1927
The series of cigarette cards WHO’S WHO IN BRITISH FILMS by R. & J. Hill of 1927 is a collection of 50 cards depicting the actors and actresses of British cinema of the time. The cards also report some curiosities about the performers, their most famous roles and their hobbies. Some examples of actors and actresses in the series are: Betty Balfour, born in London in 1903, nicknamed “the queen of British comedy” and famous for her roles in films such as Champagne and Squibs. Nelson Keys, born in London in 1886, known for his comic roles and for founding his own theater company. Matheson Lang, born in Montreal in 1879, considered one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of his time and star of several silent films. Pollie Emery, born in Melbourne in 1892, actress of theater and cinema who starred in several musical and dramatic comedies. Jameson Thomas, born in London in 1888, versatile actor who appeared in over 50 films between 1923 and 1939. To see the complete series click on further information, or on the symbol immediately below the year of the series.
1930
In 1930, R. & J. Hill Ltd. of London issued a series of 30 cigarette cards dedicated to the celebrities of the British music hall, titled Hill Music Hall Celebrities Past and Present. Printed in colour and produced in two formats (standard and large), these cards were distributed as inserts in cigarette packets. Despite the label “First Series,” no second series was ever produced, making this collection a small treasure in its own right. Each card portrays a performer who graced the stages of the music hall from the late nineteenth century to the early decades of the twentieth. It is a gallery of faces and names that shaped the history of popular entertainment: comedians, singers, mimes, soubrettes, female duos, and quick-change artists. Among the most famous are Sir Harry Lauder, with his walking stick and Scottish kilt, an international symbol of the music hall; Dan Leno, the tragic and brilliant clown; Marie Lloyd, the undisputed queen of the London stage; Gracie Fields, the people’s voice who would soon conquer the cinema; and Little Tich, the acrobatic comedian with the oversized shoes. Alongside these luminaries are figures less remembered today—such as Noni, Ann Suter, or the Egbert Brothers—who help restore the variety and richness of that theatrical world. The illustrations, lively and stylised, capture the stage essence of each performer: flamboyant costumes, theatrical poses, expressive gazes. Some cards depict famous duos like the Houston Sisters, while others celebrate artists of the comic-musical repertoire such as Charles Penrose or Max Wall. There is also room for pioneers of theatrical cross-dressing, like Ella Shields, and for sharp-witted soubrettes such as Nellie Wallace or Wish Wynne. This series is more than a collector’s item: it is a visual testimony to an era when the music hall was the beating heart of urban entertainment. The Hill cards speak to us of a pre-television world, where charisma was measured on stage and fame spread through songs, sketches, and punchlines. Today, these theatrical miniatures offer a nostalgic yet vivid glimpse into an age of footlights, curtains, and applause, when every performer was a legend in technicolor.
1938
FAMOUS FILM STARS is a series of cards that celebrates the icons of cinema in the 1930s. This series was printed in 1938 by R. & J. Hill, one of the oldest and most prestigious cigarette manufacturers in England. The series consists of 40 cards in black and white, showing the close-ups of the most loved and famous stars of the time, such as Betty Grable, Will Hai, Alice Brady, Margaret Lockwood and many others. Each card has on the back the name of the series, the progressive number, the name of the actor or actress and a brief description of their career and achievements. At the bottom there is also the writing “Printed by R. & J. Hill. ltd. The Spinet House ESTD. 1775 LONDON E.” which testifies to the quality and history of the production. This series of cards is a true testimony of the cinematic culture of the time, which influenced generations of viewers and artists. The cards are also works of art in miniature, capturing the expression and personality of the stars with an elegant and refined style. The FAMOUS FILM STARS series is a collection highly sought after by collectors from all over the world, who appreciate its historical and artistic value.
1939
This series was called Famous Film Stars and featured photos of 2 actors and 38 actresses from 1930s American and British cinema. Among the actresses in the series were: Elise Randolph, Dorothea Kent, Iris March, Jeanne Madden, Wendy Barrie, Diana Churchill, Barbara Reed, Tamara Geva, Alice Bready, Jean Rogers, Kathleen Kelly, Sara Seegar, Betty Grable and others. The actors were: Jack Buchanan and Will Hay. The photos were identical to those issued for the British market in 1938 and followed the same numerical order, but the text on the reverse was different. Instead of a short biography of the artist in English, there was only the progressive number of the card, the name of the actor or actress and then a text in Arabic inviting customers to send the cards once the series was completed in London paying a postage to receive prizes, so they were used as if they were coupons. These cards are very interesting and sought after by collectors, because they were produced to be distributed through the packs of cigarettes sold in Saudi Arabia. Click on further information, or on the symbol immediately below the year to see the complete series.
1939
This series is very peculiar because it was made for the Saudi Arabian market and it is titled Famous Film Stars. It came out in 1939, in the same year as the homonymous series. It is probably the second series, because unlike the previous one, which was the copy already released in 1938 for the English market which portrayed the famous faces of two actors and thirty-eight actresses, this is nothing but the copy released in the same year for the British market “Modern Beauties”, which has little to do with the movie stars. This series presents many oddities. First of all they took the series “MODERN BEAUTIES”, which consisted of fifty subjects, and deprived it of the first ten cards bringing it to forty. Hypothetically to make it equal in number to the previous one, since these cards that were inserted in cigarette packs could be sent back to London, paying a postage fee, to receive prizes in return. For this reason it had to be equal in number of cards to the previous series. Another even stranger thing is that they gave it the title “FAMOUS FILM STARS”, but the subjects in the photos, apart from some exceptions such as actresses Jessie Matthews, Judy Kelly, Phyllis Stanley and the very famous Frances Day, depicted in card no. 34, are not actresses. In the series are mainly depicted many French and English dancers, gymnasts, skaters and many models of that period. All this information, including the names of the subjects and their professions, I was able to analyze them from the original English series “Modern Beauties”, because in the series sent to Saudi Arabia there is no information about it, not even the name of the subject. In fact on the back apart from the text in Arabic that explains how to use the coupon and the name in English of the series “FAMOUS FILM STARS” there is only the progressive number of the card. A curiosity of this series, always linked to the world of cinema, is the last card that portrays two women with a child. On the back of the original series, therefore, Nr.50 of “MODERN BEAUTIES” there are two names: the first is MISS DINAH (not having the surname and analyzing the face, it could be actress DINAH SHERIDAN) and the second is Monica BISHOP, who was the stunt double of Canadian actress VICTORIA HOPPER. To see the complete series click on further information, or on the symbol immediately below the year of the series.