Paramount Film Stars
Promotional playing cards for the Paramount film company with film stars on the court cards.
Film Stars II Playing Cards for Paramount, 1933
Published by De la Rue & Co., London, 1933.
These promotional playing cards for the Paramount film company with immortal film stars of the time on the court cards were produced in the 1930s by De la Rue & Co., London. The designs are playfully laid back, with photograph heads on top of cartoon bodies. A similar pack was also produced for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Film company around the same time. Bimbo, on the Joker, is a cartoon Border Collie dog character created by Fleischer Studios in c.1930.
Above: 'Film Star Playing Cards II' for Paramount manufactured by De la Rue & Co., London, 1933. All the court cards and Joker are printed in red, yellow, green, black and white. The Kings and Queens are crowned. The Jacks all have some sort of a hat, either as part of the photo or drawn. The court cards in this set are the same at each end. Printed by offset-litho. Double pack 2 x (52 cards + Joker + contract scoring card). Images courtesy Barney Townshend.
A similar pack was also produced for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer →
By Barney Townshend
Member since October 06, 2015
Retired Airline Pilot, interested in: Transformation Playing Cards, Karl Gerich and Elaine Lewis. Secretary of the EPCS. Treasurer of the IPCS.
Related Articles
The Molassine Company and its link to Whist and Bridge
A savvy marketing strategy blending Victorian decorative design with Edwardian practicality.
Waddington’s faux books
Waddington’s faux book set containing four packs of playing cards and bridge markers.
Double Dummy Bridge
In the early 20th century several firms began to promote whist or bridge as a game for two.
Ogdens Beauties & Military cigarette cards
Cigarette cards featuring beauties and military uniforms with playing-card insets.
Boddingtons Bitter playing cards
Cool-looking courts advertising Boddingtons Bitter, originally brewed in Manchester.
OXO Faces of the Millennium Dinner
Twentieth-century personalities promoting a millennium dinner at the Oxo Tower in London.
Kids Fun Box playing cards
Colourful cards for children with four non-standard suits connected with the natural world.
Tangle Foot Ale
Badger Brewery Tangle Foot strong ale advertising pack.
Scientific Whist
“Scientific Whist” : standard cards with instructions for play on the faces by Chas Goodall & Son, 1...
Agent Provocateur
Branded lingerie collection in a pack of pin-up playing cards.
Nimbus playing cards
Mike Steer’s weather-themed pack with suits in four colours and backs for cardistry.
Danao Tiāngōng Puke
Children’s playing cards based on the 1961 Chinese animated feature film 大闹天宫 (Havoc in Heaven).
Agatha Christie and Playing Cards revisited
Agatha Christie uses card-play as a primary focus of a story, and as a way of creating plots and mot...
The Decadent Deck
Studies in the eroticism of the female body by Inge Clayton.
Historic Shakespeare
“Historic Shakespeare” playing cards featuring Shakespearean characters by Chas Goodall & Son.
Copechat Paramount Sorting System
Preserving the past: a specimen deck showcasing edge-notched cards and their ingenious sorting syste...
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days
