Published by
Random House, Inc., American, founded 1925
Produced by
Freiman, Ray
Subject of
Dandridge, Dorothy, American, 1922 - 1965
Poitier, Sidney, Bahamian American, 1927 - 2022
Davis, Sammy Jr., American, 1925 - 1990
Bailey, Pearl, American, 1918 - 1990
Carroll, Diahann, American, 1935 - 2019
Peters, Brock, American, 1927 - 2005
Samuel Goldwyn, Inc, American, founded 1923
Rock Rest Tourist Home, American, 1948 - 1976
Owned by
Sinclair, Clayton, American
Sinclair, Hazel, American
Date
1959
Medium
ink on paper (fiber product) with laminated plastic on paperboard
Dimensions
H x W x D: 12 1/4 × 8 9/16 × 3/8 in. (31.1 × 21.7 × 0.9 cm)
Description
A full color, hardcover book for the motion picture adaptation of the play Porgy and Bess by Ira and George Gershwin. The film adaptation, produced by Samuel Goldwyn, in 1959 starred Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Sammy Davis Jr., Pearl Bailey, Diahnn Carroll and Brock Peters. The front and back covers are paperboard covered with laminated plastic. The front cover features a large, color still from the film of the two lead actors, Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge, who play Porgy and Bess. Poitier, who wears an off white collared shirt and brown pants, is kneeling in a doorway next to Dandridge. Dandridge is depicted looking at Poitier and is holding a wooden bucket with a rope handle with both hands. At the top of the front cover is the book title printed in orange, blue, and white text of varying sizes and fonts that reads [THE / Samuel Goldwyn / MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION OF / PORGY / and / BESS]. The publisher’s information is centered along the bottom edge of the front cover in black text that reads [A RANDOM HOUSE BOOK]. Blue and orange text printed on the spine reads [The Samuel Goldwyn motion picture production of PORGY AND BESS. The name of the publisher, [Random House], is printed in blue text on the bottom of the spine. The back cover features a color photograph of Pearl Bailey as Maria. Bailey is depicted in three quarters bust pose turned towards the right edge of the book. She wears a white, high collared, lace dress, a red bead, double strand necklace, and a straw hat embellished with pink flowers and white tulle. The front pastedown page features a large color photograph of Samuel Goldwyn above a white block with six paragraphs of black text and a reproduction of Samuel Goldwyn's signature. The front fly paper page is orange and features nine black-and-white filmstill photographs of other films. The interior pages of the book are white, glossy pages with black text, color photographs, black-and-white photographs. The book is 34 pages.
Place collected
Kittery, York County, Maine, United States, North and Central America
Place printed
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Collection title
The Rock Rest Tourist Home Collection
Classification
Books and Published Materials
Type
hardcover books
Topic
Actors
American South
Black Enterprise
Black interiors
Film
Hollywood (Film)
Segregation
Travel
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail, Inc.
Object number
2011.12.52.3
Restrictions & Rights
© George Gershwin Estate
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5d65958e5-16de-4ee4-bc24-5127715e7a14

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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