About the 1934 Lux Toilet Soap Studio Portraits
Studio Portraits of Leading Movie Stars issued in 1934 by Lux Toilet Soap.
Issued in the United States.
Each measures 9" X 12 inches.
Printed on light card stock. Black and white photos framed in white with ornate design in black surrounding.
Backs are blank except for text box naming star and promoting their next film. Example:
For your Collection! It's sweeping the country. Every one is making a personal collection of these beautiful studio portraits. be sure to include in your collection this fascinating portrait of Fay Wray, star of Columbia's "Black Moon."
Promotional envelope claims 33 stars contained inside. 22 different stars have been seen including 4 with two versions of the same film title named; 4 with different film titles promoted on back; 1 with two different poses shown on front.
The envelope that the Lux Studio Portraits were distributed in
This accounts for 22 different stars; 23 different poses; and a total of 31 different variations of Lux Studio Portraits.
We have not yet figured out how to get to the number 33 claimed on the promotional envelope.
Lux also issued a similar set of 5" X 7" portraits a year or two ahead of this set. It is worth noting that the envelope containing those smaller sized portraits more clearly states that you will only find 24 different portraits inside the envelope containing an assortment of 50 total.
Perhaps the larger set contained only the 22 different stars inside an envelope containing 33 total assorted pieces?
Norma Shearer comes in two different poses, each advertising The Barretts of Wimpole Street n back. Image donated by a collector who also submitted all variations in checklist following below.
See complete text checklist below the gallery.
Available for sale in the Immortal Ephemera Store:
None at this time ... check my eBay listings for any available Lux Premiums.
1934 Lux Toilet Soap Studio Portraits Gallery
Just click on any image to open to full size and from there you can scroll through them all.
As these 9" X 12" portraits were slightly larger than my scanner the edges are cropped on all of them. For full view see the photo of the Norma Shearer variations above.
All 22 known premiums are shown with two examples of the reverse side included as well.
Text listing of contents follows below.
1934 Lux Toilet Soap Studio Portraits Checklist
Note: U.S. release date (month year) following each title and/or additional notes.
- Wallace Beery in Treasure Island (August 1934)
- Joan Blondell in Dames (September 1934)
- Claudette Colbert in Cleopatra (October 1934)
- Joan Crawford in Chained (August 1934)
Joan Crawford in Sacred and Profane (Working title for Chained) - Irene Dunne in Stingaree (May 1934)
Irene Dunne in Age of Innocence (September 1934) - Kay Francis in Dr. Monica (June 1934)
Kay Francis in British Agent (September 1934) - Clark Gable in Chained (August 1934)
Clark Gable in Sacred and Profane Love (Working title for Chained) - Jean Harlow in The Girl from Missouri (August 1934)
Jean Harlow in Born to be Kissed (Alternate title for The Girl from Missouri) - Ruby Keeler in Dames (September 1934)
- Carole Lombard in Now and Forever (August 1934)
- Edmund Lowe in Gift of Gab (September 1934)
- Herbert Marshall in Barretts of Wimpole Street (September 1934 - Marshall did not appear in this title)
- Robert Montgomery in Hideout (August 1934)
- Dick Powell in Dames (September 1934)
- George Raft in Limehouse Nights (December 1934 - Released as Limehouse Blues)
- Ginger Rogers in Flying Down to Rio (December 1933)
Ginger Rogers in Gay Divorce (October 1934 - Released as The Gay Divorcee) - Norma Shearer in Barretts of Wimpole Street (September 1934 - Pose 1: Full face)
Norma Shearer in Barretts of Wimpole Street (Pose 2: Hand on face) - Barbara Stanwyck in Gambling Lady (March 1934)
Barbara Stanwyck in A Lost Lady (September 1934) - Lupe Velez in Laughing Boy (April 1934)
- Mae West in Belle of the Nineties (September 1934)
Mae West in It Ain't No Sin (Working title of Belle of the Nineties) - Fay Wray in Black Moon (June 1934)
- Loretta Young in Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back (August 1934)
