Motion Picture Magazine


Motion Picture was an American monthly fan magazine about film, published from 1911 to 1977. It was later published by Macfadden Publications.

History and profile

The magazine was established by Vitagraph Studios co-founder J. Stuart Blackton and partner Eugene V. Brewster under the title The Motion Picture Story Magazine. In contrast to earlier film magazines such as The Moving Picture World, which were aimed at film exhibitors, The Motion Picture Story Magazine was aimed at regular film goers. It has been regarded as the first fan magazine.
The magazine was very successful from its inception, with an initial run of 50,000 copies and a circulation of 200,000 by 1914. Writers were amazed at the outset to receive their checks for contributions almost immediately on acceptance, a policy on the part of Brewster that was effective in quickly inducing the highest grade fiction authors to become affiliated with the publication. Contributors included Rex Beach, Will Carleton and Horatio C. King.
The magazine's most successful column was entitled "The Answer Man" that answered readers' questions about the film world. This was an innovation, the first of its kind in journalism.
In 1914, it was renamed Motion Picture Magazine. Early editions included fiction and information on how to get involved in film production. The magazine shifted to a focus on celebrities and attracted a larger female readership. In 1919, the circulation jumped from 248,845 to 400,000.
Its sister publication Motion Picture Classic, which was started as its supplement, was published monthly from September 1915 to March 1931. In 1941, Motion Picture Magazine merged with Hollywood and Screen Life and continued to be published for almost four more decades, ending its run in 1977.