Classic Gangster Movie Poster & Lobby Card Values

Gangster movies have been a Hollywood staple since the early days of the silent cinema.The first recognized gangster movie is D.W.Griffith’s The Musketeers of Pig Alley, released by the General Film Company on October 31, 1912, and starring Elmer Booth and Lillian Gish.Since that first silent film effort, gangster or "gangsta" movies have been a highly visible and oftentimes bloody component of the motion picture landscape.

Here are ten valuable gangster movie posters and theater lobby cards that are sure to excite both movie memorabilia buffs and fans of the genre.These collectibles represent some of the very best items in the field and prove once again that crime does pay – in the movies that is…

The Beast of the City (1932) Lobby Card

Walter Huston, Jean Harlow, Wallace Ford and Jean Hersholt star in this gritty organized crime drama released by MGM on February 13, 1932."I know how to make those lice talk," says police captain Jim Fitzpatrick (Walter Huston) on his gangland adversaries.

A theater lobby card (11×14-inches) picturing Jean Hersholt and Jean Harlow in near mint/mint condition sold at auction for $2,760.

Scarface (1983) One Sheet Movie Poster

Al Pacino explodes as Cuban-American gangster Tony Montana in this bloody bullet- and f-word-riddled Miami drug thriller directed by Brian De Palma.A standard one sheet poster (27×41-inches) in near mint condition blazed its way to a top bid of $227.05 at auction.

Little Caesar 1931 Lobby Card

Edward G.Robinson stars as Caesar Enrico Bandello – better known as "Little Caesar," and we ain’t talkin’ the pizza chain here – a ruthless, pint-sized thug who claws his way to the top of the underworld."This is Rico speaking.Rico! R-I-C-O! Rico! Little Caesar, that’s who! Listen, you crummy, flat-footed copper, I’ll show you whether I’ve lost my nerve and my brains!" Robinson growls over the phone in one scene.A lobby card (11×14-inches) picturing Douglas Fairbanks Jr.as Joe Massara and Glenda Farrell as Olga Stassoff in near mint condition sold at auction for $717.

White Heat (1949) Insert Movie Poster

James Cagney comes out smokin’ as gangster and mama’s boy Cody Jarrett in director Raoul Walsh’s 1949 classic White Heat."Mad it, Ma! Top of the world!" Cagney’s delusional Jarrett declares in one memorable scene.An insert movie poster (14×36-inches) in restored fine/very fine condition fetched $567.63 at auction.

The Godfather (1972) Italian Locandina Movie Poster

The Godfather, starring Marlon Brando in the title role of Mafia don Vito Corleone, won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor (Brando) and Best Screenplay."Look how they massacred my boy…" Brando’s Don Corleone breaks down in one scene upon spying the bullet-riddled corpse of his son Santino "Sonny" Corleone (James Caan), the victim of a brutal mob hit.An Italian locandina movie poster (13×27-inches) in fine- condition brought $58 at auction.

King of the Underworld (1939) One Sheet Movie Poster

Humphrey Bogart stars as tough guy Joe Gurney – "King of the Underworld" – in this wild gangster flick directed by Lewis Seiler."Hey doc…anybody ever tell you that you’re a pretty good lookin’ doll? Ah, I’m not kiddin’.Y’know, I don’t go for dolls as a rule.I mean, they’re just something nice to have around the house like cats and dogs and pets and things.You got brains," Bogie’s Joe tells Dr.Carole Nelson (Kay Francis).A standard one sheet movie poster (27×41-inches) in very fine- condition and preserved on linen sold at auction for $896.25.

The Public Enemy (1931) Lobby Card

Jimmy Cagney plays Chicago mobster Tom Powers in The Public Enemy, released by Warner Bros.on April 23, 1931.In one of filmdom’s most famous scenes, the ruthless Cagney shoves a grapefruit into the face of a surprised Mae Clarke.A lobby card (11×14-inches) picturing Cagney in very fine/near mint condition fetched $920 at auction.

The Roaring Twenties (1939) One Sheet Movie Poster

James Cagney, Priscilla Lane and Humphrey Bogart head the cast of The Roaring Twenties, one of Warner Bros’.classic gangster films directed by the venerable Raoul Walsh."He used to be a big shot," Gladys George as Panama Smith says of dead gangster Eddie Bartlett (Cagney) at the end of the film.A one sheet poster (27×41-inches) in restored fine/very fine condition on linen sold at auction for $5,676.25.

The Last Gangster (1937) One Sheet Movie Poster Style C

Craggy-faced Edward G.Robinson stars as Joe Krozac, who’s released from prison and goes looking for his ex-wife and son in director Edward Ludwig’s The Last Gangster, released by MGM on November 12, 1937.A one sheet style C poster (27×41-inches) in restored very fine- condition on linen brought $1,912 at auction.

Guns, Girls and Gangsters (1959) Insert Movie Poster

Hollywood fun girl Mamie Van Doren heads the cast in that unbeatable movie combination of Guns, Girls and Gangsters, released by United Artists in January 1959.An insert poster (14×36-inches) in very fine- condition sold at auction for $95.60.

Gangster Movie Memorabilia Credits

 Copyright © 2013 William J.Felchner.All rights reserved. 

Article Written by William J. Felchner

I hold a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History from Illinois State University. My many print and online articles have appeared in True West, Hot Rod, Frontier Times, Factoidz/Knoji, Persimmon Hill, Sportales, Goldmine, Socyberty, Corvette Quarterly, Sports Collectors Digest, Bukisa, Movie Collector’s World, Cinemaroll, Beckett Baseball Card Monthly, Sports Card Trader, Old West, Storyboard, Antiques & Auction News, Illinois, The Paper & Advertising Collectors’ Marketplace, Television History, Tuff Stuff, Pennsylvania, Military Trader and a number of other venues…


Post Your Comment

Related Articles

  • Top Ten Roman Catholic Nun Movies

    The Roman Catholic nun has appeared as both a major and minor character in a number of Hollywood movies. The list ranges from serious dramas to westerns to wild comedies. Here are the top ten Roman Catholic nun movies...

    The Nun's Story (Warner Bros., 1959)

  • Collectible Ty Cobb Baseball Memorabilia

    Tyrus Raymond Cobb (1886-1961) played most of his professional baseball career for the Detroit Tigers from 1905-1926, finishing with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1928. Winner of 12 batting titles and the 1911 American League Most Valuable Player award, Cobb was a fierce, spikes-in-your-face competitor, amassing a .367 career batting average and 4,191 hits. Known as the "Georgia Peach," Ty Cobb was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, in 1936.

  • Collectible Willie Mays Baseball Memorabilia

    Willie Mays – a.k.a. the "Say Hey Kid" – played most of his professional baseball career with the New York/San Francisco Giants. Born in Westfield, Alabama, on May 6, 1931, Mays was one of the premier sluggers of the 1950s and '60s, closing out his magnificent career with a .302 lifetime batting average, 3,283 hits, 1,903 runs batted in and 660 home runs. A two-time National League Most Valuable Player (1954, 1965) and a 24-time All Star, Willie Mays was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979.

  • Collectible Muhammad Ali Boxing Memorabilia

  • Best TV Widower Fathers

    The widower father has been a favorite character in television history. They're single dads, raising or interacting with their brood in a variety of TV shows ranging from westerns to dramas to situation comedies. Here are TV’s best widower fathers from the long history of the tube. Take heart, single dads out there, as these fathers did okay by their kids...

    Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright, Bonanza (NBC, 1959-73)

  • Collectible Jesse Owens Sports Memorabilia

    American track and field athlete Jesse Owens (1913-1980) will forever be remembered for his stunning performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. It was here where Owens won international acclaim, taking home four gold medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters, the long jump and the 4x100 meter relay race – all to the displeasure of German chancellor Adolf Hitler.

    Here are ten valuable Jesse Owens sports memorabilia artifacts that many sports collectibles buffs would truly love to own. Now taking the victory stand once more, the great Jesse Owens...

  • Collectible Joe Louis Boxing Memorabilia

    Joe Louis (1914-1981) reigned supreme in the boxing world of the late 1930s and early '40s. Nicknamed the "Brown Bomber," Louis won the world heavyweight championship in Chicago on June 22, 1937, knocking out James J. Braddock in the 8th round. During his professional career spanning the years 1934-51, Joe Louis amassed 68 wins (54 by knockout) against 3 losses, taking on such opponents as Primo Carnera, Max Schmeling, Jack Sharkey, Billy Conn, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles and Rocky Marciano.

  • Ricky Nelson Memorabilia Values

    Ricky Nelson reigned as one of the hottest teen idols of the 1950s and ’60s. Born Eric Hilliard Nelson in Teaneck, New Jersey, on May 8, 1940, Nelson died in a plane crash on December 31, 1985. His many hits include such rock ‘n’ roll standards as "Poor Little Fool," "Stood Up," "Lonesome Town" and "Teenage Idol."

    Here are ten valuable Ricky Nelson music, movie and TV collectibles that are sure to interest pop culture memorabilia collectors. Now taking the stage once again the incomparable Ricky Nelson…

  • Collectible Wayne Gretzky Hockey Memorabilia

    Wayne Gretzky – a.k.a. "The Great One" – may well be the finest hockey player in the history of the game. Born Wayne Douglas Gretzky in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, on January 26, 1961, the Great Gretzky set the hockey world ablaze during his professional playing days from 1978-99, leading the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships and amassing an impressive array of individual records. Upon his retirement in 1999, the normal three-year waiting period was waived, with Gretzky immediately inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 22, 1999.

  • Collectible Fran Tarkenton Football Memorabilia

    Richmond, Virginia-born Fran Tarkenton (1940-) rates as one of football's greatest scrambling quarterbacks. A third round pick in the 1961 NFL draft out of the University of Georgia, Tarkenton played his 1961-1978 pro football career with the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants, amassing 47,003 passing yards, 3,674 rushing yards and 374 total touchdowns. The 1975 NFL's Most Valuable Player and a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, Fran Tarkenton was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.