Snow White Halloween Costumes by Ben Cooper (1930s-1960s)

In 1937, New York theatrical costume designer, Ben Cooper, launched into the production of Halloween costumes and gained the licensing contracts of A.S. Fishbach, Inc. It was a fortunate turn since one of the licensors included Walt Disney Enterprises. With the premiere of Snow White that year, it was a auspicious time to begin! They started selling Disney costumes through Fishbach's Spotlite brand. In 1942, the two companies merged under Ben Cooper, Inc. From the 1950s-1980s, Ben Cooper was one of the giants in Halloween costume manufacturing. And Snow White was with them from the beginning. Here's a few examples.

1938-42(c.) Dopey Spotlite brand. Box No. E12(?). Paperboard mask; two-piece cotton outfit. Back of mask is marked, "Copyright Walt Disney Productions, A Tru Type Mask, No. 112, Made in USA by Ben Copper, Inc., New York". (A similar Dopey mask was issued in 1937 by Einson-Freeman and Post Toasties.)

Dopey costume via Halloweenagogo.

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1950s Snow White costumes are mentioned in the motion picture pressbooks from 1952 and 1958. (We've not found photos of these yet.)

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1964(c.) Snow White No. 221. Plastic mask with no mouth slot; rayon outfit (made in Mexico.)

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1967 Snow White. Two costumes are pictured in the 1967 pressbook supplement. No. 221 (which is pictured above). Plastic mask; rayon one-piece costume. Suggested retail price $3.00. And No. 521. Three-piece outfit consisting of dress, cape, and ribbon headdress. Retail $5.00.

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1968 Snow White No. 299. Ben Cooper wholesale catalog. Plastic mask (same mold and design as above), rayon one-piece outfit.

Catalog image via euclidboo.com.

Another edition of No. 299. Different dress design than what is pictured in the Ben Cooper catalog above.

Other Ben Cooper posts:

• 1970s Evil Queen and Happy
• 1970s-80s Snow White