FRANCIS AND THE HAUNTED HOUSE (1956) HANDPAINTED SIGN, Very RARE
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FRANCIS AND THE HAUNTED HOUSE (1956) VERY RARE, Handpainted Cinema Sign, the Movie Stars Mickey Rooney & Virginia Welles, and is Directed by Charles Lamont in Good Condition. Movie Poster...
FRANCIS AND THE HAUNTED HOUSE (1956) VERY RARE, Handpainted Cinema Sign, the Movie Stars Mickey Rooney & Virginia Welles, and is Directed by Charles Lamont in Good Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition
Condition: This is an exceptionally rare and unique piece of Cinema history an original handpainted theatre sign created for the 1956 theatrical release of Francis and the Haunted House. As you can see this poster has a couple of small tears and some creasing but because of the nature of poster this just adds character. his poster will be rolled, carefully packed and shipped in a cylinder.
Handpainted cinema signs of this era are increasingly scarce, representing a time when each cinema would commission local artists to create eye-catching displays to promote new releases. These handcrafted promotional materials were typically destroyed after the film's run, making surviving examples highly collectible today. This particular sign showcases the artisan craftsmanship and vintage advertising techniques that were commonplace in Australian cinemas during the golden age of Hollywood, offering collectors a tangible connection to mid-century cinema exhibition practices. As a piece of theatre ephemera from the 1950s, it represents both film history and folk art traditions.
Movie Synopsis
Francis and the Haunted House is a 1956 American comedy horror film from Universal-International, produced by Robert Arthur and directed by Charles Lamont, starring Mickey Rooney and Virginia Welles. This seventh and final instalment in the beloved Universal-International Francis the Talking Mule series marked a significant transition for the franchise that had captivated family audiences throughout the 1950s.
The plot follows Francis the Talking Mule as he witnesses a murder, leading him to take a bumbling reporter named David Prescott under his wing as they work together to solve the crime. The film blends elements of mystery, comedy, and light horror, creating an entertaining romp through a supposedly haunted mansion filled with secret passages, mysterious figures, and plenty of comedic misunderstandings.
The Francis series itself was a remarkable phenomenon in 1950s cinema. The franchise began in 1950 with the first Francis film, which was directed by Arthur Lubin and starred Donald O'Connor alongside Patricia Medina. The distinctive voice of Francis was provided as a voice-over by actor Chill Wills, whose gravelly tones brought the wise-cracking mule to life. The original film became an enormous success, establishing Universal-International's most profitable comedy franchise of the decade.
This final film in the popular series marked two major changes: Mickey Rooney replaced Donald O'Connor, and Paul Frees replaced Chill Wills as the voice of Francis. Mickey Rooney, already a Hollywood legend by 1956 with a career spanning from childhood stardom to adult dramatic roles, brought his considerable comedic talents to the role of David Prescott. His energetic performance style and impeccable timing added a different flavour to the franchise whilst maintaining the series' family-friendly appeal.
Director Charles Lamont was a seasoned comedy specialist who had helmed numerous successful films for Universal, including many of the beloved Abbott and Costello pictures. His experience with physical comedy and supernatural-themed comedies made him the perfect choice to guide this haunted house adventure. Lamont understood how to balance genuine spooky atmosphere with laugh-out-loud comedy, ensuring that younger viewers could enjoy the thrills without being genuinely frightened.
The supporting cast included Virginia Welles as the female lead, James Flavin, and Paul Cavanagh, all reliable character actors who added depth to the proceedings. The film was based on characters created by David Stern, whose original novels had launched the entire franchise and captured the imagination of post-war audiences with their whimsical premise of a talking mule who was smarter than most of the humans around him.
What made the Francis films so enduring was their clever premise: a talking mule who dispenses wisdom and helps solve problems, yet whose existence is doubted by nearly everyone except his hapless human companion. This created endless opportunities for comedic situations and social commentary wrapped in family entertainment. The films were produced during an era when Universal-International was building its reputation for quality family programming, and Francis became one of their most valuable properties.
The series' success was so significant that it helped launch the careers of several young actors who appeared in various instalments, including an uncredited early appearance by Tony Curtis in the first film. The franchise's popularity also paved the way for other talking animal series, most notably television's Mister Ed, which many consider a spiritual successor to Francis.
By 1956, when Francis and the Haunted House was released, the series had built a devoted following across seven films spanning six years. Whilst this final instalment marked the end of Francis's theatrical adventures, the character remained beloved in popular culture, with the films continuing to entertain new generations through television broadcasts and home video releases. The haunted house setting provided a fitting finale, allowing the filmmakers to incorporate elements of mystery and mild horror alongside the franchise's trademark humour.
For collectors and cinema historians, items promoting Francis and the Haunted House hold special significance as they represent the conclusion of one of Universal's most successful comedy series. The 1956 release marked the end of an era in family entertainment, making memorabilia from this final chapter particularly valuable to those who appreciate vintage Hollywood and the golden age of theatrical exhibition.
To find out more about Francis and the Haunted House (1956) click here to go to IMDB.com.
Special Notes
Images may have a small 'MPA' digital watermark and this does not appear on the poster. Posters are being held by magnets in the corners to take photographs, so you may see some magnet and shadows from the magnets in these areas. The magnets are not included in the sale of the item.
Postage, Insurance & Your Country Taxes
Postage costs are quoted for this item, include insurance up to AUD$100, but if you reside outside of Australia, the price does not include any import taxes/fees that you may be required to pay when the item reaches your borders. Please check with your local authorities for any additional taxes or fees. If you would like full insurance coverage for your purchase, please message me and I would be happy to quote the additional cost (estimate is AUD$2.50 p/AUD$100 or 2.5% of the item value, up to a maximum item value of AUD$5,000).
FAQ
At Movie Posters Australia, the love and conservation of movie posters comes first, and we like to share this passion. Our commitment to quality means we will provide high quality memorabilia to our customers. Posters are carefully chosen and authenticated to ensure originality and value. We want our customers to trust MPA, so we always try to be as open and transparent as we can, provide detailed condition information and images, to ensure customers are comfortable and confident in their purchase.
While the industry does have a few condition rating standards, there is no movie poster condition rating system that has become the accepted standard world wide. This unfortunately makes condition terms vary from movie poster dealer to movie poster dealer. Terms like Mint, Near Mint, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor, seem to be universal to most condition rating standards, but most standards still lack definition about what and how many flaws/defects/damage defines a specific condition level. For more information on how Movie Posters Australia grades the condition of its movie posters, daybills, lobby cards and other ephemera please see out Movie Poster Condition and Grading page.
In the early days of cinema, posters were primarily hand-drawn and printed in various sizes, often tailored to fit the available space in theaters or promotional areas. In the United States, the "One Sheet" size (some times called '1 Sheet' or '1SH' approximately 27" x 41", became the standard during the 1930s. This size was manageable for theater display and suited the needs of a growing film industry.
Different countries developed their own poster sizes and styles, which also changed sometimes over the decades, and were influenced by local preferences and practical considerations, like available paper sheet sizes and how many posters could be printed on one sheet.
In Australia, the most popular size, the Daybill, has evolved over the decades. Australian Daybills sizes in chronological order are:
- Long Daybills (15" x 40"), from 1920's to pre-WW2 or pre-1941, were printed two to a sheet, longer than current Daybill versions. There were size variances in width from 14.5" to 15" and in height from 39.5" to 40".
- War Time Daybill (10" x 30"), during WW2, for a short time to conserve paper during a war time shortage, four Daybills were printed on one sheet. Information from Press Sheets also referred to these War-Time sizes as "New Size Daybills".
- Post-War Daybill (13" x 30"), this 13" x 30" Post-War size carried through until the 1980's, but also varied in size from 13"-14" x 29.75"-30.25".
- Post-80's Daybill (33cm x 66cm, or 13" x 26"), over a few years in the late 80's, the size changed again to a metric 33cm x 66cm, although these have also varied from 32-33cm x 64.5-66cm. New sizes from the late 80's were created, sometimes called a Mini Daybill or Mini Poster, in 9" x 12", 11" x 17" and 13" x 20".
In the UK, the somewhat unique 'Quad' poster, measuring 30" x 40", became popular, offering a larger landscape format that allowed for more elaborate designs.
In Japan, movie poster sizes were smaller, such as the "B2" (20" x 28"), which suited the more compact living environment of larger cities, smaller advertising spaces, and unique aesthetic sensibilities.
The 1970s and 1980s, witnessed the rise of the "six-sheet" (81" x 81") format, reflecting a trend towards larger and more visually impactful advertising.
Overall, the variation in movie poster sizes across different countries and decades highlights the interplay between technological printing advancements, paper resource availability, paper sheet size changes, cultural preferences, and the evolving nature of movie marketing.
At Movie Posters Australia we tag each poster we sell with a 'size' and 'condition' description at the very top of the page for our customers to easily see. There may however be some slight variations to sizes by up one inch due to variations in production and guillotine methods by printers over the decades.