Movie / Production
Film: Diary of a Madman (1963)
Genre: Gothic Horror / Supernatural Horror / Psychological Horror
Director: Reginald Le Borg
Producer and Screenwriter: Robert E. Kent
Production Company: Admiral Pictures
Distributor: United Artists
Literary Source: Le Horla by Guy de Maupassant
Photograph / Identification
Featured Actor: Vincent Price
Character: Simon Cordier
Type: Original theatrical publicity photograph
Still Number: DM-4
Release Identification: 63/80
Format: Standard 8 × 10-inch publicity still
Actual Dimensions: Approximately 8⅛ × 10⅛ inches
Image: Black and white
Country of Origin: United States
Original / Reproduction: Original 1963 theatrical publicity material
Condition: Near Mint (NM)
Reverse: Blank, without visible stamps or handwritten notations
An outstanding original 1963 theatrical publicity photograph featuring Vincent Price as Simon Cordier in Diary of a Madman, the atmospheric supernatural horror film directed by Reginald Le Borg and distributed by United Artists.
This dramatic black-and-white still captures Price seated in a richly furnished nineteenth-century interior, wearing a formal waistcoat and neckcloth. His gaze is fixed toward something beyond the camera's view, while his rigid posture and troubled expression suggest a man deeply disturbed by an unsettling experience.
The composition is an excellent example of Price's ability to convey apprehension through controlled expression and body language. The contrast between the elegant surroundings and Cordier's visible unease gives the photograph a strong sense of psychological tension.
Unlike an ordinary publicity portrait, this image captures the actor in character, communicating both the period atmosphere and the emotional conflict central to the film.
The photograph retains its original printed studio identification border, including the production title, Vincent Price credit, United Artists information, individual still number DM-4, and separate release identification 63/80.
An appealing example of vintage horror-film publicity photography and an especially attractive piece for collectors of Vincent Price memorabilia.
Condition: Near Mint (NM)
This original photograph has been carefully examined and conservatively graded Near Mint.
No pinholes.
No tears.
No creases.
Clean overall appearance.
Original studio identification border remains intact.
Blank reverse without visible stamps or handwritten markings.
The original black-and-white image displays strong contrast and pleasing photographic detail.
Please examine the accompanying photographs of the front and reverse. They show the actual collectible offered for sale and form an important part of the condition description.
Vincent Price occupies a distinctive place in the history of American horror cinema. His performances combined theatrical sophistication, expressive delivery, and an exceptional ability to communicate fear, obsession, and psychological instability.
Although often associated with more flamboyant Gothic roles, Price was equally effective in scenes requiring restraint.
This photograph illustrates that quieter aspect of his screen persona.
Seated alone, dressed as a nineteenth-century gentleman, Price conveys uncertainty through his expression and posture. The image requires no monster, elaborate special effects, or overtly frightening action to suggest the character's growing distress.
For collectors who appreciate performance-oriented film photography, such images can be particularly rewarding because they preserve a recognizable moment of the actor's dramatic interpretation.
Original theatrical stills served an important role in promoting motion pictures to exhibitors, newspapers, and other publicity outlets.
They provided contemporary visual representations of performers, settings, and dramatic moments from a production.
This example is especially appealing because the original studio identification remains attached.
The photograph includes the individual still number DM-4 at the lower left of the image and a separate 63/80 release marking along the bottom border.
These markings help document its association with the original United Artists publicity campaign.
The release marking should not be interpreted as a limited-edition number or the quantity of photographs manufactured.
Unlike modern reproductions, this original photograph survives as a physical piece of the film's contemporary promotional history.
Diary of a Madman draws upon Le Horla, the celebrated supernatural tale by nineteenth-century French writer Guy de Maupassant.
Maupassant's story explores a deeply disturbing possibility: that an unseen intelligence might influence a person's thoughts, actions, and perception of reality.
Rather than presenting supernatural evil solely as a visible monster, the narrative creates uncertainty about the relationship between external supernatural forces and the human mind.
These ideas offered a particularly suitable foundation for a Gothic psychological horror film.
In the motion picture, Vincent Price portrays Simon Cordier, a respected French magistrate whose encounter with a condemned murderer leads to increasingly terrifying experiences involving a mysterious presence known as the Horla.
As Cordier attempts to understand the entity's influence, his confidence in his own judgment and control begins to deteriorate.
The resulting conflict between reason and the supernatural is central to the film's atmosphere.
The production was originally announced under the working title The Horla, directly acknowledging its literary inspiration.
According to documented production records, principal photography began on July 18, 1962, at Goldwyn Studios in West Hollywood, California.
Filming concluded on August 2, 1962.
The completed motion picture was subsequently released as Diary of a Madman, opening in Los Angeles on April 10, 1963, with a New York opening following on June 5.
These dates place the film within an especially productive period of Vincent Price's horror career, when his name had become strongly associated with sophisticated Gothic and supernatural entertainment.
Reginald Le Borg brought experience in atmospheric genre filmmaking to the production.
His earlier directing credits included The Black Sleep (1956) and Voodoo Island (1957), both representative of the continuing popularity of suspense and horror subjects during the 1950s.
For Diary of a Madman, Le Borg directed a screenplay written by producer Robert E. Kent.
Rather than depending exclusively on physical threats, the story gives considerable attention to the psychological consequences of a supernatural intrusion into everyday life.
The film's formal interiors, period costumes, and controlled dramatic compositions reinforce the contrast between Cordier's respectable social position and his growing internal torment.
The film's art direction was handled by Daniel Haller, whose work contributed to its richly furnished nineteenth-century setting.
Elaborate interiors, ornamental furnishings, and carefully arranged compositions establish a world of apparent refinement and stability.
That visual environment is significant because Cordier's experiences progressively undermine the safety and order represented by his surroundings.
This publicity still captures that contrast particularly well.
Price sits amid substantial period furnishings, yet his expression suggests profound unease.
The resulting image offers more than a conventional celebrity portrait: it preserves an example of how the production communicated its supernatural themes visually.
During the early 1960s, Price became especially closely associated with a series of Gothic films inspired by Edgar Allan Poe.
Diary of a Madman belongs to the same broad period of his career but draws from a different literary tradition.
Its connection with Maupassant provides an alternative exploration of fear, possession, and the instability of human perception.
The film therefore holds a particular place within Price's horror filmography, combining his recognizable screen personality with themes derived from French supernatural literature.
Original publicity photographs from the production are valuable reminders of how these films were presented to contemporary audiences and exhibitors.
A striking solo Vincent Price image: The photograph emphasizes the actor's dramatic expression and commanding screen presence.
Original 1963 publicity material: Produced for the film's contemporary theatrical promotion rather than as a later decorative reproduction.
Identifiable studio markings: Retains the original DM-4 still number, 63/80 release identification, and United Artists publicity border.
Literary and cinematic significance: Represents an adaptation of Guy de Maupassant's influential supernatural fiction.
Near Mint preservation: An especially attractive surviving photograph with no reported tears, pinholes, or creases.
Excellent display appeal: The dramatic black-and-white composition is well suited to a classic horror collection, Vincent Price display, or framed presentation of vintage Hollywood photography.
For the dedicated collector, this photograph preserves both an actor's memorable screen persona and a tangible piece of motion-picture publicity history.
At Loving Everything Nostalgic, we recognize that original vintage photographs require careful handling and protective packaging.
Your photograph will be:
Individually protected with an acid-free backing board.
Enclosed in a protective Mylar sleeve.
Securely packed in an appropriately sized rigid mailer.
Shipped with tracking.
Handling Time: Two business days.
Shipping: Calculated or specified separately at checkout.
Combined Shipping: Available for multiple purchases. When items can be shipped together safely, we consolidate packaging and refund excess shipping charges where applicable.
Our goal is to deliver vintage paper collectibles in the same carefully preserved condition in which they leave our collection.
Returns: We accept returns within 30 days.
Domestic Return Shipping: Paid by the seller.
Combined Purchases: We welcome multiple-item orders and provide combined shipping whenever practical.
Questions: Please contact us if you would like additional information about the photograph, its condition, or other memorabilia in our collection.
We strive to describe every original item accurately and provide clear photographs so buyers can purchase with confidence.
Loving Everything Nostalgic specializes in vintage entertainment memorabilia, historical ephemera, and collectible pieces that connect today's collectors with the films, performers, music, and popular culture of earlier generations.
Each item is individually examined, researched, and described with attention to authenticity, historical context, and physical condition.
The photograph pictured is the actual item you will receive.
Our approach is simple: present the fascination of the collectible, share the history that makes it meaningful, and provide the careful handling and service collectors deserve.
The Loving Everything Nostalgic Collector Confidence Standard — Carefully Researched. Conservatively Graded. Thoughtfully Preserved.
Diary of a Madman 1963, Vincent Price, Simon Cordier, DM-4, original movie still, vintage publicity photo, original 8x10 movie photograph, Gothic horror, supernatural horror, psychological horror, Guy de Maupassant, Le Horla, Reginald Le Borg, Robert E. Kent, United Artists, 1960s horror film memorabilia, classic horror movie collectible, vintage Hollywood photograph, Vincent Price memorabilia.