Collector’s Corner: Collecting Stanwyck

Back in November, I introducted a subcategory of Collector’s Corner called Star Collections. In this series I share all of the films, books, and magazines I own featuring a particular classic film star. The series started with Cary Grant, so it’s only appropriate that the second installment feature my favorite actress: Barbara Stanwyck!

Stanwyck Books & Mags

As I browsed my shelves, this surprised me as much as it’ll surprise you: I don’t actually own a single Stanwyck book, or vintage magazine cover! I’ve done a fair bit of reading about Stanwyck, but always from the library, and in all of my years of collecting mags, I have yet to come across a Stanwyck cover. I guess it would be pretty easy to pick a few up online, but I do most of my magazine hunting in person, at my favorite antique shops. (The hunt is half the fun!)

There are several Stanwyck books I plan to buy, including the massive A Life of Barbara Stanwyck: Steel-True, 1907 – 1940 by Victoria Wilson, and Jerry Vermilye’s Barbara Stanwyck (a part of the Pyramid Illustrated History of the Movies series, which I collect).

Owned Stanwyck Films

Here are all of the Stanwyck films I own, listed alphabetically! There are 32 films and one television miniseries, in total. (I’ve also noted which titles are owned in boxed sets, for those of you who may be interested in purchasing said sets for your own collections.)

• All I Desire (1953)
  • Appears in the TCM Showcase series Stanwyck collection
  • Also appears in the Universal Backlot series Stanwyck collection
• Always Goodbye (1938)
• Ball of Fire (1941)
• Blowing Wild (1953)
• The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1932)
  • Appears in Frank Capra: The Early Collection boxed set
• The Bride Wore Boots (1945)
  • Appears in the Universal Backlot series Stanwyck collection
• California (1947)
  • Appears in Classic Western Round-Up Vol. 2
• Cattle Queen of Montana (1954)
• Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
  • Appears in 4 Film Favorites: Classic Holiday Collection, Vol. 1
• Double Indemnity (1944)
  • Appears in the TCM Showcase series Stanwyck collection
• Escape to Burma (1955)
  • Double feature DVD with a non-Stany film, Appointment in Honduras
• The File on Thelma Jordon (1950)
• Flesh and Fantasy (1943)
• Forbidden (1932)
  • Appears in Frank Capra: The Early Collection boxed set
• The Furies (1950)
  • Criterion edition includes a copy of the novel
• Golden Boy (1939)
• The Great Man’s Lady (1942)
  • Appears in the Universal Backlot series Stanwyck collection
• Internes Can’t Take Money (1937)
  • Appears in the Universal Backlot series Stanwyck collection
• Ladies of Leisure (1930)
  • Appears in Frank Capra: The Early Collection boxed set
• The Lady Eve (1941)
  • Appears in the TCM Showcase series Stanwyck collection
• The Lady Gambles (1949)
  • Appears in the Universal Backlot series Stanwyck collection
• Meet John Doe (1941)
• A Message to Garcia (1936)
• The Miracle Woman (1931)
  • Appears in Frank Capra: The Early Collection boxed set
• The Night Walker (1964)
  • Double feature DVD with the non-Stanwyck film Dark Intruder
• No Man of Her Own (1950)
• The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)
  • Appears in Mill Creek’s 50 Dark Crimes boxed set
  • Also appears in a three-actor spotlight set called Tough Guys
• There’s Always Tomorrow (1956)
  • Appears in the TCM Showcase series Stanwyck collection
  • Also appears in the Universal Backlot series Stanwyck collection
• The Thorn Birds (miniseries, 1983)
• Titanic (1953)
• Union Pacific (1939)
• Variety Girl (1947)
• You Belong to Me (1941)

Most-Wanted: Stanwyck films on my DVD wishlist!

I purchased many Stanwyck films during the course of the Stanwyck Filmography Project, but I still own less than half of her big-screen roles! Naturally, I’d love to own the entire filmography, but here are a handful of films topping my DVD wishlist (again, listed alphabetically).

• Ever In My Heart (1933)
• Forty Guns (1957)
• The Mad Miss Manton (1938)
• Night Nurse (1931)
• Sorry, Wrong Number (1948)
• Stella Dallas (1937)

And that’s it for this edition of Collector’s Corner! Feel free to share your own Stanwyck collections, and any other stars you’d like to see me cover in this series, in the comments!