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Magnificent

OBSESSION

We found “At The Circus”, with I even bought a poster on the
the Marx Brothers, as well as several “wing” one day. A chap was carrying
other posters of the same era, under “King Of The Royal Mounties”,
the linoleum of a condemned house. nicely framed, along Chapel Street,
The posters were as thin as fine Prahran. He saw me and, knowing I
writing paper, having been trodden collected posters, he offered to sell it
over for decades. In fact, when “At to me rather than at the Prahran
The Circus” was held up to the light, market. Having been brought up in the
like a watermark, the imprint of the days when the Mounties always got
pine floorboards complete with knots their man, I decided $120 seemed a
could be clearly seen. cheap price to reverse the process.
A number of posters have been And now “King Of The Royal
found in garages, walls and lofts, Mounties” hangs in my study, too.
where they were being used as Sometimes you can “fluke” being
draught stoppers, cupboard linings and in the right place at the right time. A
window coverings. The poster, small shop in Elizabeth Street had a
“Attack At Apache Creek” sadly lost sign in its window: AUSTRALIAN
the battle to survive when used as a POSTERS FOR SALE. Our collection
draught stopper in a pigeon loft. Some already had a number of Australian
rarer posters, if not too damaged, were posters, however we were nearly
able to be restored, the expense being bowled over when we saw these
s a lad, I well remember the sometimes considerable.
local cinema billposter at
Occasionally, real gems of posters
Awork. From a roll of posters,
can be found under one’s nose, so to
he’d select one, and with a deft slap,
speak. I was having a meal in a
slap of a wide brush, he’d have the
restaurant when I noticed several
latest daybill poster pasted up on the
nicely framed long daybill posters
Coming Attractions Board. Now, I
hanging on a wall near my table. The
haven’t seen a billposter for years but
posters, “The Diamond Master” with
I remain obsessed with posters.
Hayden Stevenson, “Honeymoon
Sharing this obsession is my son, Flats” with George Lewis, and
Dean, and between the two of us we “Freedom Of The Press” with Lewis
have been collecting cinema posters Stone, all 1928-29 silent films from
for over 20 years. A recent count Universal, just before the change to
showed over 1650 posters, mainly sound by that studio. After some
daybills but plenty of one-sheets, bargaining the shop proprietor finally
lobby cards and “flyers”. (The “flyers” sold them to me for $700. He
or poster handbills, although small, are apparently had rescued the posters
often colourful and very collectable.) from a theatre being pulled down in
The more valuable posters and items Brisbane some years ago.
are, of course, in a banking facility. posters for sale: “The Squatters
The proprietor of a printery in
We are often asked where do we get Bourke Street had an astonishing Daughter”, a 1933 film with
our posters. Well, sadly, many posters number of posters for sale. He’d Constance North, “When The Kelly’s
have come from movie theatres that bought them at auction along with a Rode”, a 1934 film with Hays
were being pulled down; some from couple of printing presses. There were Simpson, “The Overlanders”, a 1946
auctions and deceased estates; and yet rolls of posters of all sizes dating from film with Chips Rafferty, “Bitter
others from the oddest places, weather 1939 onwards. I think we bought Springs”, a 1950 film with Tommy
and silver fish notwithstanding. (Our about 40 posters, the best one being Trinder and Chips Rafferty and “The
very first poster, “Hasty Heart” with the 1941 Buck Jones, “White Eagle”, Phantom Stockman”, a 1953 film
Ronald Reagan, cost $10, and came a long daybill. As we were leaving we again with Chips Rafferty. Included
from a dingy second hand shop noticed a fat, black cat curled up on a with these gems were several lobby
colonized by hungry silver fish!) Well, large printing press. We were told the cards of “On Our Selection”, a 1932
what’s one poster without another cat’s name was “Caxton”, which film with Bert Bailey.
poster to keep it company? seemed quite appropriate!

26 2002 CINEMARECORD