Company. The movie related items looks to be a lot of original promotional photographs and biographies, complete with original envelopes mailed from Warner Bros. Studios. Most of the photographs come with a typed biography on the subject taped to the photograph in some way, although a few do not and I'm having trouble identifying them. If you can help with the ones without a biography attached that would be great.
I didn't mean to edit the size of them so small so you can't read, so I'll post larger images if anyone wants me to. So what is all of this exactly? Is there a name for it or is it just things mailed to newspapers and media outlets across the country back in the day?
There may not be much to all of this, but I got it for next to nothing and to me it's just plain interesting.
04-20-12, 08:08 PM
#3
DVD Talk Legend
Re: I found some old Warner Bros. Studio press items. What is all of this?
These just look like typical press kits. The photos would've been printed in newspapers and promotional materials for the movie's release.
04-20-12, 08:15 PM
#4
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: I found some old Warner Bros. Studio press items. What is all of this?
Yup, it's a press kit. Newspapers will then keep these photos on file, if they ever needed to run a picture of the person in question.
If you wanted to resell this, you might be able to get a good price for it (double digits).
If you wanted to resell this, you might be able to get a good price for it (double digits).
04-20-12, 09:53 PM
#5
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Re: I found some old Warner Bros. Studio press items. What is all of this?
Thanks guys. Can any of you identify the following? In the last image, it's the one on the lower right hand side.
04-20-12, 10:49 PM
#7
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Re: I found some old Warner Bros. Studio press items. What is all of this?
That is Joi Lansing. I found this one of her on eBay too...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1958-Press-P...item2a19ef6ce8
Here are a couple of scans of just her - one with the biography that is attached to the back of it in the front, and one with it pulled back behind the photo:
And the one lady I couldn't figure out is Virginia Gibson. Stupid me forgot that the information is on the back of her picture. There is also a "Bert Six" stamp on the back of it, whatever that means. I suppose it's the photographer...
The only ones I can't figure out is the one of the boat, and the men.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1958-Press-P...item2a19ef6ce8
Here are a couple of scans of just her - one with the biography that is attached to the back of it in the front, and one with it pulled back behind the photo:
And the one lady I couldn't figure out is Virginia Gibson. Stupid me forgot that the information is on the back of her picture. There is also a "Bert Six" stamp on the back of it, whatever that means. I suppose it's the photographer...
The only ones I can't figure out is the one of the boat, and the men.
Last edited by Brent L; 04-20-12 at 11:48 PM.
04-21-12, 02:01 AM
#8
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Re: I found some old Warner Bros. Studio press items. What is all of this?
Last edited by Dimension X; 04-21-12 at 02:16 AM.
04-21-12, 09:23 AM
#9
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Re: I found some old Warner Bros. Studio press items. What is all of this?
Thanks for that DX!
Now just for the boat picture and the last guy. Anyone else got a clue?
Now just for the boat picture and the last guy. Anyone else got a clue?
04-21-12, 09:46 AM
#10
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Re: I found some old Warner Bros. Studio press items. What is all of this?
People bought Vita's houseboats because they were luxurious, durable and financeable. But to really understand the business, you need to know something about serendipity, and a hammy detective show that ran on ABC from 1960 to 1962, "Surfside 6."
First, serendipity. In 1959, Vita was a New Yorker, a successful contractor who happened to build a houseboat and take a vacation.
He piloted his boat, the Driftwood, down the Intracoastal, eventually docking near the Fontainebleau hotel in Miami Beach.
A Warner Bros. producer named William Orr happened to be in town, scouting locations for "Surfside 6."
Orr needed a base of operations for the show's protagonists, three good-looking detectives – one played by Donahue – who would live as well as work together. He found it the afternoon he spotted the Driftwood.
In the series, as in real life, the houseboat was docked on Indian Creek across from the Fontainebleau. With the help of a good-looking showgirl named Cha Cha, the detectives drew a lot of good-looking clients from Miami Beach high society, which was under siege at the time by mobsters and other not-so-good-looking types.
First, serendipity. In 1959, Vita was a New Yorker, a successful contractor who happened to build a houseboat and take a vacation.
He piloted his boat, the Driftwood, down the Intracoastal, eventually docking near the Fontainebleau hotel in Miami Beach.
A Warner Bros. producer named William Orr happened to be in town, scouting locations for "Surfside 6."
Orr needed a base of operations for the show's protagonists, three good-looking detectives – one played by Donahue – who would live as well as work together. He found it the afternoon he spotted the Driftwood.
In the series, as in real life, the houseboat was docked on Indian Creek across from the Fontainebleau. With the help of a good-looking showgirl named Cha Cha, the detectives drew a lot of good-looking clients from Miami Beach high society, which was under siege at the time by mobsters and other not-so-good-looking types.
You can see it for a second or two in the intro to the show:
<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7z9QbOVkA0Q?version=3&feature=player_detailpage"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7z9QbOVkA0Q?version=3&feature=player_detailpage" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="360"></object>
Last edited by Dimension X; 04-21-12 at 09:55 AM.
04-21-12, 11:00 AM
#11
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Re: I found some old Warner Bros. Studio press items. What is all of this?
I may not care for the movie this is associated with....but..just for a piece of WB history...I'd like to own that. Cool shit there.
04-21-12, 12:11 PM
#12
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: I found some old Warner Bros. Studio press items. What is all of this?
Rightly or wrongly, I pegged the "unknown guy" as Charles Lindbergh right away. I figure he had some relation to the production with airplanes shown in the other photos.
04-22-12, 01:02 AM
#13
DVD Talk Legend
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Re: I found some old Warner Bros. Studio press items. What is all of this?
Thanks to DX once again, a huge help!
And also thanks to you Preterite, that was a great pull and I never would have thought of it. On the bottom left of the picture, it also has what looks like some sort of writing. Can any of you guys make it out?
And also thanks to you Preterite, that was a great pull and I never would have thought of it. On the bottom left of the picture, it also has what looks like some sort of writing. Can any of you guys make it out?
04-22-12, 04:41 PM
#15
DVD Talk Legend
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Re: I found some old Warner Bros. Studio press items. What is all of this?
Could the "unknown guy" be John Bromfield? I have a Warner Bros. Studio bio of him for the promotion of "Ring of Fear".
