1938 Hollywood Magazine

Snow White and the Dwarfs appeared on the cover of the May 1938 cover of Hollywood magazine (Fawcett Publications, 8.5" x 11"). The periodical was conducting a "7 Dwarfs Popularity Contest" in which readers were instructed to "name your favorite dwarf and write in twenty words or less why you like him best." Entries were to be mailed and postmarked by May 15, 1938.

It's interesting to note that the cover art featured the princess and six of the seven dwarfs all in the style taken from the original drawings of inspirational sketch artist Gustaf Tenggren. In fact the animals, castle and trees are also from his work. Only Dopey, who's placed center stage, appears in his non-Tenggren onscreen persona.

Were the publisher's trying to create a Dopey shoe-in for their contest? Read what Paul F. Anderson has to say about it over at Disney History Institute.

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The grand prize for the best answer to the 7 Dwarfs Popularity Contest was a cedar chest. I'm sure that 74 years ago, the readers must have thought this was a swell inducement to enter the contest. But nearly three quarters of a century later, I personally would much rather have won one of the"lesser" prizes (below).

First prize: Original color sketch of Snow White and Dwarfs, signed by Walt Disney.

Second prize: An Alexander Snow White doll (15 " tall).

Third prize: Set of Seibling rubber dolls, Snow White (8" tall), Seven Dwarfs (5 1/2").

Fourth prize: An Ideal Snow White doll.

Fifth prize: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs board game by Milton Bradley.

Sixth prize: Handbag with a picture of Snow White and the dwarfs.

Seventh prize: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs illustrated book, Grosset and Dunlap.

Consolation prizes: The first consolation gets one set of twenty colored scenes. The next 500 entries receive a single colored scene, all "delightful for framing."

All images courtesy of Rick Payne via dadric's attic. Used with permission. 

Find out who the contest winners were in the August 1938 issue.