The Museum of Florida History presents Beaches, Creatures, and Cowboys. Florida Movie Posters an exhibition on view through anuary 16, 2012.
The exhibit highlights movies made in Florida. Objects in the exhibit are drawn from the Museum’s collection of original and reproduction movie posters and other advertising materials. These posters were created to promote films made in Florida dating to the early 20th century when Florida rivaled California in the industry. Colorful, eye-catching posters promoted films and drew people to the movies, and by the 1920s, movie advertisers were producing a standard set of promotional materials to market films.
Posters and lobby cards featured in the exhibit depict some of Florida’s most famous films from the early 1920s to the present. Visitors to the exhibit will view examples of reproduction posters such as Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Greatest Show on Earth, Where the Boys Are, Tarzan’s Secret Treasure, and Follow that Dream. Several recently acquired posters, seen for the first time as part of the Museum collection, and a variety of original posters also will be included in the exhibit.
An original three-sheet movie poster of The Flying Ace will be seen for the first time at the Museum. This film was made at Norman Studios in Arlington, a suburb of Jacksonville, Florida, in 1926. Richard Norman made movies with all black casts and crew and ran a very successful movie production company from 1920 through 1928 in Florida.
The Museum of Florida History, Division of Cultural Affairs, is located in the R. A. Gray Building at 500 South Bronough Street, in downtown Tallahassee. Museum hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sunday and holidays, noon to 4:30 p.m.; and every third Thursday from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. For more information, contact 850.245.6400 or visit ww.museumoffloridahistory.com.