Semi - Stock posters are very similar to
regular Stock Posters with a slight
variation put in by the distributor...
Let me explain... Stock Posters are generalized posters that
are sent to the theater manager for reoccuring topics, such
as the cartoon, news etc. Some of the stock posters have a blank
area for the theater manager to
put the current title on the poster by writing on it... or by
using a snipe or stencil.
A Semi - Stock poster is a generic poster
printed up (just like the regular STOCK poster.. EXCEPT ..the
distributor HOLDS the poster for a particular release .. THEN
the DISTRIBUTOR takes the stock poster and prints a particular
release on it and THEN sends it down to the theater manager.
The theater manager receives a poster with a PRINTED title.
Because the title is printed on BEFORE it
is sent to the theater manager... each title is also assigned
a different NSS number.
Here's a sample of a Semi Stock Posters
The Little Wise Quacker was
released in 1952 with NSS number 52/9360 and the Red Hot Riding
Hood was released in 1953 with the NSS number 53/1007
Semi - Stock sheets were normally
issued in the one sheet size (27x41)
but were also issued in other sizes such as window cards, inserts
and lobby cards.
They featured generic artwork
without credit information. They usually contained a blank area
where a theatre could place a snipe
giving the name of the cartoon or short being shown. Some snipes
were removable so the stock sheets could be reused but others
were just pasted over.
