Film
In The Doghouse
1962
UK Quad / (30″ x 40″) / Single Sided / Printed in England by Charles & Read Ltd. London & Harlow
UK / British
Fine plus -Very Fine minus ; originally folded (as issued)
Darcy Conyers
Dick Bentley, Hattie Jacques, James Booth, Leslie Phillips, Peggy Cummins
A really great looking and impressive poster…Colourful, eye-catching, humorous artwork by Renato Fratini is a visual highlight that is perfectly designed and suited to the landscape format of the British UK quad film poster with comedic imagery that is unique to the UK for Darcy Conyer’s veterinarian farce “In The Doghouse”. From first year of release 1962 this rare poster displays & presents very well. This superb originally folded (as issued) unrestored example has some minor handling & age wear with deep, vibrant bright colours and great comedy artwork by Italian artist Renato Fratini and represents a very collectable piece of desirable and nostalgic original British movie memorabilia from a ‘golden age’ of British comedy.
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“In The Doghouse” is based on the reminiscences of Alex Duncan, who did for vets what Richard Gordon did for doctors. He wrote four books, A vet’s life, which the film is based on, then Vet in Congress, Vets in the Manger, and Vets in the Belfry. This was turned into a good solid script by Michael Pertwee, brother of the very famous Jon Pertwee of Doctor Who and Worzel Gummidge fame; their father Roland Pertwee was a good screen writer in the 30s and 40s, and had over 40 films credits, mostly with smaller thrillers.
It’s a typical British comedy pre-Carry On with a charming. kind-hearted performance by Leslie Philips, as a bumbling vet who eventually graduates after 10 years of trying and takes over a run-down practice. Philips here is immensely kind and upright and it actually suits him well going against type. His co-star and romantic interest is the stunningly and ever lovely Peggy Cummins. It could just have easily been Muriel Pavlow who’d had such success with the Doctor films, but I for one think Peggy is better here. As always she lights up the screen. She was a very good actress, appearing in several of the really good comedies of the 1950s but she’s probably best known these days for her part in “Hell Drivers” with Sean Connery (And they’re both very much still with us), but her best role is almost certainly the 1950 “Deadly is the Female”, aka Gun Crazy, where she plays a female bank robber.
“In the Doghouse” has a villain in the smarm of James Booth’s ambitious and avaricious fellow graduate. Booth always played the slightly caddish role with relish and here he takes on the womanizing role that Philips would eventually make his trademark. It’s also noteworthy as having Hattie Jacques in one of her first major comedic roles, an actress who was without a doubt one of the most prolific and hard-working of all British actresses. In a career that saw her start at 17 and keep going to her early loss in 1980, it is the comedy she came to be known for, and her we see a foreshadow of her greatness as Matron in the Carry On films, as the RSPCA helper to Philips. It was also Vida Hope’s last film – anyone loving British comedies of this era would recognise her tiny mousy performance instantly.
All in all, this is good solid 50s style British comedy, director Darcy Conyers is no Ralph Thomas, but does a steady job. There are some hints of blue coming in with the early sixties, but no real smut; lots of animals, some farce, a ridiculous sixties vet practice with hypnotism and perm and set salon, some laugh out loud farce, and a nice romance. A good Saturday afternoon film indeed.
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Mint
A poster that has never been used or displayed and may show the most minor signs of age and wear. The poster should have no holes or tears.
Near Mint
A generally unused poster with fresh, saturated colors. May have minimal tears at folds. Has no significant holes, no paper loss, may have minor tears along edges, may have fine pin holes.
Very Fine
A poster with bright colour and crisp overall appearance. It may have very general signs of use including slight fold separation and fold wear. It may have pin holes or very minor tears. This is the highest grade allowed for a poster that has been restored either on linen or on paper.
Fine
A poster with good colors and overall clean appearance. It may have minor tears small paper loss and minor stains. It may have some fold seperation.
Good
An average poster with overall fresh color. May have tears, minor paper loss, minor hazing. Paper may be brittle due to age, may have minor stains. May have a small amount of writing in an unobtrusive place. May have medium or major restoration.
Fair
A poster with faded colors and brittle paper, showing significant signs of use. May have tears and paper loss. May have tape, writing, stains in image area. In need of restoration or had major restoration.
Poor
A poster that is worn, torn, and/or damaged. May have staining, cracking, dry rot, and/or large tears. May be heavily soiled, may have pieces missing. In need of major restoration.
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LOBBY CARD
11 x 14″ printed on heavy stock paper. Used as display in theatre lobbies. Originally made in sets of eight. Some sets have a title card, which contains credits and artwork, essentially a mini-poster. The remaining seven cards are coloured photographic credits and poster artwork showing different scenes from the movie.
WINDOW CARD
14 x 22″ printed on heavy stock paper with the top 4-6 inches usually left blank for the local cinema owner to fill in the cinema and the date it was due to play. Largely discontinued during the 1970’s.
HALF SHEET
22 x 28″ printed on heavy stock paper. The image displayed is normally a smaller version of the main poster, although some do have different artworks and sometimes come in two versions.
INSERT
14 x 36″ printed on heavy stock paper. Inserts usually have the same artwork as a one sheet. Popular with collectors since they are smaller and easier to frame. Normally come tri folded or rolled.
STYLE Y/FORTY BY SIXTY
40 x 60″ printed on heavy stock paper. Rare since they were primarily used for major motion pictures only. Designed to be used outside the theatre, on an easel, normally at a drive-in movie theatre.
ONE-SHEET
27 x 41″ printed on paper. This is the most common size of poster, intended to be displayed in a glass “marquee” case. It is the most sought after size by collectors. Since the 1980’s most posters are sent to the theatre rolled and maybe slightly smaller measuring 27″ by 40″ and with the advent of backlit light boxes a growing number of modern movie posters are available double-sided and the more traditional single-sided.
THREE-SHEET
41 x 81″ printed on paper. These were printed on two or three separate sheets designed to overlap, few survive. Used for larger advertising spaces, normally posted on walls, perfect for huge movie theatres the drive-in, where people could see them from a distance. From the 1970’s on, three-sheets were sometimes printed in one piece and issued as “international” versions to be used abroad.
BRITISH QUAD
30 x 40″ Most common poster size used in the UK. British Quads are horizontal and may have different artwork to the US one sheet. Like a US one sheet they normally come in two versions. Like a US one sheet they are usually supplied single-sided or more commonly now as a double sided poster.
BRITISH ONE-SHEET
27 X 40″, printed on paper. Very rarely used size.
ITALIAN LOCANDINA
13 x 28″ six inches shorter than the US insert, very nice size to frame. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.
ITALIAN PHOTOBUSTA
18 x 26″ Glossy, high quality, used as lobby cards in Italy. Size may vary, either vertical or horizontal format. There are also double Photobusta or mini Photobusta.
2-FOGLIO (DUE)
(DUE): 39 x 55″ This is the standard poster size used in Italy. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.
4-FOGLIO
(QUATTRO) 55 x 79″ Very large Italian poster printed in two pieces, often contains very beautiful artwork.
FRENCH
47 x 63″ (GRANDE) or 24 x 33″ (PETITE) French movie posters normally come with different artwork to either the US or the UK. Like the Italian’s some of the artwork is extrememly beautiful.
