Photoplay Editions & Movie Tie-Ins
The Golden Years [1912-1969] ... Western Films

Another similar example would be The Virginian by Owen Wister with multiple film versions represented by photoplay editions for the silent 1923 film, the 1929 talkie and paperback versions in the 1940s-1960s with mentions of the novel being filmed four times including 1946.  Perhaps a 1914 photoplay exists somewhere for the Cecil B.  DeMille version.  Western films have provided many classic lines of dialog best remembered by Gary Cooper stating to the bad guy, "If you wanna call me that—smile".

When one takes a second to consider respected authors of the western novel, Zane Grey has likely come to your mind.  Grosset and Dunlop had a reprint contract that involved numerous Grey titles and the western photoplay editions are the ‘best of the bunch’.  The Heritage of the Desert (1924) is a gorgeous example of a full wraparound artwork dust jacket.  Other popular Zane Grey photoplay titles include Wanderer of the Wasteland (1924), The Border Legion (1930), The Light of the Western Stars (1930), and The Fighting Caravans (1931) with Gary Cooper.

Many western films offered moviegoers John Wayne as the hero with movie tie-in publishers reaping that same financial bonanza that ‘The Duke’ could provide film producers.  The first film tie-in to feature Wayne as the ‘star’ was the 1930 Readers Library copy of The Big Trail novelized by Claude Houghton, also being the only Readers Library volume to offer two film titles within one binding.  The additional title is The Man Who Came Back, also novelized by Houghton from the novel by John Fleming.  Wayne feature films continued to offer movie editions through his last film The Shootist in 1976.  The 1960s culminated with True Grit and The Undefeated in 1969.  There are no less than twenty-five western films with John Wayne that also provide movie tie-ins.  Keep in mind that the number 25 only reflects western features.  John Wayne is easily the most prolific actor in books published to promote films.  Another memorable line of script occurs in Rio Bravo (1959) with John T.  Chance telling ‘Dude’ Dean Martin, “Sorry don't get it done, Dude.  That's the second time you hit me.  Don't ever do it again”.

Another title worthy of special mention is The Mark of Zorro filmed in 1920 and published by Grosset and Dunlap as a First Edition photoplay edition in 1924.  The story by Johnston McCulley was first published from August 9 - September 6, 1919 in a pulp magazine titled All-Story Weekly (five parts) under the title The Curse of Capistrano.  The first screen appearance of the Zorro character is portrayed by Douglas Fairbanks as Don Diego Vega.  The 1924 Grosset and Dunlap edition has become an expensive collectible in a decent condition dust jacket, not to be confused with the 1940 Grosset reprint to promote the talkie remake.

Surprisingly, there are few book ties to the films of Gene Autry or Roy Rogers but one can easily find old standards such as Hoot Gibson, Ken Maynard, Tom Mix, Randolph Scott.

The so-called ‘spaghetti westerns’ were pioneered by the Italian film director Sergio Leone.  This sub-genre created a major movie star of a TV actor previously known for his role as Rowdy Yates in Rawhide.  Clint Eastwood secured his future in Hollywood with a trilogy of western films that include A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), the last two available as movie paperbacks.

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Last Revision:  March 7, 2023 10:15 PM