There were three RKO films released in Australia in December 1958 The tiles were Rodan!, I Married a Woman! and a re-release of Pinocchio. All three titles were printed with borders. I Married A Woman! was printed by Simmons, but with Rodan! and Pinocchio, printers were not credited.
In early 1959 there were two films released with daybill posters bearing the RKO logo. Stage Struck was one of them, and doesn't show a printer's credit. This film would have been released by MGM. The other film being The Mysterians that shows RKO as being the distributor on the poster, with no mention oF MGM, who was actually the Australian distributor. The Australian RKO daybill follows below, along with the U.S.A. insert poster showing MGM as the distributor.
I have just located a fourth late release RKO film that was printed with borders. The film is That Night, and it was also released in Australia in December 1958. This film was distributed by MGM, and again with no printer's credit appearing on this poster.
All of the following RKO films were distributed in Australia by MGM.
One additional image to add to the six previously displayed titles above.
The Violators is a Robert Burton printed with borders RKO daybill. This film was released in Australia in August 1958. possibly by RKO. themselves. This should be the final image that would qualify to be included here.
Excellent RKO and Simmons analysis. I have long thought that RKO had the most consistently good posters both in Australia and the U.S. over the period of the company's existence - 1929 to circa 1958. Posters from the other studios had highs and lows during these years (especially post 1940) but RKO maintained a level that didn't drop very often. I would call the Simmons daybills not full bleed but partial bleed because every example I've seen had at least a border at the top or the bottom, full bleed would have to be no borders, just like almost every modern glossy poster is. One of the few non Simmons daybills was The Magnificent Ambersons which was done by Marchant. RKO's first release came in 1929, but it didn't actually merge with FBO. FBO was amalgamated into a new company incorporating interests from RCA and the Keith Albee Orpheum Theaters chain. Radio Pictures as it was advertised for the first year took over the FBO studio interests and FBO ceased to exist. One thing that was carried on was that RKO's posters were as dynamic as the FBO ones - which were often spectacular.
In response to some of the things that you mentioned in your post.
The only daybill image of The Magnificent Ambersons that I have ever sighted is the one pictured below that was printed by Simmons. For the Marchant daybill version you mention, do you happen to have an image of it that you can display here,
( Heritage )
The commonly known as full bleed daybills are technically partial bleed as you mentioned.They have always been referred to though as being full bleed, and I would image that is going to be always the case.
Yes I would certainly agree that the majority of the Simmons printed dayills were of a high standard during the 1930s and through to the. 1950s. It is only in the mid to late 1950s when the product they printed with borders was introduced that the artwork quality went into decline..
Although the FBO product consisted of all silent films RKO did manage to release at least two known FBO silent films in Australia in 1930.
Tyrant of Red Gulch ( 1928 ) printed by The Swift Printing Co. Ltd. Sydney, and Laddie ( 1926 ) printed by The Market Printery Ltd. rare Australian daybills of FBO product released by RKO,
State's Attorney ( !932) Australian full bleed Simmons printed daybill.
This is the earliest example of a Simmons printed RKO full bleed daybill that I have been so far able to locate.
( John )
Bachelor Apartment ( 1931 ) full bleed Australian RKO daybill. This film was released in Australia in 1931, and what makes this poster interesting is although full bleed it was printed by Marchant Print Sydney and not Simmons.
At present from evidence acquired, 1932 is so far the earliest year that Simmons printed an RKO full bleed daybill.
I had always thought that Simmons were alone in the 1930's. 1940's and the 1950's in producing full bleed daybills, but the 1931 Marchant Bachelor Apartment daybill image now proves otherwise. Simmons only followed Marchant in introducing this style. of poster presentation.
It is a pity that we don't have any other RKO daybill images that were printed from 1930 to 1932. This would then establish more information on which printers produced the RKO product during this period of time, and in which poster presentation style.
I have some more information on FBO silent films that RKO released, that would have had to have been only a small number of Australian screening venues up to at least 1932. This was well and truly into the sound period. Let me know if anyone would be interested in hearing about this particular information?
At present from evidence acquired, 1932 is so far the earliest year that Simmons printed an RKO full bleed daybill.
I had always thought that Simmons were alone in the 1930's. 1940's and the 1950's in producing full bleed daybills, but the 1931 Marchant Bachelor Apartment daybill image now proves otherwise. Simmons only followed Marchant in introducing this style. of poster presentation.
It is a pity that we don't have any other RKO daybill images that were printed from 1930 to 1932. This would then establish more information on which printers produced the RKO product during this period of time, and in which poster presentation style.
I have some more information on FBO silent films that RKO released, that would have had to have been only a small number of Australian screening venues up to at least 1932. This was well and truly into the sound period. Let me know if anyone would be interested in hearing about this particular information?
The only other RKO I have is The Lost Squadron, but again from '32
It would appear not to be a true full bleed. Heritage mention this poster was restored on linen and trimmed to the border.
I went back to the HA listing, it says "The linen has been trimmed to the border." So the linen was trimmed, not the poster....at least that is how I read it
It would appear not to be a true full bleed. Heritage mention this poster was restored on linen and trimmed to the border.
I went back to the HA listing, it says "The linen has been trimmed to the border." So the linen was trimmed, not the poster....at least that is how I read it
The rest of the release details are further along the poster...weird gap in the middle, which I am assuming was a printer error...Laddie has it all together.
Regarding The Jazz Singer. Firstly thanks Peter for the two printer's credit images.
It certainly appears then that the above The Jazz Singer ( 1927 ) image was printed full bleed for the Australian release that commenced in very late 1928.
This daybill must then qualify for the earliest full bleed poster identified at the present time. A big thank you to Ves for bringing it to our attention.
1929 was a big year for RKO releasing FBO silent films in Australia, Three examples of this product follows below. Likelihood of any Australian daybills surfacing surely would be almost zero, one would have to believe..
( Trove ) (Trove )
Silent films were still being screened in remote area of Australia to small audiences in 1932. Two FBO / RKO TITLES Laddie and Singapore Mutiny, as shown below, advertised to be screened in three remote small town venues in Western Australia in 1932.
Two original Can-Can ( 1960 ) Australian daybill posters. I recently spotted another daybill poster version printed in the style of the Frank Sinatra version. This time it featured Juliet Prowse. I didn't keep an image at the time, and now cannot locate it on Google. I am wondering if anyone has the Juliet Prowse daybill image that they would like to share here?
Were there perhaps some other versions produced as well, particularly one featuring Shirley MacLaine?
Here are Shirley Maclaine And Maurice Chevalier featured versions.Is there perhaps also a Louis Jourdan version as well?
Comments
All of the following RKO films were distributed in Australia by MGM.
One additional image to add to the six previously displayed titles above.
The Violators is a Robert Burton printed with borders RKO daybill. This film was released in Australia in August 1958. possibly by RKO. themselves. This should be the final image that would qualify to be included here.
RKO's first release came in 1929, but it didn't actually merge with FBO. FBO was amalgamated into a new company incorporating interests from RCA and the Keith Albee Orpheum Theaters chain. Radio Pictures as it was advertised for the first year took over the FBO studio interests and FBO ceased to exist. One thing that was carried on was that RKO's posters were as dynamic as the FBO ones - which were often spectacular.
Firstly thank you for your kind words.
In response to some of the things that you mentioned in your post.
The only daybill image of The Magnificent Ambersons that I have ever sighted is the one pictured below that was printed by Simmons. For the Marchant daybill version you mention, do you happen to have an image of it that you can display here,
The commonly known as full bleed daybills are technically partial bleed as you mentioned.They have always been referred to though as being full bleed, and I would image that is going to be always the case.
Yes I would certainly agree that the majority of the Simmons printed dayills were of a high standard during the 1930s and through to the. 1950s. It is only in the mid to late 1950s when the product they printed with borders was introduced that the artwork quality went into decline..
Although the FBO product consisted of all silent films RKO did manage to release at least two known FBO silent films in Australia in 1930.
Tyrant of Red Gulch ( 1928 ) printed by The Swift Printing Co. Ltd. Sydney, and Laddie ( 1926 ) printed by The Market Printery Ltd. rare Australian daybills of FBO product released by RKO,
State's Attorney ( !932) Australian full bleed Simmons printed daybill.
This is the earliest example of a Simmons printed RKO full bleed daybill that I have been so far able to locate.
Progression from FBO to RKO in Australia from January to March 1929.
Bachelor Apartment ( 1931 ) full bleed Australian RKO daybill. This film was released in Australia in 1931, and what makes this poster interesting is although full bleed it was printed by Marchant Print Sydney and not Simmons.
I had always thought that Simmons were alone in the 1930's. 1940's and the 1950's in producing full bleed daybills, but the 1931 Marchant Bachelor Apartment daybill image now proves otherwise. Simmons only followed Marchant in introducing this style. of poster presentation.
It is a pity that we don't have any other RKO daybill images that were printed from 1930 to 1932. This would then establish more information on which printers produced the RKO product during this period of time, and in which poster presentation style.
I have some more information on FBO silent films that RKO released, that would have had to have been only a small number of Australian screening venues up to at least 1932. This was well and truly into the sound period. Let me know if anyone would be interested in hearing about this particular information?
Peter
I am stuck with work at the moment, but I will pull it out and let you know tonight
Full bleed Jazz Singer from HA
Peter
Sorry I didn't get to it last night. Here you go...its out now so if you need anything else, just let me know.
The rest of the release details are further along the poster...weird gap in the middle, which I am assuming was a printer error...Laddie has it all together.
It certainly appears then that the above The Jazz Singer ( 1927 ) image was printed full bleed for the Australian release that commenced in very late 1928.
This daybill must then qualify for the earliest full bleed poster identified at the present time. A big thank you to Ves for bringing it to our attention.
Silent films were still being screened in remote area of Australia to small audiences in 1932. Two FBO / RKO TITLES Laddie and Singapore Mutiny, as shown below, advertised to be screened in three remote small town venues in Western Australia in 1932.
Here are Shirley Maclaine And Maurice Chevalier featured versions.Is there perhaps also a Louis Jourdan version as well?