Using Our Photoplay Magazine Checklist to Help Fill-In Your Collection
The Photoplay Magazines are sorted by date.
The list was collated from issues that I have handled, eBay listings (both active and completed), eBay Stores listings, abebooks listings, Froogle listings, Google Images, and your suggestions (especially those of Frank Alice, thank you!).
If you have either additions or corrections to this list please complete the form at the very bottom of this page and I’ll update the Photoplay Magazine Checklist ASAP. My goal is to post as accurate and complete of a checklist as possible.
These are all U.S. editions.
Acknowledgements: A word of gratitude to the following collectors for submitting their own additions to the list: Frank Alice, Christine Dunagan, Dirk Jakobs (Hommage an Greta Garbo), Bruce Long
The Photoplay Magazine Checklist organizes the list by date. Following the date is the name of the star featured on the cover, and following the star’s name is the name of the illustrator or photographer who created the cover art for that issue (when I could find this information).
| Month-Year | Star | Cover Artist |
| Apr-12 | Scene from "The Better Influence" | |
| Jun-12 | Scene from "The Peril" | |
| Jul-12 | Scene from "The Fall of Blackhawk" | |
| Aug-12 | Scene from "Their Lives for Gold" | |
| Sep-12 | Scene from "Queen Elizabeth" (Sarah Bernhardt) | |
| Oct-12 | J. Warren Kerrigan | |
| Nov-12 | Scene from "Guy Mannering" | |
| Dec-12 | Scene from "The Star of Bethlehem" | |
| Jan-13 | Scene from "The Return of Lady Linda" | |
| Feb-13 | Scene from "Andrew Jackson" | |
| Jul-13 | Edgena De Lespine | |
| Aug-13 | The Kinemacolor Kids | |
| Sep-13 | Vivian Rich – J. Warren Kerrigan | |
| Oct-13 | King Baggot | |
| Nov-13 | Elsie Alberts | |
| Dec-13 | Children of the Photoplay | |
| Jan-14 | Mary Pickford – Owen Moore | |
| Feb-14 | Barbara Tennant / O.A.C. Lund | |
| Mar-14 | Norma Phillips | |
| Apr-14 | Kathlyn Williams | |
| May-14 | J. Warren Kerrigan | |
| Jun-14 | Margarita Fischer | |
| Jul-14 | Francis X. Bushman | |
| Aug-14 | Florence LaBadie | |
| Sep-14 | Mary Pickford | |
| Oct-14 | Pearl White | |
| Nov-14 | Florence Lawrence | |
| Dec-14 | Lillian & Dorothy Gish | |
| Jan-15 | Winifred Kingston | |
| Feb-15 | Beatriz Michelena | |
| Mar-15 | Helen Holmes | |
| Apr-15 | Blanche Sweet | |
| May-15 | Clara Kimball Young | |
| Jun-15 | Mary Fuller | |
| Jul-15 | Mae Marsh | |
| Aug-15 | Mabel Normand | |
| Sep-15 | Anita Stewart | |
| Oct-15 | Beverly Bayne | |
| Nov-15 | Mary Pickford | |
| Dec-15 | Geraldine Farrar | |
| Jan-16 | Pearl White | |
| Feb-16 | Marguerite Courtot | |
| Mar-16 | Marguerite Clark | |
| Apr-16 | Edna Mayo | |
| May-16 | Gail Kane | |
| Jun-16 | D.W. Griffith | |
| Jul-16 | Mabel Normand | |
| Aug-16 | Dorothy Bernard | |
| Sep-16 | Edna Purviance | |
| Oct-16 | Hazel Dawn | |
| Nov-16 | Dorothy Kelly | |
| Dec-16 | Marie Doro | |
| Jan-17 | Naomi Childers | |
| Feb-17 | Norma Talmadge | |
| Mar-17 | Mary McLaren | |
| Apr-17 | Ethel Clayton | |
| May-17 | Theda Bara | |
| Jun-17 | Pauline Frederick | Neysa McMein |
| Jul-17 | Emmy Wehlan | |
| Aug-17 | Jackie Saunders | |
| Sep-17 | Mae Marsh | |
| Oct-17 | Alice Joyce * | Neysa McMein |
| Nov-17 | Mae Murray | |
| Dec-17 | Billie Burke | |
| Jan-18 | June Elvidge | |
| Feb-18 | Alma Rubens | |
| Mar-18 | Virginia Pearson | Haskell Coffin |
| Apr-18 | Elsie Ferguson | |
| May-18 | Gail Kane | |
| Jun-18 | Olive Tell | |
| Jul-18 | Doris Kenyon | |
| Aug-18 | Mabel Normand | Haskell Coffin |
| Sep-18 | Lila Lee | |
| Oct-18 | Marguerite Clayton | Haskell Coffin |
| Nov-18 | Edith Storey | |
| Dec-18 | Sylvia Breamer | |
| Jan-19 | Marie Doro | |
| Feb-19 | Geraldine Farrar | |
| Mar-19 | Lina Calvalieri | |
| Apr-19 | Marjorie Rambeau | |
| May-19 | Billie Burke | |
| Jun-19 | Constance Talmadge | |
| Jul-19 | Dorothy Phillips | A. Cheney Johnston |
| Aug-19 | Alice Brady | |
| Sep-19 | Mary Thurman | |
| Oct-19 | Dorothy Dalton | |
| Nov-19 | Lillian Gish | |
| Dec-19 | Betty Compson | |
| Jan-20 | Norma Talmadge | |
| Feb-20 | Olive Thomas | |
| Mar-20 | Alice Joyce | |
| Apr-20 | Pearl White | |
| May-20 | Clara Kimball Young | |
| Jun-20 | Katherine MacDonald | |
| Jul-20 | Martha Mansfield | |
| Aug-20 | Mae Murray | |
| Sep-20 | Constance Talmadge | |
| Oct-20 | Mary Pickford | |
| Nov-20 | Anna Q. Nilsson | Ellis Parker Butler |
| Dec-20 | Anita Stewart | |
| Jan-21 | Mary Thurman | |
| Feb-21 | Rubye de Remer | |
| Mar-21 | Priscilla Dean | |
| Apr-21 | Mary McLaren | |
| May-21 | Dorothy Phillips | |
| Jun-21 | June Caprice | |
| Jul-21 | Gloria Swanson | |
| Aug-21 | Bebe Daniels | |
| Sep-21 | Betty Blythe | |
| Oct-21 | Agnes Ayers | |
| Nov-21 | Marion Davies | |
| Dec-21 | Lillian Gish | Rolf Armstrong |
| Jan-22 | Corinne Griffith | |
| Feb-22 | Lila Lee | |
| Mar-22 | Olga Petrova | Rolf Armstrong |
| Apr-22 | Dorothy Gish | |
| May-22 | Betty Compson | J. Knowles Hare |
| Jun-22 | Mabel Ballin | Rolf Armstrong |
| Jul-22 | Rudolph Valentino | |
| Aug-22 | Madge Bellamy | |
| Sep-22 | Alice Terry | Rolf Armstrong |
| Oct-22 | Alice Brady | J. Knowles Hare |
| Nov-22 | Colleen Moore | |
| Dec-22 | Nita Naldi | |
| Jan-23 | Douglas Fairbanks | J. Knowles Hare |
| Feb-23 | Pola Negri | |
| Mar-23 | Claire Windsor | J. Knowles Hare |
| Apr-23 | Barbara LaMarr | Tempest Inman |
| May-23 | Lois Wilson | J. Knowles Hare |
| Jun-23 | May McAvoy | J. Knowles Hare |
| Jul-23 | Pauline Garon | |
| Aug-23 | Marion Davies | J. Knowles Hare |
| Sep-23 | Eleanor Boardman | J. Knowles Hare |
| Oct-23 | Alla Nazimova | Rolf Armstrong |
| Nov-23 | May Allison | J. Knowles Hare |
| Dec-23 | Constance Talmadge | J. Knowles Hare |
| Jan-24 | Barbara LaMarr | Hal Phyfe |
| Feb-24 | Corinne Griffith | J. Knowles Hare |
| Mar-24 | Pola Negri | Tempest Inman |
| Apr-24 | Sylvia Breamer | Hal Phyfe |
| May-24 | Ramon Novarro | Tempest Inman |
| Jun-24 | Leatrice Joy | Tempest Inman |
| Jul-24 | Anna Q. Nilsson | Hal Phyfe |
| Aug-24 | Betty Compson | Tempest Inman |
| Oct-24 | Mary Philbin | Tempest Inman |
| Nov-24 | Jackie Coogan | |
| Dec-24 | Lois Wilson | |
| Jan-25 | Betty Bronson | Frederick Duncan |
| Feb-25 | Florence Vidor | |
| Mar-25 | Bessie Love | Tempest Inman |
| Apr-25 | May Allison | |
| May-25 | Norma Shearer | |
| Jun-25 | Madeline Hurlock | |
| Jul-25 | Greta Nissen | |
| Aug-25 | Dorothy Gish | |
| Sep-25 | Marie Prevost | |
| Oct-25 | Esther Ralston | Charles Sheldon |
| Nov-25 | Bessie Love | Tempest Inman |
| Dec-25 | Georgia Hale | |
| Jan-26 | Colleen Moore | Livingston Geer |
| Feb-26 | Bebe Daniels | Livingston Geer |
| Mar-26 | Gilda Gray | |
| Apr-26 | Vilma Banky | |
| May-26 | Leatrice Joy | |
| Jun-26 | Lois Moran | |
| Jul-26 | Dorothy Mackaill | |
| Aug-26 | Doris Kenyon | |
| Sep-26 | Marion Davies | Carl Van Buskirk |
| Oct-26 | Alice Joyce | |
| Nov-26 | Renee Adoree | |
| Dec-26 | Aileen Pringle | |
| Jan-27 | Olive Borden | |
| Feb-27 | Louise Brooks | Carl Van Buskirk |
| Mar-27 | Arlette Marchal | |
| Apr-27 | Lois Wilson | |
| May-27 | Mae Murray | Charles Sheldon |
| Jun-27 | Mary Brian | |
| Jul-27 | Norma Talmadge | Charles Sheldon |
| Aug-27 | Olive Borden | Charles Sheldon |
| Sep-27 | May Allison | Charles Sheldon |
| Oct-27 | Dolores Costello | Charles Sheldon |
| Nov-27 | Jetta Goudal | Charles Sheldon |
| Dec-27 | Joan Crawford | Charles Sheldon |
| Jan-28 | Eleanor Boardman | Charles Sheldon |
| Feb-28 | Clara Bow | Charles Sheldon |
| Mar-28 | Mary Philbin | Charles Sheldon |
| Apr-28 | Esther Ralston | Charles Sheldon |
| May-28 | Greta Garbo | Charles Sheldon |
| Jun-28 | Marion Davies | Charles Sheldon |
| Jul-28 | Ruth Taylor | |
| Aug-28 | Billie Dove | Charles Sheldon |
| Sep-28 | Gloria Swanson | Charles Sheldon |
| Oct-28 | Evelyn Brent | Charles Sheldon |
| Nov-28 | Corinne Griffith | Charles Sheldon |
| Dec-28 | Janet Gaynor | |
| Jan-29 | Madge Bellamy | Charles Sheldon |
| Feb-29 | Estelle Taylor | Charles Sheldon |
| Mar-29 | Marion Davies | |
| Apr-29 | Clara Bow | |
| May-29 | June Collyer | |
| Jun-29 | Olga Baclanova | |
| Jul-29 | Bessie Love | |
| Aug-29 | Greta Garbo | Earl Christy |
| Sep-29 | Nancy Carroll | |
| Oct-29 | Anita Page | Earl Christy |
| Nov-29 | Janet Gaynor | Earl Christy |
| Dec-29 | Norma Talmadge | |
| Jan-30 | Billie Dove | Earl Christy |
| Feb-30 | Ruth Chatterton | Earl Christy |
| Mar-30 | Joan Crawford | Earl Christy |
| Apr-30 | Norma Shearer | Earl Christy |
| May-30 | Mary Brian | Earl Christy |
| Jun-30 | Ann Harding | Earl Christy |
| Jul-30 | Jeanette MacDonald | Earl Christy |
| Aug-30 | Greta Garbo | |
| Sep-30 | Joan Bennett | Earl Christy |
| Oct-30 | Bebe Daniels | Earl Christy |
| Nov-30 | Loretta Young | |
| Dec-30 | Kay Francis | Earl Christy |
| Jan-31 | Billie Dove | Earl Christy |
| Feb-31 | Dorothy Mackaill | Earl Christy |
| Mar-31 | Constance Bennett | Earl Christy |
| Apr-31 | Janet Gaynor & Charles Farrell | |
| May-31 | Marlene Dietrich | Earl Christy |
| Jun-31 | Dorothy Jordan | Earl Christy |
| Jul-31 | Claudette Colbert | Earl Christy |
| Aug-31 | Ann Harding | Earl Christy |
| Sep-31 | Barbara Stanwyck | Earl Christy |
| Oct-31 | Joan Crawford | Earl Christy |
| Nov-31 | Ina Claire | Earl Christy |
| Dec-31 | Jean Harlow | Earl Christy |
| Jan-32 | Greta Garbo & Clark Gable | Earl Christy |
| Feb-32 | Mary Astor | Earl Christy |
| Mar-32 | Miriam Hopkins | Earl Christy |
| Apr-32 | Norma Shearer | Earl Christy |
| May-32 | Sidney Fox | |
| Jun-32 | Madge Evans | |
| Jul-32 | Kay Francis | |
| Aug-32 | Jean Harlow | Earl Christy |
| Sep-32 | Gary Cooper & Talullah Bankhead | Earl Christy |
| Oct-32 | Irene Dunne | |
| Nov-32 | Joan Crawford | Earl Christy |
| Dec-32 | Janet Gaynor | |
| Jan-33 | Greta Garbo | |
| Feb-33 | Joan Bennett | |
| Mar-33 | Claudette Colbert | |
| Apr-33 | Norma Shearer | Earl Christy |
| May-33 | Nancy Carroll | Earl Christy |
| Jun-33 | Bette Davis | |
| Jul-33 | Helen Hayes | |
| Aug-33 | Katharine Hepburn | |
| Sep-33 | Marion Davies | Earl Christy |
| Oct-33 | Ruby Keeler | Earl Christy |
| Nov-33 | Marlene Dietrich | Earl Christy |
| Dec-33 | Ann Harding | Earl Christy |
| Jan-34 | Joan Crawford | |
| Feb-34 | Kay Francis | Earl Christy |
| Mar-34 | Norma Shearer | Earl Christy |
| Apr-34 | Katharine Hepburn | Earl Christy |
| May-34 | Claudette Colbert | Earl Christy |
| Jun-34 | Carole Lombard | Earl Christy |
| Jul-34 | Marion Davies | Earl Christy |
| Aug-34 | Janet Gaynor | |
| Sep-34 | Dolores Del Rio | |
| Oct-34 | Irene Dunne | Earl Christy |
| Nov-34 | Margaret Sullavan | |
| Dec-34 | Greta Garbo | Earl Christy |
| Jan-35 | Shirley Temple | |
| Feb-35 | Myrna Loy | Earl Christy |
| Mar-35 | Loretta Young | Georgia Warren |
| Apr-35 | Lillian Harvey1 | Georgia Warren |
| May-35 | Jean Harlow | Georgia Warren |
| Jun-35 | Irene Dunne | Tchetchet |
| Jul-35 | Joan Bennett | Tchetchet |
| Aug-35 | Kay Francis | Tchetchet |
| Sep-35 | Ann Harding | Tchetchet |
| Oct-35 | Joan Crawford | Tchetchet |
| Nov-35 | Carole Lombard | Tchetchet |
| Dec-35 | Loretta Young | |
| Jan-36 | Norma Shearer | |
| Feb-36 | Ginger Rogers | |
| Mar-36 | Shirley Temple | |
| Apr-36 | Joan Crawford | |
| May-36 | Myrna Loy | |
| Jun-36 | Marion Davies & Dick Powell | Adolph Klein |
| Jul-36 | Claudette Colbert | JM Flagg |
| Aug-36 | Bette Davis | |
| Sep-36 | Katharine Hepburn | JM Flagg |
| Oct-36 | Norma Shearer | JM Flagg |
| Nov-36 | Carole Lombard | JM Flagg |
| Dec-36 | Shirley Temple | JM Flagg |
| Jan-37 | Ginger Rogers | |
| Feb-37 | Joan Crawford | JM Flagg |
| Mar-37 | Jean Harlow | |
| Apr-37 | Ginger Rogers | |
| May-37 | Jean Harlow & Robert Taylor | |
| Jun-37 | Shirley Temple | |
| Jul-37 | Jeanette MacDonald | |
| Aug-37 | Claudette Colbert | |
| Sep-37 | Myrna Loy | |
| Oct-37 | Joan Crawford ** | |
| Nov-37 | Shirley Temple | |
| Dec-37 | Loretta Young | |
| Jan-38 | Irene Dunne | |
| Feb-38 | Ginger Rogers | |
| Mar-38 | Sonja Henie | |
| Apr-38 | Carole Lombard | |
| May-38 | Shirley Temple | |
| Jun-38 | Claudette Colbert | |
| Jul-38 | Clark Gable | |
| Aug-38 | Myrna Loy | George Hurrell |
| Sep-38 | Jeanette MacDonald | |
| Oct-38 | Bette Davis | |
| Nov-38 | Deanna Durbin | |
| Dec-38 | Tyrone Power | |
| Jan-39 | Hedy Lamarr | |
| Feb-39 | Claudette Colbert | |
| Mar-39 | Sonja Henie | |
| Apr-39 | Norma Shearer | |
| May-39 | Ginger Rogers | |
| Jun-39 | Bette Davis | |
| Jul-39 | Priscilla Lane | |
| Aug-39 | Alice Faye | |
| Sep-39 | Shirley Temple | |
| Oct-39 | Gary Cooper | |
| Nov-39 | Hedy Lamarr | |
| Dec-39 | Myrna Loy | |
| Jan-40 | Carole Lombard | |
| Feb-40 | Clark Gable (as Rhett Butler) | |
| Mar-40 | Olivia DeHavilland | |
| Apr-40 | Tyrone Power | |
| May-40 | Deanna Durbin | Paul Hesse |
| Jun-40 | Jeanette MacDonald | |
| Jul-40 | Ann Sheridan | |
| Aug-40 | Bette Davis | |
| Sep-40 | Ginger Rogers | |
| Oct-40 | Claudette Colbert | Paul Hesse |
| Nov-40 | Paulette Goddard | |
| Dec-40 | Judy Garland | Paul Hesse |
| Jan-41 | Rosalind Russell *** |
*Photoplay begins publishing full-sized issues with the October 1917 date. Prior to this the magazines were smaller than standard-sized.
**Photoplay combines with Movie Mirror and expands its size to something similar to LIFE or LOOK with the October 1937 issue.
***Photoplay returns to standard size with the January 1941 issue.
I hope that you have found the Photoplay Magazine Checklist helpful in some way. I intend to update the Checklist on a monthly basis, continuing until it is complete.
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Hello, I noticed that December of 1927, I believe should read Joan Crawford by Charles Sheldon. You have Norma Talmadge December 27. I have the original art work & the magazine cover for that year. Personally the front cover does not look like Joan Crawford. Charles Sheldon gave the original artwork to my great uncle years ago with the understanding that it was the first Breck Girl.So now I am confused because it doesn’t look like Joan Crawford, because My original portrait has Brown eyes and other pictures of Joan Crawford has blue eyes.
Thank you, Len, you are correct. I changed my listing after double-checking the Archive.org image: brown eyes there too.
Hi Cliff, I was hoping that the magazine cover was wrong and it was actually Norma Tamadge, Joan Crawford morphed from a Beautiful woman to hard and talented actress.This photoplay cover by Charles Sheldon with the brown eyes would make a great trivial game… I can show friends this picture and bet that they would never recognize this picture as Joan Crawford… Just think of all the money I can make,lol
I will put the original on my Facebook page and see if anybody can nail it! The fun Begins…. lol
You have a Great Web site!
thanks,
Len
Hi Len,
I wouldn’t have known it was her if it wasn’t clearly labeled. Doesn’t seem to be one of Sheldon’s better covers, but I imagine that’s due to whatever source material he was working from.
Thanks, glad you enjoy the site!
Cliff