King Kong 1933 3-sheet poster | Novelisation | Promotional material | SEX! poster 1967 [Under construction]
The classic Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack movie King Kong was released in the United States by RKO Pictures on 3 March 1933 with a flurry of promotional material, ranging from posters and still photographs through to jigsaw puzzles and content for radio and newspaper advertisements. The most impressive and stunning of this material was undoubtedly the 1-sheet and larger posters that appeared in association with the initial release of the film in countries around the world. This site lists some of those items, along with contemporary photographs of the material in situ as part of theatre entrances and displays. The US full-colour press book from 1933 is an important resource in this study as it illustrates the major items produced for the release and made available both within the United States and elsewhere. Copies of some of the larger posters, such as the 24 sheets, are not known to have survived, and the majority of the other material is especially rare. As a result, photographs of contemporary displays are significant archives. A good example is one from February 1934 of the display mounted at the Grand Theatre, Perth, Australia. It features the two US 24-sheet posters mounted on the walls on either side of the entrance, one of the 1-sheet posters on a stand, a tropical jungle themed banner hanging from the ceiling and assorted lobby cards and still photographs also mounted on a display stand.
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Entrance to the Grant Theatre, Perth, Australia, February 1934. Source: Facebook.
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The exterior was similarly spectacular, with a large wood-mounted poster display of King Kong atop the Empire State building fighting with the attacking plane as he attempts to protect the female lead played by Fay Wray.
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The Grand Theatre, Perth, Australia, February 1934. Source: Facebook.
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According to a report in the Australian movie magazine
Everyones gave a detailed description of the lengths the theatre management went to in order to promote the movie:
Outside advertising was attended to by lavish use of
posters - four 24-sheeters, one 48-sheeter, six sheeters, one sheeters, 1,000
snipes and 100 daybills were displayed on all available city hoardings.
Especial attention was given to railway hoardings and it was on these positions
that the 24-sheeters and 48-sheet posters were used. Several days before the
opening date a large working model of “King Kong,” 10ft. high, was paraded
around the city and suburbs. The model, which was constructed from one of the
exchange posters, was taken through the streets on a midget trap drawn by a
dwarfed Shetland pony. The contrast between the huge figure and the small
conveyance attracted a lot of attention. A fortnight in advance of the
screening date, the “Kong” model was placed in the lobby. As the figure was
placed in such a position as to command the attention of pedestrians, a goodly
proportion of word-of-mouth interest was
raised. A special board, fitted with production stills and coloured supplements
from magazines was erected at the side of the model and attracted a lot of
comment. Two 24-sheeters were placed at both sides of the lobby. The spaces
between the 24 sheets was hand-painted to represent tropical vegetation, etc.,
and the centre was cut away and a travelling belt of “prehistoric animals”
erected. On the marquee of the Grand was another 10ft. cut out of “Kong” raised
25ft. From the head to the verandah railing large streamers were stripped. These
carried snipes, etc., relative to “King Kong.” Extensive use was also made of
the daily newspapers with teaser ads, finally working up to a 12in. 4-column (Everyones, 21 February 1934).
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Last updated: 8 June 2023
Michael Organ
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