THE NUTTY PROFESSOR (1963) AUSTRALIAN HANDPAINTED THEATRE SIGN
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The Nutty Professor (1963) Australian Handpainted Theatre Sign Starring Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens, Directed by Jerry Lewis in Very Good Condition. Movie Poster and Condition Condition: This is an extraordinarily rare...
The Nutty Professor (1963) Australian Handpainted Theatre Sign Starring Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens, Directed by Jerry Lewis in Very Good Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition
Condition: This is an extraordinarily rare piece of Cinema memorabilia, an original handpainted theatre sign created for the 1963 theatrical release of The Nutty Professor in in Very Good Condition with the paper yellowed and some faults (edgewear bumps and a small tear and some paper loss) which is common with these type of posters and adds character. This poster will be carefully rolled, packed and shipped in a cylinder.
During the golden age of cinema exhibition in the 1960s, Australian theatres would commission local artists to create these vibrant, eye-catching handpainted signs to promote new releases in cinema lobbies and on theatre facades. Each sign was a unique work of art, crafted by skilled signwriters who specialised in theatrical advertising. These handcrafted promotional pieces were typically discarded after the film's theatrical run concluded, making surviving examples exceptionally scarce and highly prized by collectors today. This particular sign represents not only a significant Jerry Lewis comedy but also the artisan traditions of mid-century cinema exhibition practices in Australia. As a piece of vintage theatre ephemera, it offers collectors a tangible connection to the 1960s movie-going experience and the skilled craftsmanship that once defined cinema advertising before mass-produced materials became the norm.
Movie Synopsis
The Nutty Professor is a 1963 American science fiction comedy produced, directed, co-written by, and starring the legendary Jerry Lewis. Released by Paramount Pictures, this film is widely considered Lewis's masterpiece and one of the finest comedies of the 1960s. The film represents a clever and satirical reimagining of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, transposed into a contemporary American university setting with brilliant comedic results.
Lewis plays the dual role of Professor Julius Kelp, a timid, buck-toothed, accident-prone chemistry professor at Matthews College, and his smooth alter ego Buddy Love, a suave, obnoxious lounge singer who emerges after Kelp drinks a transformative potion. The story follows the hapless professor who, constantly mocked for his appearance and social awkwardness, becomes desperate to improve his image after falling for the beautiful student Stella Purdy, played by the stunning Stella Stevens. In his quest to become more attractive and confident, Kelp develops an experimental formula that transforms him into the charismatic but arrogant Buddy Love.
The supporting cast includes Del Moore as Dr. Mortimer S. Warfield, Kathleen Freeman as Millie Lemmon, and Howard Morris in a memorable role. Lewis co-wrote the screenplay with Bill Richmond, creating a script that balanced physical comedy with surprisingly sophisticated social commentary about identity, masculinity, and self-acceptance. The musical score was composed by the talented Walter Scharf, whose work perfectly complemented the film's blend of romance, comedy, and science fiction elements.
What makes The Nutty Professor particularly remarkable is Jerry Lewis's complete creative control over the project. As producer, director, co-writer, and star, Lewis was able to realise his singular vision, demonstrating his remarkable talents behind the camera as well as in front of it. His direction showcases an innovative use of colour, with bold and unusual colour combinations throughout the film. The production design features striking visual choices, including rainbow-coloured paints on the laboratory floor during the first transformation sequence and the vibrant purples and reds that dominate scenes at The Purple Pit nightclub where Buddy Love performs.
The film was shot at Paramount Studios in Hollywood between October and December 1962, with Lewis employing cutting-edge techniques for the transformation sequences. The special effects, though created without modern CGI technology, remain impressive and effectively convey the shocking metamorphosis from the nerdy Kelp into the slick Love. Lewis's performance in both roles is nothing short of extraordinary, with many critics praising his ability to make both characters distinct and believable despite being polar opposites.
The character of Buddy Love has been the subject of much speculation over the decades. Many film historians and critics have suggested that Love was Lewis's satirical take on his former comedy partner Dean Martin, with whom he had a highly successful but ultimately acrimonious partnership. Lewis always denied this interpretation, but the smooth-talking, martini-drinking, women-chasing persona of Buddy Love does bear striking similarities to Martin's public image. Whether intentional or not, this subtext adds another layer of complexity to an already rich film.
The Nutty Professor became a significant commercial success upon its release in 1963, earning strong box office returns and cementing Lewis's reputation as not just a gifted comedian but also a skilled filmmaker. The film's influence on comedy cannot be overstated - it set new standards for transformation comedies and inspired numerous remakes and homages, most notably the 1996 version starring Eddie Murphy, which itself spawned a sequel.
Critics have consistently praised The Nutty Professor for its sophisticated approach to comedy. Unlike many slapstick comedies of the era, Lewis's film contains genuine pathos and emotional depth. The character of Julius Kelp is sympathetic despite his flaws, and the film ultimately delivers a message about self-acceptance and the dangers of trying to become someone you're not. The scene where Kelp finally reveals his true identity to Stella remains one of the most touching moments in comedy cinema.
The film's legacy extends beyond cinema into popular culture. References to The Nutty Professor appear in countless television shows, films, and other media. The character of Julius Kelp has become an archetype for the nerdy scientist character, whilst Buddy Love represents the ultimate smooth-talking egotist. The film's themes of transformation and identity continue to resonate with audiences more than six decades after its initial release.
For collectors of vintage movie memorabilia, items from The Nutty Professor hold special significance as they represent not only a landmark in comedy filmmaking but also the pinnacle of Jerry Lewis's creative powers. The 1963 release marked a high point in Lewis's career, demonstrating his evolution from comedy performer to auteur filmmaker. Any promotional material from this film, particularly rare items like handpainted theatre signs from Australian cinemas, represents an important piece of cinema history from the golden age of Hollywood comedy.
To find out more about The Nutty Professor (1963) 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.