Asides: Photoplay July 1933

I was recently scanning an image from the July 1933 issue of Photoplay for a future post. Like all issues, it is filled with photos, stories, film reviews, etc., and of course, ads. I decided to pick a few typical items for your viewing pleasure. Like almost every issue of Photoplay there is a fashion section, but I have featured a number of those in the past, so I'm skipping it this time around. I hope you enjoy and get a sense of the scope of the publication.

Click on the images for a larger view.

The First Lady of the American Theatre was featured on the cover. She appeared in 21 films and was one of only ten people to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award. The cover artist is Earl Christy.

Here is what you would find within the 116 pages.


This is the first of three cigarette ads that appeared in the issue. You tell me how convoluted this Camel ad is.

Toward the front is this wonderful two-page spread ad for Gold Diggers of 1933.

For a number of issues during 1933, Photoplay experimented with a "color" process. They eventually abandoned it, and personally I think that was a wise choice. However, Ginger looks just fine.

I find this ad for College Humor interesting. Mary Carlisle is the lead featured actress, but she isn't shown. That is Lona Andre with the ukulele.

Dorothy Mackaill, to be featured in a future post.

The copy cracks me up. "The office? Who cares. Shopping to do? Who cares." Lung disease? Who cares when you can smoke a mentholated Spud on a summer afternoon with your significant other and your pooch.

Each issue of Photoplay contained reviews of the current releases. These are the first three pages of the July reviews. Just recently watched The Circus Queen Murder with a very alluring Greta Nissen.

Helen Twelvetrees in another "color" photo.

This is the back cover ad - pretty easy to find a few double meanings in this enticement to light up a Lucky.