William Powell Personality Poster (Paramount, Early 1930s). Poster (27" X 41").. ...

Description

William Powell Personality Poster (Paramount, Early 1930s). Poster (27" X 41").
The witty, urbane former stage actor William Powell broke into films playing an evil henchman of Professor Moriarty's in the 1922 John Barrymore version of Sherlock Holmes. Over the next decade Powell would play many interesting and exotic characters ranging from villains to sheiks. His earliest memorable role would be his portrayal of detective Philo Vance in The Canary Murder Case. Over the next few years Powell acted for Warner Brothers and Paramount, never quite finding the kinds of roles he was looking for. That would all change in 1934 when he signed with MGM. After a brilliant performance in Manhattan Melodrama, opposite Clark Gable and Myrna Loy, people really started to take notice. Director W.S. Van Dyke immediately picked up on the chemistry Powell had with Loy, and the duo were next cast in the roles that would make them superstars: Nick and Nora Charles in The Thin Man. William and Myrna charmed audiences with their playful sparring and a new screen team was born, a pairing that would last for 14 films in as many years. The rest, as they say is history. This linen finish poster had pinholes in the corners, a tear that extends into the image from the top border, two tears extending into the image from the bottom border, and a corner bend in the top left. The poster has had professional restoration and now appears near mint. A rare find, this is personality poster, printed on linen finish paper, of a Charles Lennox Wright II painting. Wright was a very fine painter who studied with William Merritt Chase and illustrated movie posters for Paramount and RKO in the 1920's and 30's. Rolled, Very Good+ on Paper.

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