ORIGINAL 1973 AMERICAN GRAFFITI THEATRICAL MOVIE POSTER - Art by Mort Drucker. ORIGINAL 1973 AMERICAN GRAFFITI THEATRICAL MOVIE POSTER Art by Mort Drucker ABOUT THE POSTER YOU ARE BIDDING ON: This poster is one of the most significant finds. Very few of these larger 40 x 60 prints exist. This poster is on Heavy Stock, with semi gloss. We are grading the poster as VG++ with only the slightest of edge-wear for age and the body of the poster is spectacularly clean. This poster has the local printers union mark, as well as the studio indices that state the item is to be returned to the studios. Finally, the NSS number is on the bottom right border just like the one sheet, but it is also upside down on the top left border, again indicating authenticity of this original. This was the 253 movie title coded by the NSS for the year 1973. Of course adding to the collectibility of this poster is not just the significance of the movie and its writer, director, content and other actors - but add to this the fact that it was drawn by the famous Mad Magazine and DC Comic artist, Mort Drucker - and you have a significant find. Stored in a very heavy poster tube for 40+ years, in humidity controlled environment with no pets / animals or smoking. ABOUT 40 x 60 MOVIE POSTERS: 40" x 60" posters measure 40" x 60" of course, and are printed on a very heavy card stock. They were primarily offered for major motion pictures only and were displayed both inside and outside of theaters. 40" x 60"’s normally feature the same artwork as the one-sheet. The National Screen Service number is normally found on the side on the poster, as opposed to the lower bottom as is the case with one-sheets. 40" x 60"s were normally shipped in rolled condition to the theatre exchanges. Because of it's size and being on heavy duty card stock, the 40x60 was used several times as a standee. Additional re-enforcement was placed on the back so it could be stood up in the lobby. 40" x 60"'s were first used as advertising materials in the 1930's for certain titles only. Their heavy card material made them more durable than paper. They were displayed in theatre lobbies, balconies, and bus, train and subway depots. 40" x 60"'s were primarily discontinued in 1984 with the collapse of the NSS distribution system. They are no longer used in today’s movie market. AS A COLLECTIBLE 40" x 60"’s were printed in smaller numbers than were other sizes of advertising materials. Due to their beautiful artwork and their limited release, 40" x 60"’s are sought-after by most collectors that like the larger paper. Since these materials were shipped to the exchanges in rolled condition, 40" x 60"’s lose some of their value if they are folded. The poster you are bidding on is NOT FOLDED. ABOUT THE FILM American Graffiti is a 1973 American coming-of-age comedy film directed and co-written by George Lucas starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Harrison Ford, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips, Bo Hopkins, and Wolfman Jack. Suzanne Somers and Joe Spano also appear in the film. Set in Modesto, California in 1962, the film is a study of the cruising and rock and roll cultures popular among the post–World War II baby boom generation. The film is told in a series of vignettes, telling the story of a group of teenagers and their adventures over a single night. The genesis of American Graffiti was in Lucas' own teenage years in early 1960s Modesto. He was unsuccessful in pitching the concept to financiers and distributors but found favor at Universal Pictures after United Artists, 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Warner Bros., and Paramount Pictures turned him down. Filming was initially set to take place in San Rafael, California, but the production crew was denied permission to shoot beyond a second day. American Graffiti premiered on August 2, 1973 at the Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland and was released on August 11, 1973 in the United States. The film received widespread critical acclaim and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Produced on a $777,000 budget, it has become one of the most profitable films of all time. Since its initial release, American Graffiti has garnered an estimated return of well over $200 million in box office gross and home video sales, not including merchandising. In 1995, the United States Library of Congress deemed the film "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry. ABOUT THE POSTER ARTIST Mort Drucker (born March 22, 1929) is an American caricaturist and comics artist best known as a contributor for over five decades in Mad, where he specialized in satires on the leading feature films and television series. Drucker entered the comics field by assisting Bert Whitman on the newspaper comic strip Debbie Dean in 1947 when he was 18, based on a recommendation from Will Eisner. He then joined the staff of National Periodical Publications (DC Comics), where he worked as a retoucher. While at DC, Drucker also ghosted "The Mountain Boys," Paul Webb's regular gag panel for Esquire Magazine. Early in the 1950s, Drucker left his DC staff gig and began doing full-time freelance work for a number of comic book publishers such as Dell, Atlas and St. John's, as well as several humor and war titles for his former employer. His film posters include Universal's American Graffiti (1973), directed by George Lucas[3] with Drucker also drawing the high school yearbook pictures in the film trailer. Mort Drucker's work is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery. He was recognized for his work with the National Cartoonists Society Special Features Award (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988), its Reuben Award (1987), and induction into the Society's Hall of Fame (2017). Shipping to USA Only.

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