Country of Issue: USA
Year of Issue: 1933-1934
Color/B&W: B&W
Number of Cards in Set: Two sets of 32
Card Size: 2 3/8" x 2 7/8"
Issued as insert with what product:
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Issuing Company: Ridley's, 124 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, NY Country of Issue: USA Year of Issue: 1933-1934 Color/B&W: B&W Number of Cards in Set: Two sets of 32 Card Size: 2 3/8" x 2 7/8" Issued as insert with what product: |
Notes: Checklist incomplete. The ACC number for this set is R122. It looks to me like this set was issued starting in 1933 and running through 1934, with at least three different printings.
The first group of these cards consisted of brown-tone cards with a pinkish hue and blue text backs. The front color for this group has the richest color of the three groups. Card #22 is William Haines in this group and #26 is probably Polly Moran though I haven't seen the Moran card to verify it.
The second group has greenish-blue fronts with blue text backs. Some of the cards have changes to the picture on the front, and some even change the star to a new star. The back text often has changes, usually relating to the recent movies that the star is featured in. Card #22 is Stuart Erwin and #26 is Maureen O'Sullivan in this group and in the third group. The second group also introduced new pictures for #8 Jimmy Durante, #10 Wallace Beery, #11 Madge Evans, #19 Oliver Hardy, and #24 Jean Harlow (and maybe more) and those new pictures carried over to the third group. Scans of cards from this group show different shades of blue and green fronts so it is possible there are more than one group of these, though so far I haven't seen any differences in the pictures or text for cards of different greenish-blue shades in this group.
The third group has brown fronts with black text backs. I have not seen any changes in the pictures between the greenish-blue fronts and the brown fronts. Most of the cards do have changes to the text on the back, again usually relating to the recent movies for the star.
There was an offer for a free movie ticket for anyone that turned in a complete set of these cards and card #12 seems to be the short print to protect the company from giving out too many movie tickets. Franchot Tone has been reported to be #12 but I haven't seen one of those cards so don't know for sure if this is correct or not, and don't know if it is same card in all three groups or not.
For card #22, I did a little research on Stuart Erwin and William Haines. Erwin had a long career up until his death in 1967, and was even on the Big Valley TV show shortly before his passing. Haines also lived long after this card set, up until 1973. But looking at Haines' movies, he stopped suddenly with his last movie being in 1934. Apparently Haines was gay, and the MGM studio told him it was them or his partner. Haines chose his partner and MGM terminated his contract. It must have been about the same time as this card set. So, it looks like Haines lost his place as #22 in this Screen Snappies set when his MGM contract was terminated and was replaced with Erwin during the 1933 issue period.
Thanks to Bill Oliver, Todd Riley, and Greg Galliger for helping with this checklist.
Brown Fronts, Blue Back Checklist (1933)
1.
2.
3.
4. Lionel Barrymore
5. Robert Montgomery
6.
7.
8. Jimmy (Schnozzle) Durante
9. Marie Dressler
10. Wallace (Champ) Beery
11. Madge Evans
12.
13.
14.
15. John Barrymore
16.
17.
18. Stan Laurel
19. Oliver Hardy
20. Jackie Cooper
21. Diana Wynyard
22. William Haines
23.
24. Jean Harlow
25.
26.
27. Lewis Stone
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
Blue-Green Fronts, Blue Back Checklist (1933)
1. Leo, the M-G-M Lion
2. Marion Davies
3. Joan Crawford
4. Lionel Barrymore
5. Robert Montgomery
6. Norma Shearer
7. Johnny Weissmuller
8. Jimmy (Schnozzle) Durante (different picture than first group)
9.
10. Wallace Beery (different picture than first group)
11. Madge Evans (different picture than first group)
12.
13. Clark Gable
14. Helen Hayes
15. John Barrymore
16. Lee Tracy
17. Ramon Novarro
18. Stan Laurel
19. Oliver Hardy (different picture than first group)
20. Jackie Cooper
21. Diana Wynyard
22. Stuart Erwin (card #22 was William Haines in earlier group)
23. Ed Wynn
24. Jean Harlow (different picture than first group)
25. Walter Huston
26. Maureen O'Sullivan
27. Lewis Stone
28. Myrna Loy
29.
30. Karen Morley
31. Robert Young
32. Jean Hersholt
Brown Fronts, Black Back Checklist (1934)
1. Leo, the M-G-M Lion
2. Marion Davies
3. Joan Crawford
4. Lionel Barrymore
5. Robert Montgomery
6. Norma Shearer
7. Johnny Weissmuller
8. Jimmy Durante
9. Marie Dressler
10. Wallace Beery
11. Madge Evans
12.
13. Clark Gable
14.
15. John Barrymore
16. Lee Tracy
17. Ramon Novarro
18. Stan Laurel
19. Oliver Hardy
20. Jackie Cooper
21. Diana Wynyard
22. Stuart Erwin
23. Ed Wynn
24. Jean Harlow
25.
26. Maureen O'Sullivan
27. Lewis Stone
28. Myrna Loy
29. Charles Chase
30.
31. Robert Young
32. Jean Hersholt
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