King Kong (1933 film)

King Kong is a landmark black-and-white 1933 Hollywood horror-adventure film about a gigantic prehistoric gorilla named Kong.

The film was made by RKO and was written originally for the screen by Ruth Rose, and James Ashmore Creelman from a concept by Merian C. Cooper (A major on-screen credit for Edgar Wallace, sharing story with Cooper, was unearned, as Wallace was taken ill soon after his arrival in Hollywood and died without writing a word, but Cooper had promised him a credit ). A novelization of the screenplay actually appeared before the film, in 1932, adapted by Delos W. Lovelace, and contains descriptions of scenes not in the movie.

The film was directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack and starred Bruce Cabot, Fay Wray, and Robert Armstrong. It is notable for Willis O'Brien's ground-breaking stop-motion animation work, Max Steiner's musical score, and actress Fay Wray's performance as the ape's improbable love interest. King Kong premiered in New York City on March 2, 1933.