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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Spirit Of The Red Cross
In addition to national filmmakers, a number of locally owned and operated studios produced movies filmed on location in New Orleans. These studios included The Coquille Company, NOLA Film Company, Diamond Film Company, Pickwick Film Company and Harcol Film Co.. Most of the projects released by these companies reached regional distribution. However, Harcol gained national attention with the release of the film The Spirit of the Red Cross in 1918.
When the United States entered the European conflict in 1917, the United States chapter of the International Red Cross was charged by the government to raise funds and volunteers to maintain an active presence on the battlefields of Europe. The Red Cross recognized the effectiveness of motion pictures as a medium for attracting donors and volunteers across the country and turned to them for help in this project. The National Association of the Motion Picture Industry (NAMPI), chaired by producer Jesse Lasky, was charged to produce a motion picture outlining the good things accomplished by the Red Cross. NAMPI, in turn, engaged popular artist and illustrator James Montgomery Flagg, known for his “I Want You” recruitment poster, to write the scenario. The Red Cross officials were so impressed with his work that they insisted that he undertake the general supervision of the making of the film.
Flagg contacted his friend Saul Harrison to direct the film. Saul Harrison’s brother happened to be the owner of Harcol Film Co. of New Orleans who produced the project. The scenario called for scenes in a French city and, according to news reports of the day, “that could only be truthfully portrayed in the French quarters of New Orleans.” (New York Dramatic Mirror dated March 9, 1918). Jackson Barracks, under the direction of Major Hasbrouck, provided a large contingent of regulars to give the necessary military aspect to the film. Scenes were also filmed at Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
The movie poster released with the film was also designed by Flagg, originals of which are very rare.
Poster: U. S. One Sheet