Author: Bolen High

Dorothy Dandridge – Hollywood’s First African-American Sex Symbol

Dorothy Jean Dandridge (November 9, 1922 – September 8, 1965) was an American film and theatre actresssinger, and dancer. She is one of the earliest black movie stars and the first woman of color to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, which was for her performance in Carmen Jones (1954). 

Apollo theater, Cafe de Paris, Cotton Club, Count Basie, Dore Schary, Ed Sullivan, Harry Belafonte, Louis Armstrong, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Mills Brothers, Mocambo, Otto Preminger, Rouben Mamoulian

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Exhibitor Pressbooks

One of the most interesting yet lesser-known motion picture collectible is the Exhibitor Book, Pressbook or Presskit. As exemplified by the Blade Runner Presskit above, containing 18 supplements (78 pp. in all, stapled together), 21 photos, which vary from 6 ¼ x 10” (16 x 26 cm.) to 7 ¾ x 10” (20 x 26 cm.), and the original printed studio envelope in which the presskit was mailed, its purpose was to help promote the film.

20th Century, Blade runner, Carole Lombard, Columbia Pictures, Frank Capra, Fredrico Fellini, La Dolce Vita, Marlene Dietrich, Marx Brothers, May West, Paramount Pictures, Reuben Manoulian

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SHIRLEY TEMPLE & JUDY GARLAND – DOLLS FOR THE AGES

Hollywood Movie Memorabilia encompasses a fascinating range of material that appeals to an extraordinary number of collectors from almost every country.

In last December’s blog, “1939 – HOLLYWOOD’S GOLDEN YEAR OF MOVIES & DOLLS,” Woolsey Ackerman (Walter Films’ Film Researcher & Curator) shared an article he wrote for the 2019 United Federation of Doll Clubs Convention Souvenir Journal.” It focused on the dolls that related to the classic movies and stars of 1939 that were available for purchase during that Christmas season.

A good number of our readers expressed how much they enjoyed reading it and we thought that, given our current trying time, not unlike the Great Depression, Woolsey might like to share his thoughts and his extraordinary collection of dolls celebrating two of the greatest stars of that period, now icons of the entertainment world: Shirley Temple and Judy Garland.

Arthur Freed, Betty Grable, Busby Berkeley, Carmen Miranda, children's literature, Depression, film merchandising, Film Musicals, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, MGM musicals, movie costumes, movie dolls, movie posters, movie props, Movie Scripts, Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald, Rita Hayworth, Shirley Temple, THE WIZARD OF OZ, Turner Classic Movies, Vincente Minnelli, World War II

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10 LGBTQ PERFORMERS IN THE 1970’S

by David Ehrenstein

The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the gay (LGBT) community against a police raid that began in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. They are widely considered to constitute the most important event leading to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBT rights in the United States. Wikipedia

What followed in the 1970’s was a rising tide of LGBTQ performers that “came out” to express their unique take on music, theater and sexual (transgender) identity. Here are 10 of those performers and a brief look at what they contributed to the movement and to our culture. Click on the image to learn more about the performer.

LGBTQ Original Vintage Film & Theater Poster, LGBTQ Performance Videos

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2020 New York International Antiquarian Book Fair

Rare & Valuable Books, Manuscripts, Autographs, Graphics, Photographs, Print Ephemera & Much More

From March 5-8, 2020, Walter Reuben Inc. can be found in Booth D20 at the 60th Anniversary New York International Antiquarian Book Fair located, as always, in the  legendary Park Avenue Armory, Manhattan at 643 Park Avenue (between 66th and 67th Street).

Our focus is on the glorious history of the European and Hollywood motion picture business as well as African American cultural history, black memorabilia and LGBTQ social history. As a result, we will be featuring the finest selection of vintage original movie postersmovie star photoslobby cardsmovie scripts & rare books, Hollywood movie memorabilia, African Americana and LGBTQ cultural history.

Here is a sampling of the areas that Walter Reuben represents:

African-American Memorabilia, Collecting LGBTQ Hollywood Movie Memorabilia, Collecting Movie Scripts and Screen Plays, Hollywood Movie Memorabilia, Original Vintage Film Posters, Original Vintage Lobby Cards, Original Vintage Movie Posters, Vintage Original Film Scripts

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