MOVIES - April 27, 1988

The discovery of a treasure-trove of vintage movie posters in Provost, Alberta, Canada, has triggered a legal tug-of-war of epic proportions. The ownership battle centers on 2,000 mint-condition posters discovered under the projection booth in an old movie house. The cache is said to be worth as much as $500,000 to collectors. Among the booty: Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in “Casablanca,” Errol Flynn in “Captain Blood” and a “Snow White” poster. Royal owners Buck Gregory and Ted Larson say the posters are theirs. Tom Hutchinson, says the cache is his, since the owners agreed to sell him the theater’s contents for $1,500. Hutchinson wants the posters or $300,000 compensation. Meanwhile, former Royal manager Al Pelletier has been charged with possession of stolen property after he allegedly sold 1,500 of the posters for $70,000 to Calgary collector Sol Candel. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have seized the theater’s posters and those remaining with Candel (who wants his $70,000 back) until the matter is settled in court.