Beaches, Creatures & Cowboys: Florida’s Movie Posters Exhibit

Lights, camera, action! In the early days of movie making, Florida sunshine lit the sets for many movies, while the palm trees and beaches provided a beautiful backdrop. Movie producers have been making films in Florida almost since the dawn of the industry. For a short time in the early 20th century, Florida even rivaled California as a place for movie making. However, a lack of government support, money, and studio facilities hurt the industry here, and movie companies soon began leaving the area.

Even after most studios had gone to the West Coast, many films still included scenes shot in Florida. Tarzan swung through the Florida jungles, swimming champion turned actress Esther Williams frolicked on the beaches, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon lurked in the state’s dark and mysterious springs.

Colorful, eye-catching posters advertised films and drew people to the movies. Often, several movie posters, each with a different image, promoted one film. The movie’s marketers designed each image to appeal to a specific audience. Depending on the film, a poster might display a dramatic, heroic, romantic, or funny scene.

The posters and lobby cards on display here depict some of Florida’s most famous films from the early 1920s to the present. They are all part of the Museum of Florida History’s permanent collection of Florida movie memorabilia.

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