1952 US Snow White Window Card

Window cards were placed in shops and stores around town to advertise the opening of the film. Space was usually available at the top of card for the local theatre to fill in its information. RKO 1952 re-release; poster has a R-1951 copyright. The standard measurements of 14" x 22".

Image via Heritage Auctions.

RKO Newsette, March 3, 1938

Although Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs had its 1937 premiere in Los Angeles, the rest of the world would still have to wait a while before seeing the film. It took time for Technicolor to churn out enough release prints to meet demand. In addition, RKO slowed the distribution process by requiring exhibitors to make special, higher-than-usual priced bookings for their engagements. The result was an erratic, yet still very enthusiastic general theatrical release.

A few first run theaters were showing the movie as early as January. It opened at Radio City Music Hall in NYC on January 13, 1938 as well as at the Sheridan Theater in Miami. Argentinean audiences were some of the first to see it internationally with a January 22 premiere in Buenos Aires.

Disney's official general release date was February 4, 1938. Yet, there weren't enough prints made by Technicolor to cover the second run or neighborhood theaters until later. Also theaters were studio-owned back then, and it was not unusual for a film to be "held over" a few weeks before being sent on. This might explain the March 3rd "opening" we see in the flyer below (due to the extended Radio City engagement).

Movie theaters that ran RKO films would hand out to patrons a type of herald called the RKO Newsette. This free 4-page paper carried bits of Hollywood news and trivia, but it also served to promote upcoming releases. A rare treasure, this particular issue (Vol. XXI; No. 16) dates from exactly 75 years ago today and announces the March 3rd opening of Snow White at the RKO 58th Street Theater in NYC.

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Special thanks to Michael Filippello for sharing the RKO Newsette info and images from his Snow White collection.

1938 US Snow White Herald

A handsome example of vintage Snow White ephemera, this piece dates from the initial general release of the film. The 8" x 10" full color handbill is printed on paper, not card stock. Note that the character images are identical to most of those used on the RKO postcard sets (see previous post).

Theatre owners who received the 1938 Snow White pressbook would have found a sample copy of the herald glued to the margin between pages 18-19. They could purchase 500 of them for $3.50 or 1000 for $6.00.

The opposite side was blank so information could be added about the local movie theatre and screening times. This particular example is from the "Interstate Palace" in Rockville, CT. While thousands of these handbills were printed up and handed out for free, most were probably discarded, making those that are still with us a real treat for the Snow White enthusiast.

Images via Heritage Auctions. 

From 2005-2012, Heritage Auctions has only featured three or four of these. The selling price ranged between $59-$150 each. Still, it does pop up now and again. I just came across this next one on ebay.

Instead of a movie theatre herald, it appears this was a dairy premium, compliments of Cabell's Ice Cream and Dairy Shops, Dallas.

 Images via cusil.

1967 US Snow White Window Card

Buena Vista 1967 re-release...

Buena Vista re-release(R-1967), Standard Window Card (14" X 22").

Image via Heritage Auction Galleries.