WalterFilm

11/03/2025

Sequins, spotlight, and self-definition — Christine Jorgensen owned them all!

Seen here at Las Vegas’s Hotel Sahara in 1953, the pioneering entertainer turned every stage into a statement.

✳️ Explore this rare die-cut flyer → https://www.walterfilm.com/shop/memorabilia/hotel-sahara-presents-christine-jorgensen-1953-die-cut-flyer/
✳️ From showgirls to icons: Discover more glamour in the WalterFilm archive.

10/31/2025

Fight That Ghost was a 1946 feature led by comedian Pigmeat Markham and released by Toddy Pictures, a key distributor of independent “race films” for segregated theaters. It’s frequently cited as one of the earliest horror films with an all-Black cast—a rare blend of haunted-house chills and vaudeville-style comedy.

The story follows two broke shopkeepers who inherit a creepy house—on the condition they survive a night inside—setting up a string of spooky gags.

Are you looking for lighthearted film this Halloween? This is a must-watch! 👻🎃

Interested on the lobby card? Get it here: https://tinyurl.com/3a5hsw9t

10/30/2025

From his Tuskegee lab to classrooms across America — George Washington Carver turned curiosity into legacy.

These rare 1937–1939 photographs document his enduring mission: to teach, inspire, and uplift through science and education.

How do you teach legacy and innovation?

✳️ Explore the full archive → https://www.walterfilm.com/shop/select-by-size/8-x-10-20-x-25-cm/george-washington-carver-1937-39-photo-archive/
✳️ Educators & researchers: DM us for collaboration details.

10/28/2025

From stage to screen, Waters redefined what it meant to shine under the spotlight.
This 1938 portrait by Carl Van Vechten captures her quiet power — just five years before her iconic turn in Cabin in the Sky (1943).

Who’s your favorite stage-to-screen pioneer?

✳️ Explore the full photo → https://www.walterfilm.com/shop/select-by-size/8-x-10-20-x-25-cm/ethel-waters-1938-portrait-by-carl-van-vechten/
✳️ Discover more MGM-era icons in our collection.

10/24/2025

In 1943, Cabin in the Sky marked both Vincente Minnelli’s directorial debut and one of Lena Horne’s most iconic performances.

Her poise and presence captured a generation—and continue to define the elegance of the Golden Age musical.

🎙️ “I’m always learning, always discovering.” – Lena Horne

Discover rare original photos from MGM’s archives, now available at WalterFilm.

👉 https://www.walterfilm.com/shop/select-by-size/other-size/lena-horne-cabin-in-the-sky-1943-oversize-photo/

10/24/2025

View our catalog here: https://tinyurl.com/4a7bnzxd

10/21/2025

We're honored to share our new catalog #56, which is entirely devoted to African Americana!

👉 https://tinyurl.com/4a7bnzxd

Here are highlights you don't want to miss!

📌 Writers: Unpublished Daddy Goodness (1962) by Richard Wright; Native Son film ephemera; works by Amiri Baraka, James Weldon Johnson, August Wilson.

📌 Sports: Vintage photos of Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali.

📌 Civil Rights: Photo coverage from the 1930s–late 1980s.

📌 Music: Photos/posters across jazz, gospel, blues, soul, classical, R&B.

📌 Film/TV (1929–2006): Scripts/photos featuring Dorothy Dandridge, Stepin Fetchit, Sidney Poitier, Spike Lee.

For the actual catalog or acquisition list, send us a message. Institutional inquiries welcome.

10/17/2025

Today, we go purple to take a stand against bullying and show support for LGBTQ youth everywhere. 💜

These 1977 Manhattan activists remind us: pride began as protest — and hope is always in motion. 🌈

Learn more in our archives → https://tinyurl.com/5b8z7ptx
Take the Spirit Day pledge in Stories (via GLAAD) → https://glaad.org/

10/11/2025

💜 Who's your chosen family? 💜
Today, on National Coming Out Day, we celebrate the power of Chosen Family and the communities that uplift us. 💜

This year, we're taking a look back at an iconic film that captured this spirit: Paris Is Burning.

Spotlight: Our original one-sheet for Paris Is Burning (1991)—the landmark documentary of NYC ballroom culture, where “houses” and house mothers mentored LGBTQ+ youth and built community. The film is now preserved in the U.S. National Film Registry.

Browse the one-sheet → walterfilm.com/…/paris-is-burning-1991-one-sheet-poster/

Tell us a moment that helped you feel seen and tag a mentor or “house” that supported you.

Need support? The Trevor Project is available 24/7 — Call 1-866-488-7386, Text START to 678-678, or chat at thetrevorproject.org/get-help.

10/09/2025

🌈 International Le***an Day

This October 8, we spotlight a century of women in film and music whose art, courage, and creativity shaped q***r history.

From early 1900s performers who carved spaces in silent cinema, to late-20th-century voices who claimed center stage—WalterFilm’s Le***an Archive (1901–2004) preserves their legacy.

🎞️ Explore rare photographs, posters, and press materials from across the decades:

👉 https://www.walterfilm.com/lgbtq-lesbian-archive-1901-2004/

Which era would you like to see featured next? Drop it in the comments.

***anDay ***anArchive

10/04/2025

Vote for the best showgirl!

09/28/2024

October at Hollywood Heritage Museum-

Hollywood Preservation, archives, museum, Lasky, DeMille,