Seeing covers of PICTURE PLAY magazine, I smiled at the wording on the covers – “THE FILM MAGAZINE FOR MODERNS”.
A STREET AND SMITH publication, Picture Play ran from 1915 to 1941. It cost 25 cents in 1931 but later was reduced to 10 cents (which seems to be an average price for film magazines.)
Issued monthly, the magazine had around 70 pages. I haven’t been able to obtain a copy but the covers look great.
Picture Play was only one of many publications from Street and Smith, a company started in 1855. Mr Smtih and Mr Street both had the Christian name, Francis. They built up a business in New York which included dime novels,pulp magazines , comics.
Smith and Street were known as ‘the fiction factory’.
Male stars seem to have been rarely used for the covers which always had wonderful colours .
Kay Francis
Norma Shearer
Kay Francis
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
Scanned copies available on disc on Ebay.
Thanks,Bob.
Loved your post, Vienna — I don’t think I’ve ever seen this magazine. There’s a wide variety for sale on eBay — the actual magazines. I think I’m going to buy one myself to add to my collection!
They have such lovely, vibrant covers.
Good to hear some are available to buy.