Saturday, November 26, 2011

Screen Book - July 1929

Screen Book Magazine was an interesting publication. As its name might suggest, they took the "book" of one film and made it the dominant subject of the issue. This July, 1929 edition, brought its readers The Broadway Melody through about 50 pages what was really a novella with images. The film was the first all talking, all singing, all dancing motion picture. It won the Oscar for Best Picture (1930).

This particular issue was 114 pages, so there were shorter narratives (see table of contents) of other films, reviews and so forth, including a picture section of on and off screen couples. The tag line for the magazine was "Love Stories From The Movies".

I have included the opening spread for The Broadway Melody, two pages showing a typical text and images layout, all the on and off screen couple images, and some ads. All that and more was available for 25 cents, one quarter of a dollar, get your issue today.

Double click on the images for a larger view.


Screen Book Magazine, July 1929.
Cover image of Bessie Love by: John Ralston Clarke


Table of Contents


Page one of the opening spread for The Broadway Melody.


Page two of the opening spread for The Broadway Melody.


Typical pages telling the story.
This was back when reading something more than 140 characters was in vogue.


Ronald Colman and Joan Bennett
Bulldog Drummond



Pick up the latest hit records from the film.


Conrad Nagel and Leila Hyams
The Idle Rich


Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Joan Crawford
Our Modern Maidens



Billie Dove and Rod La Rocque
The Man And The Moment



Mary Brian and Charles Rogers
Released as River Of Romance


Gilbert Roland and Norma Talmadge
Released as New York Nights
It was Norma's penultimate film.


Back Cover.
Ciro Perfumes were available from 1923 to 1961, if my research is correct.

5 comments:

Vanwall said...

I love the Ciro ad. A rather lush looking magazine, with a complicated border, very Edwardian feel. I'd class the pics as less black & white, and more shadows and silver, a more elegant manner.

Operator_99 said...

I agree re the look of the mag and almost mentioned it. The ads are about right for the period, as is the contents, but the TOC and especially the couples pages are more like what you find in the late teens and early twenties, at least in the film mags. I have from that period

6 Reels of Joy said...

I just love all the pictures that you have on your blog they're great! I've just started my own silent film blog "6 Reels of Joy" so please check it out! http://6reelsofjoy.blogspot.com/

Thanks....

Artistvermont said...

Very cool post... Love the images.

Snow White Archive said...

Oh man, this is a stunning magazine layout. A very nice look.