Louisiana Movie Poster Museum
Welcome to the the Louisiana Movie Poster Virtual Museum. Since 1895 more than 3,000 movies have been made in or about Louisiana. These posters advertised a few of them. We have hundreds to add, so check back with us as we grow.
Ed and Susan Poole, renowned movie poster experts and authorities on Louisiana film history, curated this initial exhibit. It is based on the Backdrop Louisiana! exhibit that premiered in Slidell, Louisiana in January, 2020 and we’re looking forward to a post-pandemic tour. A smidgen of their knowledge can be found at Learn About Movie Posters, known worldwide as LAMP. Visit Hollywood on the Bayou for a deeper dive into Louisiana film history.
This museum is funded in part by grants from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation and the New Orleans Entertainment Coalition.
Take a Tour – We love your stories!
Click on a poster to view larger image. Then click “i”. Post your story in Comments. We love to hear about films you remember and your experiences. It’s a highlight of our live exhibits that we hope to recreate in the virtual museum.
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The Cincinnati Kid
“Bourbon and St. Peter is taking on the appearance of Hollywood and Vine.” That quote appeared in the Times Picayune dated December 26, 1965 in response to the influx of major motion picture stars filming movies in Louisiana in the 1960s. One such star was Steve McQueen, a top box-office draw in the world at that time. McQueen was in to town to film one of his most popular and successful films, The Cincinnati Kid.
Despite its title, The Cincinnati Kid is actually set in 1930’s New Orleans and explores the story of Eric Stoner a.k.a. the Cincinnati Kid, a young professional gambler who faces the more experienced Lancey Howard in a big card game. The film was directed by Norman Jewison and, in addition to McQueen, starred Edward G. Robinson, Karl Malden, Ann-Margret and Tuesday Weld.
According to studio press information, an eighty-person unit spent eight days on location in New Orleans, shooting scenes in and around the city including the Algiers Ferry Landing, the corner of St. Ann & Decatur Streets, Jackson Square, the St. Louis Cathedral, the Lafayette Hotel and St. Louis Cemetery No. 1.
Cold weather hampered the filming in January of 1965. On Sunday, January 17, the weather was unseasonably cold, with below freezing temperatures. According to an article which appeared in the January 8, 1965 Times-Picayune, director Jewison said:
"Here we’d done all this research on New Orleans’ weather for the last 15 years. We were looking for somber, overcast skies and warm temperatures. And what do we get? Clear and cold."
The Cincinnati Kid premiered at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans on October 15, 1965. According to an article appearing in the Times Picayune by Don Lee Keith dated October 16, 1965, Edward G. Robinson, Karl Malden, Ann-Margret and Tuesday Weld attended the premiere. Steve McQueen was unable to attend due to the death of his mother. The proceeds from the premiere went to the Betsy Fund, set up to help the area recover from Hurricane Betsy which struck the New Orleans area on September 9, 1965.
Poster: Original U.S. Half Sheet