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February 29, 2008
Movie Magazines
Lily Damita—Screen Secrets, September 1929
Artist: Edwin Bower Hesser
In the early days of tinsel town, glossy motion picture magazines fed the public's voracious appetite for all things Hollywood. The covers were done by brilliant artists. The circulation of some magazines reached as high as five and six-hundred thousand paid subscribers. Newsstand sales increased world-wide circulation to two and three million dollar figures. The influence of movie magazines was enormous—on box office and fashion. There were movie reviews. Behind the scenes stories. Writers went on location with the public's favorite stars and filed breathless reports. There were contests, endless beauty tips, and of course inside gossip on the latest Hollywood romances, heartbreaks and shocking scandals.
Here are some examples of the magazine covers that reached mailboxes in every corner of the U.S.A., from sophisticated cities, where jazz clubs were open all night, to tiny towns that lacked electricity and paved roads.
The snappy cover lines gives you an idea of the sizzling topics—dopey pop-psychology was all the rage—the public devoured: The Arch-Enemy of Beauty: Over-Exercise, The Secret Love Lives of the Stars, Hollywood Beauty Tips, Freak Diets, New Fashion, The Curse of the Platinum Blonde, The Low Down on Hollywood, Clara Bow Shops for a Baby, The Inside Story of a Hollywood Romance, Secrets of a Leading Man, Do You Want a Brand New Personality? Um, possibly, and my personal favorite: What Chance Have You in the Movies?
Sigh.
Eighty years later, change the names, shift a few minor details and it's all pretty much the same Hollywood shuffle. Though the cover art in the old movie magazines is breath-taking, and a good deal easier on the eyes than the post-modern graphic arts that makes my eye-balls bleed when I open a magazine or step into the fluorescent corridors of blinking, screaming cyberspace.
Bask in this gift to our Seraphic Friends.
Ann Harding—Photoplay, 1931
Mary Astor—Photoplay, February 1932
Lois Wilson—Photoplay, April 1927
Billie Dove—Hollywood, October 1931
Artist: Edwin Bower Hesser
Mary Brian—Picture Play, March 1930
Artist: Modest Stein
Francis Dee—Picture Play, May 1932
Artist: Modest Stein
Marlene Dietrich—Silver Screen, September 1931
Artist: John Rolston Clarke
Norma Shearer—Photoplay, April 1932
Artist: Earl Christy
Jeanette MacDonald—Photoplay, July 1930
Artist: Earl Christy
Irene Dunne—Photoplay, October 1932
Artist: Earl Christy
Constance Bennett—Modern Screen, October 1932
Mary Nolan—Motion Picture, June 1930
Artist: Marland Stone
Madge Bellamy—Photoplay, January 1929
Artist: Charles Sheldon
Marian Marsh—New Movie Magazine, September 1931
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
Picture Play Magazine, January 1926
Artist: Hal Phyfe
Images Courtesy of: Operator 99
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Posted by Robert J. Avrech at February 29, 2008 09:26 AM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
Those covers brought back memories. My mother always had several issues scattered around our house. I think that only she and my sister ever looked at them, though.
Posted by: Hugh at February 29, 2008 03:41 PM
I forgot to mention that the ones I remember had photographs on their covers. That must have been in the 1940s.
Posted by: Hugh at February 29, 2008 03:48 PM
Hugh:
We're glad that we've been able to provoke some old and hopefully, happy childhood memories.
The early, and in our opinion best covers, were painted by brilliant artists who were most often veterans Ziegfeld illustrators.
Later on, the highly coveted movie magazine covers went to incredible Hollywood glamour photographers.
We'll do a blog on those too.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.seraphicpress.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at February 29, 2008 05:04 PM
Interesting...no men on the covers ever?
Thanks for bringing back a bit of old Hollywood. Really enjoying these posts Robert.
Posted by: cruisin-mom at February 29, 2008 07:58 PM
Also interesting to note how "sparse" the headlines on the covers were; today, movie magazine covers are covered with various type sizes and fonts, one story trying to outdo the next.
Cruisin', look at the September 1931 issue -- there were only eleven gentlemen in Hollywood. I guess not one of them was worthy of a magazine cover, though.
Thanks for giving us a peek into the past, Robert, and Shavuah Tov.
Posted by: Pearl at March 1, 2008 06:11 PM
Cruisin Mom:
There were men on the covers, but the collection I chose from is devoted only to women. I'll do a series on men too. Glad you're enjoying.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 1, 2008 08:27 PM
Pearl:
There's no question that the old magazines were simpler and more elegant than the screaming-for-attention tabloids that dominate the marketplace today. But if you look at Vanity Fair, I think you'll see that their covers are an attempt to return to the glamour and elegance of old Hollywood. Unfortunately, their far left politics subvert this mission at every pixel.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 1, 2008 08:33 PM
What strikes me is how many of these women, presumbaly stars in their day, are now all but forgotten. Fame is fleeting.
Posted by: kishke at March 2, 2008 06:48 AM
Kishke:
What, you never heard of former Ziegfeld beauty turned movie star Mary Nolan, born Imogene "Bubbles" Wilson. Never heard that her boyfriend, MGM "fixer" Eddie Mannix, beat her so badly and so often that she had 14 abdominal surgeries.
On November 12, 1948, malnourished, a morphine addict, and looking like a 65-year-old woman, Nolan died in Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Beverly Hills weighing just 70 lbs. There were 3 people at her funeral. She was 43 years old.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 2, 2008 11:30 AM
Horrible. Actually, the name Mary Nolan is vaguely familiar to me, but probably only b/c I read about it here.
Posted by: kishke at March 2, 2008 11:47 AM
The two pictures of Lily Damita do not seem much alike. The painters probably had much license.
Posted by: kishke at March 2, 2008 11:50 AM
Kishke:
Keep in mind that actresses changed their "look" quite frequently. I should blog about this. It's a fascinating subject.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 2, 2008 12:50 PM
The second cover identifying Lily Damita is incorrect - it is Irene Dunne. Actresses changed their looks, but not that much :-). The cover images actually came from my blog (as noted) and it was my my mistake, now corrected - must have been a late night when I originally put it up - or had Lily on the brain.
Posted by: Bob at March 2, 2008 02:03 PM
Bob:
Thanks so much for the correction. Lily on the brain, a common fever for which we recommend chicken soup and matzo balls. This usually leads to, yup, Irene Dunne on the brain.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 2, 2008 02:32 PM
Aha! I knew it!
Posted by: kishke at March 2, 2008 03:55 PM
Kishke:
The funny part is I'm the one who has seen Lily Damita and Irene Dunne movies and you, who's not exactly immersed in the material, picked up on the error.
Mazal Tov!
Hey, you're like the Tosfos, l'havdeel, of Seraphic Secret.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 2, 2008 04:10 PM
::ducks head, blushes, kicks a stone, says "Aw shucks"::
Posted by: kishke at March 2, 2008 05:20 PM