Castle Films

Credits

Descriptions by
cartoonsfan and Eric S.

Captures by
thatvhstapeguy

Video captures courtesy of
Stu's Show.com, Michel Masse

Background

Castle Films was a home-movie distributor founded in California by former newsreel cameraman Eugene W. Castle (1897-1960) in 1924. The company originally produced business and advertising films. By 1931, it had moved its principal office to New York City. In 1937, Castle branched out into 8mm and 16mm home movies, buying newsreel footage and old theatrical films for home use. Castle's first home movie was a newsreel of the Hindenburg explosion. That same year, Castle launched his "News Parade" series, a year-in-review newsreel; travelogues followed in 1938. Castle also released sports films, animal adventures, and "old time" movies. (source: Wikipedia)

(1924-1976?)

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Logo: We see, in the middle of the screen, a castle pattern with the words "CASTLE FILMS" with "CASTLE" below "FILMS". Below are the white words "PRESENTS" in capital letters (or in cursive font). The pattern may or may not zoom in. The background is grey or sky (on black and white prints), water blue, orange or white (on color prints).

Closing title: We see the big words "The End" in either plain letters or in cursive font on the top-left corner. On the bottom-right corner is the Castle Films logo without "PRESENTS".

Variants:

• The castle pattern may be either light grey or black (on black and white prints), light brown, brown or light blue.
• Sometimes, "CASTLE" and "FILMS" appear near each other.
• On films copyrighted by United World Films, a copyright for that company appears below the end title.
• On Terrytoons cartoons, the pattern appears on the top of the screen, "THE END" in the middle and the Terrytoons logo on the bottom.
• On color cartoons, mainly the Lantz cartoons, a castle pattern is golden and the background is water blue.
• On the Lantz cartoons, the pattern appears on the top of the screen, "THE END" in the middle and the Walter Lantz logo on the bottom.

Technique: A zooming effect.

Music/Sounds: The intro of the respective film.

Availability: Extremely rare. Can be seen on old home video prints of Universal, Walter Lantz and Terrytoons films as well 8mm and 16mm films such as Howdy Doody Christmas. It is intact on Rifftrax riffs of their shorts as well. One of its last appearances was on a 1970's 7-minute digest reel of Psycho.