1938 Movie Quiz Contest Booklet | Hollywood Film Memorabilia | Regent Theatre Ottawa
Issued for the 1938 $250,000 Movie Quiz Contest, this original theatre booklet captures a remarkable season in Hollywood's Golden Age. Featuring ninety-four contemporary motion pictures and many of the era's best-known stars—including Shirley Temple, Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Laurel & Hardy, The Marx Brothers, Boris Karloff and Errol Flynn—it offers a fascinating snapshot of the films audiences were watching in theatres during 1938.
Original 1938 Movie Quiz Contest booklet promoting a $250,000 Movie Quiz Contest featuring ninety-four Hollywood motion pictures released during the 1938 season. Produced as a theatre giveaway, the booklet challenged moviegoers to answer questions based on films they had seen for a chance to win one of 5,404 prizes before the contest closed on December 31, 1938.
Inside are illustrated entries for dozens of classic films and stars from Hollywood's Golden Age, including Shirley Temple, James Cagney, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Laurel & Hardy, Harold Lloyd, Boris Karloff, Edward G. Robinson, Mickey Rooney, Wallace Beery, Tyrone Power, Errol Flynn, Hedy Lamarr, Humphrey Bogart, George Raft, Deanna Durbin, Joe E. Brown, The Marx Brothers and many others. Each page presents a still from the featured motion picture together with a multiple-choice question relating to the film, creating a fascinating snapshot of American cinema on the eve of the Second World War.
Particularly appealing is the original rear cover advertisement reminding patrons to purchase Christmas theatre tickets from the Regent Theatre, Ottawa, giving the booklet a direct connection to one of Canada's historic movie houses.
The booklet measures 5 1/8 inches by 8 1/2 inches and consists of 32 pages, including the self-cover.
Condition
The booklet remains in very good condition for its age. There is age toning together with light wear from handling and use. A vertical crease is present from having been folded, and there is minor wear along the edges and corners. The pages remain securely bound and the booklet is complete. Please examine the photographs for a detailed representation of its condition.
An original 1938 theatre giveaway documenting the Hollywood film season of that year, preserving its illustrated movie quiz, period contest rules and original Regent Theatre advertisement. It provides an engaging record of late-1930s cinema and moviegoing culture.