Search Results: Prohibition from Royal Books, Inc.

London: British Broadcasting Corporation [BBC], 1967. Final Draft script for the 1967 BBC television special "Chicago in the Roaring Twenties," seen here under the working title "The Bootleggers." Based on British broadcaster and naturalist Kenneth Allsop's 1961 book "The Bootleggers." A BBC special in which the infamous gangster Al Capone's Chicago mafia reign is illustrated in song and dance, directed by composer/producer Buddy Bregman and written by noted screenwriter Jesse Lasky, Jr. One of a handful of musicals to be written about the unlikely subject. Dark green wrappers with a die-cut window on the front wrapper revealing the title on the title page, in the British style. Title page present, dated September 1967, noted as Final Draft. 171 leaves, with last page of text numbered II-15-66. Mechanical duplication on yellow stock. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Very Good, with rear hinge starting bound internally with two silver brads.

Glendale, CA: Allied Artists, 1961. Vintage reference photograph from the 1961 film, showing Dan O'Herlihy menacing Mickey Rooney. Printed mimeo snipe affixed to the verso. Based on the 1959 book by Leo Katcher. A dramatization of the exploits of Arnold Rothstein, a small time gambler during the Prohibition Era who rises through the New York ranks to become an influential mob boss. Set in New York. 10 x 8 inches. Near Fine.

Burbank, CA: First National Pictures / Warner Brothers, 1933. Vvintage black-and-white still photograph from the 1933 film. With a typewritten snipe affixed to the verso, as issued. Prohibition is ending so bootlegger Bugs Ahearn decides to crack California society. He leases a house from down-on-her-luck Ruth and hires her as social secretary. He rescues Polly Cass from a horsefall and goes home to meet her dad who sells him some phony stock certificates. When he learns about this he sends to Chicago for mob help. 8 x 10 inches. Fine.

Los Angeles: Twentieth Century-Fox, 1973. First Draft script for the 1975 film. A young widow begins smuggling liquor in San Diego during Prohibition, and subsequently also becomes romantically involved with two men. Blue titled wrappers. Title page present, dated August 24, 1973, noted as FIRST DRAFT with credits for screenwriters Huyck and Katz. 165 leaves, mechanical duplication. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Near Fine, bound with two gold brads.

Los Angeles: Fox Film Corporation, 1933. Final Shooting script for the 1933 film. Copy belonging to an uncredited cast member, with his name in manuscript pencil on two revision pages. An incarcerated bootlegger conspires with the police to ensnare his own gang after they kidnap the daughter and son-in-law of the judge who jailed him. Green titled wrappers, noted as FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT on the front wrapper, dated 8-9-33, with credits for screenwriters William Conselman and Henry Johnson. Distribution page present, with receipt INTACTORREMOVED. Title page integral with the front wrapper. 112 leaves, with last page of text numbered 106. Mimeograph duplication, rectos only, with white revision pages throughout, dated variously between 8/14/33 and 8/23/33. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Very Good, moderately edgeworn, bound internally with three gold brads.

Beverly Hills, CA: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [MGM] / Filmways, 1970. First Draft script for the 1970 film. Based on the 1969 novel by Elmore Leonard, who also adapted it for the screen. An early example of the character-driven insanity that would become Leonard's trademark as he rose from being more than just a writer of Westerns. A federal agent during the Prohibition era, looking to make a quick buck before the ban is lifted, finds himself in competition with two ruthless thugs over the same property. Blue titled MGM/Filmways wrappers, dated November 6, 1969, with stamp noting copy No. 183, with credit for screenwriter Elmore Leonard. Title page integral with the front wrapper. 149 leaves, with last page of text numbered 149. Xerographic duplication, rectos only. Pages Fine, wrapper Very Good, with a chip on the rear wrapper and light wear overall, bound with two gold brads.

Hollywood: The Ladd Company, 1984. Original press kit for the 1984 Italian-American film. Included in the press kit are 24 black-and-white still photographs, including one photograph of director Sergio Leone, biographies of select cast and crew, final credits, production information, and insight into Leone's process. Based on Harry Grey's 1952 novel, "The Hoods." David Aaronson (De Niro) is a former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster who, after thirty years of absence, returns to Manhattan, where he confronts the foibles of his past and the painful truth of his life to date. Actress Jennifer Connelly's film debut, and director Leone's final film, a film that, like his similarly titled 1968 classic, "One Upon a Time in the West," remains one of his few American productions. Film stills various sizes. Biographies, credits, and production information printed on 8 x 10 leaves, corner-stapled, rectos only. Stills and printed leaves Near Fine, house in a Very Good plus, full-color 9 x 12 studio… Read More

Cincinnati: Romach and Groene, 1933. Vintage photograph of the first legal whiskey produced in Ohio during prohibition at the Carthage Distilling Company in Cincinnati, with contemporary annotations of location, dates, and personnel, and a "Rombach and Groene Commercial Photographers Cincinnati Ohio" stamp on the verso. A fascinating prohibition artifact depicting fifteen men and one woman standing in a warehouse before a stack of three whiskey barrels, the topmost barrel prominently marked "1," less than two months before the passage of the 21st Amendment (December 5, 1933), repealing prohibition. On the verso, in a contemporary hand, is written: "First Barrel Whiskey produced in the State of Ohio since the 18th amendment became effective / manufactured and produced at the Carthage Distilling Corpn. plant Cincinnati, Ohio / mashed under date Oct. 20th 1933 / drawn and entered under date Oct. 23rd 1933." Cincinnati, Ohio, second only to Louisville, Kentucky, in the production of bourbon prior to… Read More

N.p.: N.p., 1931. Vintage reference photograph from the 1931 film. In Prohibition-era America, two men end up in prison after attempting to sell some home-brewed beer to a policeman. The first feature film to star Laurel and Hardy. 10 x 8 inches. Very Good, moderately toned overall, with creasing and wear to the corners.

N.p.: United States Productions, Inc, 1959. Revised Estimating script for the 1960 film belonging to actor Martin Landau, here under the working title "The Life and Death of Legs Diamond." Laid in are five carbon typescript pages of script with Landau's name written in manuscript ink to upper right and annotations to dialogue of lead character Legs in manuscript pencil. Landau was considered for the lead role of Jack "Legs" Diamond, which from the laid in pages, we can reasonably assume were for an audition for the part. Ray Danton was ultimately cast as Legs, and Landau does not appear in the film. From the estate of Martin Landau. Jack "Legs" Diamond (Ray Danton) and his sickly brother Eddie (Warren Oates) move to New York City, and after a brief incarceration, sets their eyes on taking over kingpin mobster Arnold Rothstein's (Robert Lowery) criminal businesses. The film debut of Dyan Cannon. Nominated for an Academy Award. Set in New York City. Beige titled wrappers, noted as REV.… Read More

Hollywood: Paramount Pictures, 1933. Draft script for the 1933 film "Song of the Eagle," seen here partially under the early working title "The Beer Story." Presentation copy belonging to uncredited producer Harry Joe Brown, with his name in gilt titles on the front board, presumably gifted to Brown by prop man William Carr, as the script itself has Carr's ownership name in manuscript pencil on the title page. Throughout the script are Carr's annotations, accompanied by 17 black-and-white film stills on tipped-in leaves. Missing two pages, likely as used or issued. Otto Hoffman (Jean Hersholt) and his sons, Bill (Richard Allen) and August (George Meeker), own a successful brewery, until August dies in World War I and Prohibition forces the brewery to close. The Hoffman's brew a "near-beer" beverage to keep the business out of bankruptcy, but soon the brewery is overcome by gangsters, and Otto is killed for refusing to sell out. Bill is forced to break the bad news to his mother, Emma, who in a fit… Read More

Los Angeles: Twentieth Century-Fox, 1967. Three striking vintage reference photographs from the 1967 Roger Corman film. With printed mimeo snipes affixed to the verso. From the collection of noted British film producer John Palmer. A dramatization of the 1929 mass murder of seven members of the Northside Gang by members of Al Capone's gang, led by George "Bugs" Moran. Set in Chicago. 10 x 8 inches. Very Good plus overall.

Los Angeles: Paramount Pictures, 1986. Revised Draft script for the 1987 film, copy belonging to Second Assistant Director James W. Skotchdopole with the manuscript ink annotation of "Jimmy Scotch 2nd" on the top of the title page, with 16 color slides, shooting schedules, call sheets, various production documents and memos, and newspaper clippings laid in, all housed in a folder with ink annotations of "Studio - Work" on the tab, and "The Untouchable [sic] / Great Falls - Montana / Cgo- Ill," on the front panel. Script with manuscript marker annotations on 22 pages, and a copiously annotated post-it on the verso of page 104 headed with "Need Dbl for Kevin" in large text. The laid in materials include: 16 slides, comprised of portrait photographs, reference photographs, studio still photographs, set photographs, and on the set photographs, eleven of which have still photographer Zade Rosenthal stamps on the bottom margin. 86 pages of shooting schedules. Seven call sheets. Multiple copies of a three… Read More

Beverly Hills, CA: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [MGM], 1932. Vintage reference photograph from the set of the 1932 film, with a printed snipe on the verso. Based on the novel by Upton Sinclair. Victor Fleming directs Dorothy Jordan and Lewis Stone in an early scene from his pre-Code epic about Prohibition. 10 x 8 inches. Very Good plus.

Beverly Hills, CA: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [MGM], 1932. Vintage reference photograph from the 1932 pre-Code film. Single stamp on the verso. Based on the 1931 novel by Upton Sinclair, following the members of two families whose lives are impacted by alcohol addiction and Prohibition. Set in Louisiana, New York City, and Long Island. 10 x 8 inches. About Near Fine, with pinholes at each corner.