DRACULA / FRANKENSTEIN (1931) very rare original F.O.H. / Lobby cards

ORIGINAL HORROR / SCI-FI / FANTASY MOVIE                          MEMORABILIA

The best site for rare, authentic horror movie memorabilia, including Universal, Hammer Horror, Amicus etc. original UK Quads, pressbooks, Front of House cards, autographs and more.


               Original, Vintage Front of House Cards


 

All items offered are genuine release (usually 1st), old, cinema movie items and so had a 'life' before sale, so unlikely ever to be mint.

Note on images: I am no professional photographer and light sources and reflections may appear on the image that are errors and clearly not on the originals

This item:   A PRIME COLLECTABLE.  An original re-release UK Front of House set of 12 cards for this double-bill of Dracula and Frankenstein, released in the UK in 1939 - the same decade as the two iconic movies original release. An interesting background here for when the Laemmles lost control of Universal, by 1936, the new management did not favour horror movies and they were virtually banished from the rota after Dracula's Daughter was made and also an excuse of the UK no longer wanting horror movies to be shown further allowed for the end of Universal horror movie production. On August 5th, 1938 the manager of the near bankrupt Regina movie theatre in Los Angeles put together a programme of Dracula-Frankenstein-Son of Kong in a desperate attempt tp stave off financial ruin; this was to have the effect of huge queues forming to see the original triple-bill (Son of Kong was to be later dropped) with a 'We Dare You to see them together' challenge. Universal was quick to realise their error and was to adopt (pinch?) the idea themselves and re-release the famous horror duo at larger venues, making a mint of money in the process and this effectively rejuvinated Universal's interest in horror movies with them giving the green light to The Son of Frankenstein. The same 'We Dare You...' approach was followed in 1939 in the UK and these vintage cards are from that release and indeed the 'Dare' is to be seen at the bottom of each card; unusually, both titles are featured on each card with a double image representing a scene from each movie.  Clearly these are very rare and I have had them in my collection for decades.   Rare

Stars:             Bela Lugosi, Helen Chandler, David Manners, Edward Van Sloan / Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Edward Van Sloan, John Boles.

Size:             8.00 x 10.00 inches approx. 

Condition: (Range from Fine – Very Good – Good – Poor with ++ to - - for further differentiation) :  Very Good ++  -:  the odd light corner pin-holes; mild corner bumps; one card with a small corner paper / card loss; edges mainly very good with the odd bit of wear; printed on thicker card; overall, very good. (see photos for further detail; feel free to ask for specific detail.) 

POST & PACKAGING: all items are securely packaged, for as a collector myself I appreciated the need for secure packaging and all materials used are new. Posting / shipping depends on the item value and under £10.00 1st class post will be used; for items over this amount a tracked system will be used for both UK and international postings / shipping.