Harry Potter Stamps

[j***@gmail.com]

I've been buying the Harry Potter stamps, because every once in a while it's fun to attach a picture of Harry Potter casting what's probably a dangerous spell, or a scowling picture of Snape to a letter to someone I don't particularly like - usually someone I have to send money to!

But I thought US stamps weren't allowed to feature pictures of anyone living, and most if not all of these actors are living. Is it allowed because they're playing characters? Kind of weird, because most of them just look like pictures of kids who go to a private school.

I remember there were people tying to get a stamp honoring Rod Serling issued. I thought it was a good idea, and feel he should have a stamp before all these stamps featuring living child actors.

Also, did the USPS have to license those images from the movie studio or whoever owns the rights to the images? That's kind of weird too, if the US government licensed Harry Potter images.

[Adam H. Kerman]

Post by j***@gmail.com
I've been buying the Harry Potter stamps, because every once in a while
it's fun to attach a picture of Harry Potter casting what's probably a
dangerous spell, or a scowling picture of Snape to a letter to someone I
don't particularly like - usually someone I have to send money to!
But I thought US stamps weren't allowed to feature pictures of anyone
living, and most if not all of these actors are living. Is it allowed
because they're playing characters? Kind of weird, because most of them
just look like pictures of kids who go to a private school.

The stamp depicts the character, not the actor.

Post by j***@gmail.com
I remember there were people tying to get a stamp honoring Rod Serling
issued. I thought it was a good idea, and feel he should have a stamp
before all these stamps featuring living child actors.
Also, did the USPS have to license those images from the movie studio or
whoever owns the rights to the images? That's kind of weird too, if the
US government licensed Harry Potter images.

They're licensed, yes.

[j***@gmail.com]

Post by Adam H. Kerman
The stamp depicts the character, not the actor.

So they could theoretically print a US postage stamp of ANY actor if the image was of them acting. They could issue a Donald Trump stamp now, with a photo of Donald Trump in one of his TV shows. Maybe a better example is they could have printed a Ronald Reagan stamp when Reagan was still alive, if the photo was from one of his movies.

Post by Adam H. Kerman
They're licensed, yes.

I'd be interested to know how they chose to honor the Harry Potter characters this way. It just seems a strange choice. Not unprecedented, I know they've issues Star Wars stamps, and some other movie related ones.

[Adam H. Kerman]

Post by j***@gmail.com

Post by Adam H. Kerman
The stamp depicts the character, not the actor.

So they could theoretically print a US postage stamp of ANY actor if the
image was of them acting.

You're going out of your way to misunderstand what I told you. It's
against the law to portray a living actor, period, even an actor in costume.
The stamp would depict Harry Potter, not Daniel Radcliffe in character as
Harry Potter. Obviously, Radcliffe was made up to resemble the character
as described in the novels and as illustrated, not the other way 'round.

Post by j***@gmail.com
They could issue a Donald Trump stamp now, with a photo of Donald Trump
in one of his TV shows. Maybe a better example is they could have printed
a Ronald Reagan stamp when Reagan was still alive, if the photo was from
one of his movies.

Donald Trump isn't an actor playing a character, so obviously not.

Post by j***@gmail.com

Post by Adam H. Kerman
They're licensed, yes.

I'd be interested to know how they chose to honor the Harry Potter
characters this way. It just seems a strange choice. Not unprecedented,
I know they've issues Star Wars stamps, and some other movie related
ones.

Somebody high up in marketing thinks they'll sell. I have no idea if
they do any testing; it seems unlikely. They paid a fortune to license
The Simpsons a couple of years ago and got stuck with an enormous print
run. This Christmas, they've been pushing Charlie Brown characters.

[j***@gmail.com]

Let's say there was a single stamp issued that was a close up of William Shatner's face. How would anyone know if it was a William Shatner stamp or a Star Trek stamp? It could also be a TJ Hooker stamp. It just seems weird to cross that line. Look, it's an Alan Rickman stamp! They don't say Harry Potter anywhere on them.

Post by Adam H. Kerman

Post by j***@gmail.com

Post by Adam H. Kerman
The stamp depicts the character, not the actor.

So they could theoretically print a US postage stamp of ANY actor if the
image was of them acting.

You're going out of your way to misunderstand what I told you. It's
against the law to portray a living actor, period, even an actor in costume.
The stamp would depict Harry Potter, not Daniel Radcliffe in character as
Harry Potter. Obviously, Radcliffe was made up to resemble the character
as described in the novels and as illustrated, not the other way 'round.

Post by j***@gmail.com
They could issue a Donald Trump stamp now, with a photo of Donald Trump
in one of his TV shows. Maybe a better example is they could have printed
a Ronald Reagan stamp when Reagan was still alive, if the photo was from
one of his movies.

Donald Trump isn't an actor playing a character, so obviously not.

Post by j***@gmail.com

Post by Adam H. Kerman
They're licensed, yes.

I'd be interested to know how they chose to honor the Harry Potter
characters this way. It just seems a strange choice. Not unprecedented,
I know they've issues Star Wars stamps, and some other movie related
ones.

Somebody high up in marketing thinks they'll sell. I have no idea if
they do any testing; it seems unlikely. They paid a fortune to license
The Simpsons a couple of years ago and got stuck with an enormous print
run. This Christmas, they've been pushing Charlie Brown characters.