The Ladykillers (1955) Orig Uk Lobby Card and 16 similar items

Vintage original 11x14 in. UK lobby card (or front-of-house card) from the classic 1950's crime-themed comedy, THE LADYKILLERS, released in 1955 by Ealing Studios and directed by Alexander Mackendrick. Based upon a story by William Rose, five oddball criminals planning a bank robbery rent rooms on a cul-de-sac from an octogenarian widow under the pretext that they are classical musicians. The cast includes Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, Danny Green, Katie Johnson, Philip Stainton, Frankie Howerd, and Madge Brindley. This lobby card was printed in Great Britain for the film's original UK theatrical release and is a "country of origin" card, which is the most desirable. The scene features Alec Guinness talking with his landlady (Katie Johnson) as Peter Sellers, Cecil Parker, and Danny Green stand nearby. It is unrestored in very good condition only with a Canadian censor stamp in the upper right background area; a wavy pencil mark across the border art at the right; one enlarged pinhole in each corner with a small chip and tear on the bottom left corner; random signs of wear in the borders; and small creases scattered primarily in the top 2/3 simply from handling over time. The color tints are fresh and vibrant without any signs of fading. Provenance: The Peter Beckman Trust Achive. The Ladykillers is one of the top films to come from the acclaimed Ealing Studios of the UK. The producers originally rejected director Alexander Mackendrick's choice of Katie Johnson for the role of Mrs. Wilberforce on the grounds that she might be too frail for the project, and so they cast a younger actress, who died before filming began. According to Mackendrick and Guinness, Mrs. Wilberforce's birds in this movie were voiced by Peter Sellers. As the parrot flies out of the living room and into the hallway, it clearly says "Alec Guinness" as it lands. In an interview, Peter Sellers stated that this was "the first real film I made. I can remember all of that very well. I used to watch Sir Alec Guinness, who is an absolute idol of mine, do everything, his rehearsals, his scenes, everything. It was fascinating. Not that I could hope to be as good as Guinness. But he is my ideal, and my idol." Guinness has said that he based his characterization on Alastair Sim. Accordingly, the make-up for Guinness, including the hairpiece and oversized teeth, result in a marked resemblance to Sim.