Spook Show posters and memorabilia in Classic Horror Movie Memorabilia Forum

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Spook Show posters and memorabilia

Author	Comment
propmaker		#81	[-]
Feb 8 12 10:18 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I just picked up the suggested book "Ghostmasters" by Mark Walker. Wow, what a great read, packed with history, photos, a real treasury of stuff on a subject I knew nothing about until reading this thread.
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lynaron	More Francisco	#82	[-]
Feb 27 12 2:10 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Arthur (Francisco) Bull. Austex23, you have any info on him? I understand he was very prolific from the 30s thru the 60s and was a well respected magician. Any idea what year/decade this might be from? I'm guessing the 40s considering the 40 cent admission and Lugosi's DRACULA as the movie vs. something from the 50s. Only my third spookshow piece, but, I think I'm becoming addicted. The old clock on the wall says it's time to start jumping to conclusions again.
austex23		#83	[-]
Mar 1 12 6:49 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	If you've started down this dark and occasionally expensive road, I assume you have a copy of Ghostmasters by now? That has the most info I've seen on Francisco and it's not a lot. He was indeed active about as long as anyone in the business from (at least) the early 1940s into the early 60s. He apparently used the same terrific standees for most of that time and his graphics have a comic feel that is distinctive from other shows' art. I have at least 6 different posters and standees for his shows (and may be forgetting some), but haven't seen this piece. Is it a poster or a handbill? By the 40 cent admission price, I'd guess late 50s, but that seems a bit late to be showing Lugosi's Dracula. I have a pressbook for his shows and will dig it out this weekend and see if it provides any clues. As noted elsewhere in this thread, there is a great deal of research to be doe on these shows and the men who made them -- fragments in press clippings, professional magic journals, etc. yet to be discovered. One of the many reasons that makes them so fascinating...
austex23		#84	[-]
Mar 1 12 6:53 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	horribleherman wrote: I bought the Mark Walker collection from him about 15 years ago.It encluded posters ,props and several cabinets of Mark's correspondence with SS operators over the years.Also had a bunch of stuff bought from the late Jim Ridenour from an ad in MCW. Unfortunately I sold the whole shebang a few years ago when money was tight. I love that old silk screened poster art.I'm working up a nasty case of seller's remorse here! Something Weird Video was selling at least part of the Walker collection a year or so ago on Ebay -- don't know where they got it. They had some fantastic posters and a great deal of duplicate material -- think they may still have some though they don't offer it often anymore. I bought several nice pieces including, alas, a tremendous poster that they accidentally shipped to another buyer! No, I'm not still bitter at all...
lynaron		#85	[-]
Mar 2 12 2:44 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I have the GHOSTMASTERS book, but it is in storage half way around the world with 99% of my "pile-o-stuff". The Francisco piece is a handbill, and, yes, it is a dark and occasionally $ path, but one I cheerfully trod. The old clock on the wall says it's time to start jumping to conclusions again.
austex23		#86	[-]
Mar 21 12 10:18 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Here's a little bit about Francisco from the June 1948 issue of The Bat.
lynaron		#87	[-]
Mar 22 12 2:15 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Fascinating! Thanks!! The old clock on the wall says it's time to start jumping to conclusions again.
austex23		#88	[-]
Mar 24 12 11:29 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Here's the cover of the Francisco pressbook I have...unfortunately to scan the interiors would require removing the ancient staples holding it together. It's very much a homemade product, mimeographed interiors except for one great page of lobby and exterior displays at theaters where he played. None of the graphics match your handbill, but even as early as this is (mid 40s), his shows were often "all seats 40 cents." The list of suggested films for theaters to book with his act includes Return of the Vampire, Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman, and Sh! The Octopus, but not Dracula. Not much help in dating your handbill I'm afraid. You might be able to pin down a year though by figuring out in what years September 26 fell on a Thursday and then doing a little newspaper digging online. Do you happen to know where the Troy Theater was?
lynaron		#89	[-]
Mar 24 12 2:25 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The Perpetual Calendar site shows Sept. 26th, Thursday in only 4 different years, 1912, 1940, 1968 and 1996. Seems to me that 1940 may be the logical one. I can't believe one could still see a Spook Show for a mere 40 cents in 1968, although stranger things have happened in the dark. I've had no luck in finding a Troy theater in Troy, NJ, Troy, NY, Troy, Mooseknuckle, TN, or Helen of Troy, Greece :-). Good call on not scanning the insides, not worth the risk of damage, IMO. RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE, FMTWM would date your press book to 1943 at the earliest, those being '43/44 films except SH! THE OCTOPUS. The old clock on the wall says it's time to start jumping to conclusions again.
austex23		#90	[-]
Mar 24 12 2:58 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	1940 sounds right...and Dracula makes more sense if it's that early. There are two lists of suggested "recent" films in the pressbook -- one of them appears to be typed rather than mimeoed -- and the latest release is, I think, 1944, so I'm guessing the pressbook is from 1944 or 1945. Besides the pictures and film lists, it has publicity suggestions, a radio ad script, and an offer to sell theaters 100 window cards for $4.50, jumbo cards 100 for $7.50, and one sheets 100 for $10. Too bad the offer has expired.
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RCMerchant		#91	[-]
Mar 29 12 3:06 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Her's one of Bill Neff's comic books... ....if his comic covers were as cool and outrageous as his spook show ads,they mighta sold more!
horribleherman		#92	[-]
Apr 2 12 1:22 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	austex23 wrote: horribleherman wrote: I bought the Mark Walker collection from him about 15 years ago.It encluded posters ,props and several cabinets of Mark's correspondence with SS operators over the years.Also had a bunch of stuff bought from the late Jim Ridenour from an ad in MCW. Unfortunately I sold the whole shebang a few years ago when money was tight. I love that old silk screened poster art.I'm working up a nasty case of seller's remorse here! Something Weird Video was selling at least part of the Walker collection a year or so ago on Ebay -- don't know where they got it. They had some fantastic posters and a great deal of duplicate material -- think they may still have some though they don't offer it often anymore. I bought several nice pieces including, alas, a tremendous poster that they accidentally shipped to another buyer! No, I'm not still bitter at all... Yep. I didn't want to name the buyer outright. Wish I'd had time and the skill, to photograph all the posters at least. Glad you were able to score a few prizes, of which there were many!
coveoftheblindfisherman		#93	[-]
May 25 12 8:31 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	ANY SPOOKERS YOU NEED OR ARE LOOKING FOR? BEST, ED
austex23		#94	[-]
May 31 12 8:13 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Always looking for posters I don't have. I know you sell on e-bay and I've bought some stills from you in the past. If you have anything you want to sell directly, I'm sending you my e-mail address in a message. I have a few duplicates to trade with too.
rvoyttbots		#95	[-]
Sep 4 12 12:05 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	On American Pickers tonight, they found a Spook Show poster at an old movie theater and stole it for $75. Thing was in super nice shape. Had a date of Dec 27 on it. Owner said it was from 1963. Also had "Dracula & Frankenstein in Person" printed on it.
davew61		#96	[-]
Sep 4 12 3:27 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tonight on the sci fi network at 10 rocker Howie Pyros collection is looked at on "collection intervention" I know Howie has some spook show items. Directv ch 244 i think....
davew61		#97	[-]
Sep 4 12 3:40 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Howdy folks , going to post some from my collection........
davew61		#98	[-]
Sep 4 12 3:46 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts
davew61		#99	[-]
Sep 4 12 3:49 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Not spook show....but lives in the same basement !
lynaron		#100	[-]
Sep 4 12 5:33 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Great stuff, davew61. The old clock on the wall says it's time to start jumping to conclusions again.
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Spook Show posters and memorabilia