Paramount Film Stars

Published March 14, 2013 Updated February 21, 2022

Promotional playing cards for the Paramount film company with film stars on the court cards.

United Kingdom De la Rue Movies & Film Stars

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.

'Film Star Playing Cards' for Paramount manufactured by De la Rue & Co., London, 1933

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 →

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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.

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