| The picture below shows a larger view of these (2) Unused ©1955 Tarantula Monster Movie Ad Mat Molds. There is a third one as a bonus because part of it was used for advertising. The ad mats are not dated but they are from the 1955 movie. These are molds in which lead is poured to create a thin metal negative image that is then mounted on a wooden block for printing. Advertising is no longer being made or printed like this. The ad mats are like miniature 3-D posters and would look nice framed, or you could still use them and make print blocks from them. The print block would have been used to print on movie pages in newspapers, in magazines, or in the movie theater programs. It is made of a thick compressed paper board. All three of these have movie scene images. One is of the giant Tarantula tearing up a city. There are buildings falling and people running for their lives. The admats are marked as follows: (left partial)
MONSTER SPIDER
TARANTULA!
BIGGER EVERY SECOND!
...CAN ALL MANKIND ESCAPE THE VENOMED TERROR?
STARRING JOHN AGAR – MARA CORDAY – LEO G. CARROLL
THEATRE MAT NO. 106 (top right)
''TARANTULA''
(1-C)
MONSTER SPIDER 100 FEET HIGH!
TARANTULA!
STARRING JOHN AGAR – MARA CORDAY – LEO G. CARROLL
A UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL PICTURE
UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL (logo)
MAT NO. 104
AD MAT NO. 104 - 1 COL. x 3-3/4'' - 52 LINESThese ad mats together measure about 5-1/8'' x 7-7/8''. The two on the right appear to be in mint unused condition. The left one is a bonus because it is not complete. Below here, for reference, is a cast list from the 1955 movie: Cast John Agar - Dr. Matt Hastings
Mara Corday - Stephanie 'Steve' Clayton
Leo G. Carroll - Professor Gerald Deemer
Nestor Paiva - Sheriff Jack Andrews
Ross Elliott - Joe Burch
Edwin Rand - Lt. John Nolan
Raymond Bailey - Townsend
Hank Patterson - Josh
Bert Holland - Barney Russell
Steve Darrell - Andy Andersen
Dee Carroll - Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Edgar Dearing - Second Tramp (uncredited)
Don Dillaway - Jim Bagny (uncredited)
Clint Eastwood - Jet Squadron Leader (uncredited)
Jane Howard - Coed Secretary (uncredited)
James Hyland - Trooper Grayson (uncredited)
Tom London - Jeff (1st Tramp) (uncredited)
Bob Nelson - State Trooper (uncredited)
Eddie Parker - Paul Lund / Eric Jacobs (uncredited)
Ray Quinn - State Trooper (uncredited)
Vernon Rich - Ridley (uncredited)
Bing Russell - Deputy (uncredited)
Robert R. Stephenson - Warehouseman (uncredited)
Jack Stoney - Helper (uncredited)
Stuart Wade - Maj. Vernon (scenes deleted) (uncredited)
Billy Wayne - Murphy (uncredited)
Rusty Wescoatt - Driver (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe - Bus Driver (uncredited) | 
