How to help identify the year of release for a daybill

[Pancho]

We've had a couple of threads about specific daybills, so I though it might be an idea to centralise a spot where general information can be collated. Be kind - this is a work in progress, a draft if you will, so initially some of the details will be sketchy! What I'd like to do is to be able to update this post with new info as it arrives. Some of the info has been obtained from other sites; I'm not sure how to correctly reference them, so could a mod please let me know the etiquette?

Traditionally very few daybills have actual dates on them and with release dates being up to 10 years after initial release, dating them can prove tricky. There are clues to help though and I encourage everyone who has a pointer to add it in.

Printers:

Robert Burton Printers - Printed daybills from the mid 1950s to the mid 1980s.
MAPS - Printed daybills from the early 1970s until the mid 1980s.
W.E Smith - Printed from the early days until about 1960.

Printers logos:

Robert Burton Printers - their logo changed around the early 1980s.
MAPS - their logo changed in the mid 1970s.

Paper:

Mat -
Glossy -

Distributors:

BEF -
GUO - 1975 -
Hoyts -

Physical size:

Pre 1940 - 15' x 40'
1941 - 1945 - 10' x 30'
1945 - 1979 - 13' x 30'
1980 -? - 13' x 26'

Rating:

NRC - from 1970 - 1972
R - 1972 onwards.
MA - 1993 onwards.

[erik1925]

Great info here, Pancho!

 

Any new updates?

[Ari]

Last night a friend showed me a newspaper clipping from a perth newspaper, dated 1973 where this was playing.



So there ya go, if you care.

[Pancho]

Some extra bits (sourced, with thanks, from some other sites):

M.A.P.S - Mailing and Print Services. Founded in 1967 (not early 70's as I wrote earlier).

B.E.F ran from 1932 until 1976 when it became G.U.O.

G.U.O ran from 1976 until 1987. In 1987 G.U.O merged with Village Roadshow.

Some of the production companies should help shed some light:

* Blake Films released a lot of great horror and exploitation such as I Spit on Your Grave and Basket Case. All of the daybills I've seen with Blake Films logo appear to be 1980s releases and are the smaller, glossier format.

* N.S. Productions released some low budget shockers such as The Psycho Lover and Red Nights of the Gestapo. These daybills all appear to be pre 1980s release with the standard 13 x 30 format. The fact that they released solely (well, as far as I know) Z -Grade, low budget films may suggest that they have a distribution deal with one particular company.

A ratings mystery - I have a daybill for 'The Premature Burial' that has a rating of 'SAO'. I assume that's 'Strictly Adults Only', but I've not seen it anywhere else - anyone know anything?

[erik1925]

An informative breakdown there, Pancho.

 

[Silhouette]

Why don't you just copy n paste: http://vintagemoviepostersforum.com/categories/Dating-the-Daybill

[Pancho]

Why don't you just copy n paste: http://vintagemoviepostersforum.com/categories/Dating-the-Daybill

Where's the fun in that?

The work done in that topic is awesome; I'm hoping to expand upon it!

[erik1925]

Where's the fun in that?

The work done in that topic is awesome; I'm hoping to expand upon it!

 

[CSM]

Could have specifically referenced the source (David/VPF) I suppose

[Silhouette]

It's not a secret hobby, I personally don't care if you copy the info and post it in your own thread, I am all for better education of the masses, just as long as you get it right.

Reference where the info came from or not, just don't claim it's your research, it takes many many hours/days of research just to come up with the info on one title, then once it is shared everyone helps by discussing and expanding adding to and to the information being analysed, it is then corrected where needed (because it is not always right the first time); We have a lot of expert, very experienced and extremely knowledgeable Daybillers on VMPF (they like to huddle together like moths round a candle) - VMPF has become an excellent resource for Daybill information being shared as a result.

We also email eBay sellers to those links to help them understand when their listing is wrong and if they completely ignore us then we 'out' them in the forum as we did for two sellers for the Peter Pan daybill - they weren't happy, one threatened legal action for defamation, good luck.

[Pancho]

Hey man, I'm sorry if I've upset anyone. I've been grabbing info from here and there for a while now for my own use; I genuinely couldn't remember exactly where what info came from. That's why I simply wrote the with thanks to the other sites. Certainly not trying to claim anyone else achievments.