AMERICAN VENUS 1926 VINTAGE AD POSTER LOST FILM LOUISE BROOKS ESTHER RALSTON

Description

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY RARE "
LOST FILM
" ORIGINAL
1926 ADVERTISEMENT, MINI POSTER, COVER
, TAKEN FROM A FILM INDUSTRY PUBLICATION OF THE PERIOD SENT TO THEATER OWNERS, TO PROMOTE FILMS, FOR THE SILENT MOVIE "
THE AMERICAN VENUS
". 9.25" X 12", SHOWING SOME EDGE WEAR, BUT OTHWERWISE GOOD CONDITION, SEE PHOTOS.
THERE ARE NO ORIGINAL 1926 POSTERS, LOBBY CARDS, ETC. FOR THIS FILM, FOR SALE, ANYWHERE ON THE INTERNET, THAT I CAN FIND. THE LAST ORIGINAL POSTER OF THIS FILM SOLD IN 2012 AT AUCTION, FOR ,850.00; THE LAST ORIGINAL LOBBY CARD OF THIS FILM SOLD AT AUCTION FOR ,585.00.
THIS IS THE ONLY ORIGINAL VINTAGE 1926 ITEM OF MOVIE MEMORABILIA OF THIS TYPE AVAILABLE FOR THIS FILM, ANYWHERE, ESPECIALLY AT THIS PRICE.
The American Venus
is a 1926 American silent comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle, and starring Esther Ralston, Ford Sterling, Lawrence Gray, Fay Lanphier, Louise Brooks, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. The film was based on an original story by Townsend Martin. The scenario was written by Frederick Stowers with intertitles by Robert Benchley.
The film is believed to be lost, although pieces of the film's trailer survive and can be viewed on YouTube. In April 2018, three seconds of footage from the film was discovered by the British Film Institute.
Before shooting began, the film became the subject of a minor controversy when the
New York Graphic,
a newspaper known for its use of yellow journalism claimed that the film's distributor, Paramount Pictures, had "fixed" the Miss America pageant. In a series of articles, the paper claimed that the eventual winner, Fay Lanphier (Miss California), had been chosen before the pageant because she signed on to star in the film before the pageant was held. Paramount publicly admitted it had been involved with the pageant's promotions and had agreed to pay for pageant's reviewing stand. The studio also agreed to sponsor an "American Venus" contest to be held before the Miss America pageant to determine which of the contestants had the best "photographic possibilities". Lanphier won the American Venus title and was chosen by Famous Players-Lasky then production manager Walter Wanger a role in the film. The
New York Graphic
was later forced to retract their claim that the contest had been fixed.
Fay Lanphier was the first Miss America winner to star in a feature film. While the film was a popular draw upon its release and played in theatres for two years after its initial release (mainly due to the heavy publicity and the inclusion of two sequences that were shot in two-strip Technicolor),
The American Venus
received mixed reviews and Lanphier's contract was dropped.
The American Venus
proved to be more helpful to the careers of star Esther Ralston and Louise Brooks who was cast in a supporting role. Ralston had previously played supporting roles in the silent features
Huckleberry Finn
and
Begger on Horseback
(1925). The success of
The American Venus
effectively established Ralston's career as a leading lady. The film also helped to boost Louise Brook's burgeoning career. It was her first significant role (her first role was small part in 1925's
The Street of Forgotten Men
for which she received good reviews.
The American Venus
was shot at Famous Players-Lasky's Astoria Studios on Long Island while the Miss America pageant sequences were shot on Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.