At a time when motion pictures were known as “photoplays”, photoplay editions were the name commonly given to the movie tie-in books of the time. Typically, photoplay editions were reprints of novels or other books additionally illustrated with scenes from a film production. Less typically, photoplay editions were novelizations of films, where the film script or story outline was fictionalized in narrative form. Sometimes, films were also turned into short stories or novellas (short novels) and published in magazines which resembled booklets or pamphlets. Notably, a number of Louise Brooks’ films were fictionalized or published as a photoplay edition either in the United States or in Europe. [A fuller history of photoplay editions can be found on Wikipedia.]
The following stand-alone publications were issued as either a hardback book or soft cover booklet / pamphlet, or in a similar magazine-style format. Unless otherwise noted, all include film stills or related cover art, some of which picture Louise Brooks or depict the actress on the cover. Additionally, other short fiction and story summaries were published in magazines, and are included here. A gallery page showcasing many of these movie tie-in publications can be found HERE.
I suspect there are more such fictionalizations to be found, especially in various European film magazines or in Moving Picture Stories, an American magazine devoted to short stories based on films; this publication is difficult to track down…. If you know of additional entries, or can provide further information on any of the citations noted on these pages, please CONTACT the Louise Brooks Society. Please note: [n.d.] indicates no date of publication.
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| Beggars of Life US photoplay dustjacket |
Beggars of Life UK movie tie-in dustjacket |
The Street of Forgotten Men (1925)
Miroël, Yves. L’Ecole des Mendiants. Paris: Le Film Complet, 1927. (France)
— 16 page French fictionalization of The Street of Forgotten Men, with a number of stills (one of which pictures Brooks); number 359 in the series, issued June 12, 1927; this fictionalization is reproduced in The Street of Forgotten Men: From Story to Screen and Beyond
The American Venus (1926)
Anon. La Venus Americana. Barcelona: Francisco-Mario Bistange, 1926. (Spain)
— 32 page Spanish fictionalization of The American Venus, with stills throughout; number 244 in series La Novela Semanal Cinematográfica, issued Sept. 26, 1926
Auburn, Maurice. “Vénus moderne.” Paris: Le Film Complet, 1926. (France)
— 16 page French fictionalization of The American Venus, with stills throughout the text; number 304 in the series, issued December 19, 1926
Lucas, H.. Vénus moderne. Paris: F Rouff, 1928. (France)
— 41 page French fictionalization of The American Venus, which includes 12 pages of film stills; published under the series Mon Roman-Cinema
A Social Celebrity (1926)
anonymous. “A Social Celebrity.” Picture Show, March 5, 1927. (England)
— two plus page retelling in UK magazine
Anon. Figaro en Sociedad. Barcelona: Francisco-Mario Bistange, [n.d.]. (Spain)
— 32 page Spanish fictionalization of A Social Celebrity, with stills throughout the text; number 100 in the series La Novela Femenina Cinematográfica
Renez, Joachim. Au Suivant de ces Messieurs. Paris: Les Editions Modernes, 1928. (France)
— 32 page French fictionalization of A Social Celebrity with stills throughout the text; number 39 in the series Les Beaux Films Amour
The Show Off (1926)
Anon. El Fachendoso. Barcelona: Edicione Bistange, 1927. (Spain)
— 31 page Spanish fictionalization of The Show-Off, with stills throughout the text; number 44 in the series La Novela Paramount
Just Another Blonde (1926)
Smith, Virginia Brusnwick. “Just Another Blonde.” Moving Picture Stories, December 28, 1926. (United States)
— short story – fictionalized version of the screenplay with three film stills
anonymous. “Den blonda faran.” Filmjournalen, March 31, 1927. (Sweden)
— retelling of the story in Swedish film magazine
Love Em and Leave Em (1926)
Anon. ¡Amalos… y déjalos!. Barcelona: Edicione Bistange, 1927. (Spain)
— 31 page Spanish fictionalization of Love Em and Leave Em, with stills throughout the text; number 26 in the series La Novela Paramount
Renez, Joachim. Le Galant Étalagiste. Paris: Les Editions Modernes, 1928. (France)
— 32 page French fictionalization of Love Em and Leave Em, with stills throughout the text; number 21 in the series Les Beaux Films Amour
Evening Clothes (1927)
Duchâteau, R. Un home en habit. Paris: Librairie Gallimard, [n.d.]. (France)
— 95 page French fictionalization of Evening Clothes with stills throughout the text; number 6 in the series Le Cinéma Romanesque
Rolled Stockings (1927)
Auburn, Maurice. Frères Ennemis. Paris: Le Film Complet, 1929. (France)
— 16 page French fictionalization of Rolled Stockings, with stills throughout the text; number 623 in the series, issued February 17, 1929
Now We’re in the Air (1927)
Anon. “Now We’re in the Air.” London: Boy’s Cinema Weekly. Aug. 25, 1928. (England)
— 7 page English-language fictionalization, with stills throughout the text of the magazine; this fictionalization is reproduced in Now We’re in the Air: A Companion to the Once Lost Film
Anon. Reclutas en los aires. Barcelona: Edicione Bistange, 1928. (Spain)
— 31 page Spanish fictionalization of Now We’re in the Air, with stills throughout the text; number 62 in the series La Novela Paramount; this fictionalization is reproduced in Now We’re in the Air: A Companion to the Once Lost Film
A Girl in Every Port (1928)
Mitry, Jean. Poings de fer, coeur d’or. Paris: Librairie Gallimard, 1929. (France)
— 39 page French fictionalization of A Girl in Every Port, with stills throughout the text; number 14 in the series Le Cinéma Romanesque
Beggars of Life (1928)
Tully, Jim. Beggars of Life. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1928. (United States)
— Tully’s book illustrated with four scenes from the film, three of which include Brooks
Tully, Jim. Beggars of Life. New York: London: London Book Co. Ltd, [n.d. circa 1928]. (England)
— Tully’s book with an illustrated dustjacket (picturing Louise Brooks and Richard Arlen on the front and Louise Brooks and Wallace Beery on the back); without any interior illustrations
anonymous. Mendigos de la Vida. Barcelona: Biblioteca Films [n.d.] (Spain)
— 31 page Spanish fictionalization of Beggars of Life, with stills throughout the text; number 344 in the series (likely published in 1930)
The Canary Murder Case (1929)
van Dine, S. S. The Canary Murder Case. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, [n.d. circa 1929.] (United States)
— van Dine’s book illustrated with four scenes from the film, none of which include Brooks
De Ribera, Lopez F. Martinez. ¿Quién la mató? Barcelona: Biblioteca Films [n.d.] (Spain)
— 31 page Spanish fictionalization of The Canary Murder Case, with stills throughout the text; number 329 in the series (likely published in 1930)
van Dine, S. S. The Canary Murder Case. New York: Scribners, 1930. (United States)
— a reissue of van Dine’s book illustrated with a frontis piece depicting Brooks
van Dine, S. S. The Canary Murder Case. New York: Gregg Press, 1980. (United States)
— van Dine’s book illustrated with a frontis piece depicting William Powell (same as the 1929 Grosset & Dunlap frontis); this later reprint, which is part of the Gress Press Mystery Fiction Series, edited by Otto Penzler, features a new introduction by Chris Steinbrunner (which mentions Louise Brooks) and a 4-page supplement of scenes from the film (which are unfortunately cropped); the copyright page states that this edition is a “complete photographic reprint of a work first published in New York by Grosset & Dunlap in 1927”
The Diary of a Lost Girl (1929)
Wild, Rene. La Vie d’une Fille Perdue. Paris: Editions Jules Tallandier, 1930. (France)
— French novelization of The Diary of a Lost Girl
Prix de Beauté (1930)
Boisyvon. Prix de Beauté. Paris: Editions Jules Tallandier, 1932. (France)
— French novelization of Prix de Beauté
King of Gamblers (1937)
Vidal, Jean. “L’homme qui terrorisait New-York.” Pour vous, July 8, 1937. (France)
— one page magazine story
anonymous. Storbyens Sjakaler. Evas lille Filmsroman: 1937. (Denmark)
— 40 pages, illustrated: the title translates to English as “Big City Jackals.” – subtitled “Roman efter Filmen af samme Navn” or “Novel based on the film of the same name” (Danish bibliographical link)
Blitzstein, Marcel. L’homme qui terrorisait New-York. Paris: Le Film Complet, May 17, 1938. (France)
— 16 page French fictionalization of King of Gamblers, with stills though none depict Brooks; number 2108 in the series, issued May 17, 1938
When You’re in Love (1937)
Fillier, Jacques. Le Cœur en fête. Paris: Le Film Complet, 1938. (France)
— 16 page French fictionalization of When You’re in Love, with stills though none depict Brooks; number 2126 in the series, issued June 28, 1938
anonymous. Serenade. Denmark: Evas lille Filmsroman, 1938. (Denmark)
— 40 page Danish fictionalization of When You’re in Love, with 14 stills; no. 125 (Danish bibliographical link)
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| The Canary Murder Case US photoplay dustjacket |
The Canary Murder Case Scribners’ reprint |
The Canary Murder Case Scribners’ frontis piece |