Asides - visiones de Hollywood

Hollywood films are very popular throughout the world, but this is nothing new. In this post we look at some film magazines from the 1930's published in or for the Latin community, yet solely devoted to Hollywood productions. I'm sure there were many more publications, but these are the only issues in our collection.

Ecran was published in Chile. This issue is from July 1934 and features Ann Sothern on the cover. The magazine has less pages than a Photoplay or similar U.S. publication, but is larger in overall size, measuring an almost tabloid dimension of 13''x10.5". It wouldn't fit in the scanner, so it was scanned in sections. Stories and photo essays include Jean Harlow, Sidney Fox, Jean Arthur, Thelma Tood, and Paul Muni.

Carol Lombard and Conchita Montenegro were also featured in this issue.

Just like the film magazines in the U.S., there is coverage of the latest fashions.
PS - I had to photograph rather that scan the two above images, and therefore they are not quite as sharp.

Cine-Mundial was sold in Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Cuba, Uruguay, Spain, Portugal, and Columbia. What is interesting is that the publication was actually managed and edited in New York specifically for the Latin and South American market. I believe it was printed locally, but almost all of the product advertisers, including Listerine, Pepsodent, Kellogg's Corn Flakes, and the "Instantaneous Electric Water Heater Co.", show New York or U.S. addresses.

Those profiled and shown in this issue include among others, Pola Negri, Norma Shearer, Greta Garbo, Fredric March, Miriam Hopkins, and Lupe Velez.

Here is a wonderful picture of Anita Page that I have never seen anywhere else.

And cheesecake is cheesecake in any language.

Films Selectos was a supplemental section in an unidentified magazine or newspaper published in Barcelona, Spain. This issue, number 103, is from October 1932. The cover is a scene from Daughter of the Dragon. The supplement has a mix of reviews of films, short coverage of actresses and actors, and in this issue, a look at cowboy movies.

This is the back cover of Films Selectos. It has a "cut along this line" on the right hand edge so you can save the star's image for your collection.


Cinelanda magazine is similar to Cine-Mundial in that it was managed and edited in the U.S. (Hollywood) for the Latin market. Unfortunately, I can't tell you much more at this point because the two publications below are currently en route to me. The covers are so nice I just had to include them.

Cinelandia - August 1933

Cinelandia - January 1933

Asides - Playing Catch Up

This blog began with the posting of images scanned from our collection of postcards. Well, finances be damned, the collecting didn't stop and here are some newer cards of actresses already featured in previous posts. They are in no particular order, but I hope you enjoy them. If you are a first time visitor, be sure to click the labels on the right to see and learn more about these actresses.

Another image explaining Errol Flynn's inability to resist this French native.

Ok, so I'm in love with Edwina Booth. Here is another image from Trader Horn.

Another image of the "American Venus".

Here is Lupe in a scene from "The Storm", where she is trapped in a cabin with two men who fight over her. Using the skirt to keep from burning her hands probably didn't help the rivalry.

Born in August of 1910 and still going strong.

There is a wonderful article about Sally Phipps in the latest New York Times T Magazine. It is entitled "The Flapper Doesn't Change Her Spots".

A wonderful image of Ms. Sidney.

Never one to overdress.

Sylvia Sydney

Sylvia Sidney was born in the Bronx, NY, on August 8, 1910. As an early teen, Sylvia decided she wanted a stage career and fortunately had the full support of her parents who enrolled her in the Theater Guild's School for Acting. Her early career was all centered on the stage, but her rave reviews attracted Hollywood and after a year or two of transition, she was a full fledged film star. She gravitated toward roles of women involved with unsavory situations and unsavory men. The titles of many of her thirties films tell the tale - City Streets, Street Scene, Ladies of the Big House, Merrily We Go To Hell, Pick-up, Good Dame, Fritz Lang's Fury and the classic Dead End. To quote Sylvia, "I'd be the girl of the gangster...then the sister who was bringing up the gangster...then the mother of the gangster...and they always had me ironing somebody's shirt." Other roles showed her overall versatility, for instance she had the starring role in Madame Butterfly. Sylvia continued to make films through the forties and then made the transition to television. Her last film role was in 1996's Mars Attacks as Grandma Florence Norris. Sylvia died in 1999.

Sylvia Sydney - What do you think? Allure?