Prior to the 1970s the vast majority of Australian Movie posters were hand drawn lithos. They were produced through a variety of printers and the art was rarely signed so little is known about the artists. The art on Australian posters is often referred to as "naive" or "crude" or even worse, particularly in the 1960s. However, the fact is that the hand litho process was very effective and many collectors now lament that the modern posters lack the charm and originality of the older hand drawn posters.
This section of my site is a constantly evolving work in progress as I gather more information. All of the images come from posters that I either have in my collection or have passed through my hands and I have taken all of the photos that are displayed. Click on the image of the signatures below to go directly to the galleries.
John Richardson – Richardson Studio Posters (1920s-1950s)
The Richardson Studio produced the artwork for Paramount from the 20s through to 1960. See my Exhibition on Richardson Studio posters and my guide for more. John Richardson signed the artwork for some posters in the 1920s but the majority were unsigned. In all probability there would have been more than one artist for the Richardson Studio but very little information is available.
Robert Burton Printers
One of the poster artists for Robert Burton printers in the 60s was Babs McDougall, who in keeping with her colourful name was apparently quite a character. Her son David Seton went on to start M.A.P.S litho printers. Bob and Elsa Burton ran Robert Burton printers with chainsmoking Elsa calling the shots. A few of the artists for Robert Burton were said to be fond of a drink and there were times when the poster art reflected the level of hangover of the artist.
More Coming Soon
If you have any examples of signed Australian movie posters please let me know and I will include them here.