Long before fanzines, fan magazines by addressing the interests of enthusiasts were key to the rise of the Matinée Idols. Among the earliest was “Photoplay”, which, led by editor James R. Quirk, soon expanded to include dedicated “screen supplements” intended for cinemas. This “issue” provides a rare glimpse of actors and cinema socialites of the period, including behind-the-scenes of Male and Female, with unseen shooting sequences and alternate takes not used in the final cut.

Tamara Shvediuk and Federico Striuli