Crystal Balls in Film
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Crystal Balls in Film
My entwined interests in folk magic, divination, and popular culture form the cutest braids when it comes to depictions of crystal gazing in film, art, and photography. The hokiness of the props, the inadvertently multicultural set decorations, the exotic costumes, the random weirdness of it all ... i can't explain it, but crystal balls in films are ridiculous, fun, and charming. They always make me smile. So, for no particular reason, here is the beginning of an annotated set of publicity stills, lobby cards, and posters featuring crystal balls in the movies!
The films are listed by year of release in order to provide a culturally informative contect for how Hollywood has viewed crystal balls through the decades. This is but one of several pages, and when they are all released and compiled on one public page, the full range of crystallomantic cinema will be revealed.
1932: "Business and Pleasure," starring Will Rogers, Joel McCrea, and Boris Karloff. Will Rogers with a crystal ball and Jetta Goudal as Madame Momora.
Black and white publicity still.
Genre: Comedy.
1932: "Business and Pleasure," starring Will Rogers, Joel McCrea, and Boris Karloff. Will Rogers with a crystal ball and Peggy Ross as Olivia Tinker.
Black and white publicity still.
Genre: Comedy.
1933: "The Mind Reader," starring Warren William and Constance Cummings.
Colour poster.
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama.
1933: "The Mind Reader," starring Warren William and Constance Cummings.
Colour Lobby Card.
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama.
The Mind Reader 1933; Loretta Andrews, Ruthelma Stevens, Warren William, Constance Cummings, and Mayo Methot.
Black and white lobby card.
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama.
1933: "The Mind Reader," starring Warren William. Warren William with a crystal ball.
Black and white lobby card.
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama.
1933: "The Mind Reader," starring Warren William and Constance Cummings.
Colour Lobby Card.
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama.
1933: "The Mind Reader," starring Warren William and Constance Cummings.
Colour Lobby Card.
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama.
1936: Red Lights Ahead," starring Andy Clyde and featuring Ann Doran with a crystal ball.
Colour poster.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family.
1936: Red Lights Ahead," starring Andy Clyde. Paula Stone and Ann Doran with a crystal ball.
Black and white lobby card.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family.
1936: Red Lights Ahead," starring Andy Clyde. Ann Doran with a crystal ball in the dark.
Black and white lobby card.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family.
1936: Red Lights Ahead," starring Andy Clyde. Addison Randall and Ann Doran with a crystal ball.
Black and white lobby card.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family.
1943: "The Crystal Ball," starring Ray Milland and Paulette Goddard.
Colour poster.
Genre: Comedy, Music, Mystery.
1943: "The Crystal Ball," with Paulette Goddard.
Black and white publicity still.
Genre: Comedy, Music, Mystery.
1943: "The Crystal Ball," starring Ray Milland and Paulette Goddard. Virginia Field consults crystal gazer Paulette Goddard.
Colour lobby card
Genre: Comedy, Music, Mystery.
1943: "The Crystal Ball," Paulette Goddard and Ray Milland.
Black and white publicity still.
Genre: Comedy, Music, Mystery.
1945" "Her Lucky Night," starring the Andrews Sisters, Martha O'Driscoll, and Noah Beery, Jr. Here Martha O'Driscoll gets her fortune told by a crystal gazer.
Black and white lobby card.
Genre: Comedy, Music, Musical.
1948: "The Amazing Mr. X," also released as "The Spiritualist," starring Turhan Bey as the lead character, with Lynn Bari and Cathy O'Donnell.
Colour poster.
Genre: Thriller.
1948: "The Amazing Mr. X," also released as "The Spiritualist," starring Turhan Bey as the lead character, with Lynn Bari and Cathy O'Donnell.
Blue duo-tone poster.
Genre: Thriller.
1948: "The Spiritualist," an alternate title for "The Amazing Mr. X," starring Turhan Bey as the lead character, with Lynn Bari and Cathy O'Donnell.
Colour poster.
Genre: Thriller.
1948: "The Amazing Mr. X," an unusual photo shot from beneath the table of a Spiritualist seance with a crystal ball.
Black and white publicity still
Genre: Thriller.
1964–1972: A publicity still for the ABC network's "Bewitched" television series featuring Marion Lorne as Aunt Clara, holding a crystal ball.
Colour publicity still.
Genre: Situation Comedy.
See Also
Lovely Ladies and Their Little Balls
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Thank you.
catherine yronwode
curator, historian, and docent
Your Wate and Fate
Special thanks to my dear husband and creative partner nagasiva yronwode for illustrations, scans, and clean-ups.