Saturday, October 13, 2012

1944 US Snow White Lobby Cards

This set of eight lobby cards (including title card) date from 1943 and were distributed to theaters for the first stand-alone re-release of a Disney feature film. Walt's Studio was in real need of money so he looked to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to once again save the day. The film came to the big screen the following year in 1944.

Each lobby card measures 11" x 14' and is marked with "Copyright 1943 RKO Radio Pictures Inc." The set sold at auction on November 14, 2009 for $597.50 (USD).

Title Card






The next two cards are almost identical except some of the dwarfs are "flopped" and the colors are slightly altered...




The deleted "bed building" scene didn't make it into the final film, but here it is on a lobby card...

Images via Heritage Auctions.



The set was listed on page 15 of the 1944 Snow White pressbook.

Pressbook scan courtesy of the Michael Filippello Collection.

4 comments:

  1. Since the actual film is composed of drawn/painted artwork, it's surprising to me that they didn't just use stills from the movie. But it is kind of cool to see unique artwork just for the lobby cards.

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  2. Also notice how it is the Seven Dwarfs who are featured on all of these lobby cards... Snow White only appears on 3, and her face is visible on only one. Seems very strange to me.

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    Replies
    1. I'm sure the film's target audience (in the mind of Walt and subsequent Disney execs) has changed over the years. Back in 1944, maybe they felt an emphasis on the Dwarfs would create a stronger draw to movie theaters.

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