Covers, Touched And Untouched.

Here are some more wonderful covers from film magazines of the 20's and 30's. When I get these magazines, they often show their age with stains, tears, creases, fading, etc. I always clean them up before posting, as I have done here. However, I have left (for now) the June 1931 New Movie Magazine cover unretouched so you can see what I see before it goes under my Photoshop knife. To make up for the cover, I have included a number of inside pages, including a spread on swimwear our female readers may want to consider for this summer. Enjoy.

Click on the images for a larger view.

Marion Davies
Motion Picture Classic - February 1926
This issue is tabloid size. By the 1930's the publication was standard size.
Cover Artist: Leo Kober (1878-1931)

Olive Borden
Picture Play - February 1928
Artist: Modest Stein (1871-1958)

Bessie Love
Screen Book Magazine - July 1929
Artist: John Rolston Clark

Marion Davies
The New Movie Magazine - February 1931
Artist: Jules Erbit (1889-1968)

Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell
Photoplay - April 1931
Artist: Earl Christy (1883-1961)

Lupe Velez
Picture Play - October 1931
Artist: Modest Stein

Barbara Stanwyck

The New Movie Magazine - January 1932
Artist: Penrhyn Stanlaws (1877 - 1957)

Greta Garbo

Modern Screen - April 1934
Artist: Rolf Armstrong (1899-1960)

Gloria Stuart
Picture Play - June 1934
Artist: Victor Tchetchet (1891 - 1974)

Constance Bennett

The New Movie Magazine - June 1931 (As purchased, awaiting restoration.)
Artist: Rolf Armstrong

Summer swimwear, 1931 style.

Carole Lombard
"...been getting a number of prominent roles lately." Ya Think?

Kay Francis
Has a contract with Warner Brothers that will eventually make her a star. A bold prediction.


An early shot of Marlene in the German film, Ships of Lost Men.
She had the lead female role.

Portrait of the perfect couple, at least from June 1929 to May 1933.

Asides - Covers From The Silent 20's

Some of the best artists and illustrators of the twentieth century produced cover illustrations for the leading film publications. The images in this post cover each year from 1920 to 1929, and are excellent examples of their work. I have also included a few inside pages and one ad to help pay for this blog - so be sure to contact the advertiser and say you saw it here.

Double click on the images for a larger view.

Picture Play-October, 1920
Artist: Unknown
Picture Play did not always credit the artist.
Cover: Constance Binney

Photoplay-November 1920
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
Cover: Anna Q. Nilsson

Photoplay-December 1920

Artist: Rolf Armstrong
Cover: Anita Stewart

Photoplay-October 1921
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
Cover: Agnes Ayres

Photoplay-October 1921
Marie Prevost, in the latest swimwear.

Photoplay-January 1922
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
Cover: Corinne Griffith

Picture Play-October 1921
Artist: Henry Clive
Cover: Lila Lee

Photoplay-July 1923
Artist: J. Knowles Hare
Cover: Pauline Garon

Photoplay-August 1923
Artist: J. Knowles Hare
Cover: Marion Davies

Picture Play-November 1924
Artist:Unknown
Cover: Mae Murray

Picture Play-November 1924
Jetta Goudal - publicity still for Open All Night, which is available on DVD.

Picture Play-November 1924
Artist: White Studios, NY
This may be the same studio known for its photography of Broadway productions.
Cover: Betty Bronson

Picture Play-September 1925
Artist: Hal Phyfe
Hal is best remembered as a Hollywood portrait photographer, but began his career as an artist and illustrator.
Cover: Renee Adoree

Picture Play-September 1925
The great profile, along with Mary Astor in a film that was never made or released.

Photoplay-December 1925
Artist: Livingston Geer
I cannot locate any bio on Mr. Geer.
Cover: Georgia Hale

Photoplay-December 1925
La Boheme was released in 1926 and also starred Renee Adoree.

Photoplay-December 1925
Bille Dove in her 23rd film, available on DVD.

Photoplay-December 1925
Esther Ralston, The American Venus.

Photoplay-August 1926

Artist: C(K)arl Van Buskirk
Best info I can find dates him from 1887-1930
Cover: Doris Kenyon

Photoplay-June 1927
Artist: Charles Sheldon
Cover: Mary Brian

Photoplay-September 1928
Artist: Charles Sheldon
Cover: Gloria Swanson

Screenland-December 1928
Artist: Georgia Warren
I cannot locate any bio on Ms. Warren.
Cover: Nancy Carroll

Picture Play-September 1929
Artist: Modest Stein
Cover: Baclanova -Olga to her friends.

Picture Play-September 1929
Beautiful portrait of Joan Bennett

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Don't hesitate.

Kay Francis

Kay Francis was a "superstar". While not as readily known today as other superstar actresses of the 30's era, her name was box office gold and she was the highest paid actress at Warner Bros. There are a number of web sites and blogs dedicated to her, detailing her life and films, and I leave it to them to provide the career details. A quick overview can be found here.

As with my other superstar actress posts, we concentrate on the images. Our random collection of film magazines of the period includes nine with Kay on the cover, another indication of her popularity. I also feature images from those magazines that Kay fans may not have seen before. Lastly is a little montage of her 30's films and publicity stills. Enjoy.

Click on the images for a larger view.

Screen Play, February 1931 - Artist: Henry Clive

Picture Play, February 1931 - Artist: Modest Stein

Silver Screen, March 1931 - Artist: John Rolston Clarke

Photoplay, July 1932 - Artist: Earl Christy

Cine-Mundial, June 1933 - Artist: Jose M. Recorda

Modern Screen, December 1933 - Artist: Uncredited

Picture Play, February 1934 - Artist: Albert Fisher

Photoplay, February 1934 - Artist: Earl Christy

Screenland, March 1934 - Artist: Charles Sheldon

Movie Classic, September 1932

Modern Screen, November 1933

Movie Classic, April 1933 - 2 page spread.

Modern Screen, December 1933 - 2 page spread.

Picture Show Annual, 1933

Movie Classic, June 1934

Here is my montage of film title screens and publicity stills. All the films are from the 1930's with the exception of The Cocoanuts (1929), the first film for the Marx Brothers, and for Kay as well.

Kay Francis - What do you think - Allure?