The points of issue
Stated First Printing on the copyright page; the published screenplay subtitled A Play for the Screen, with an introduction by director Elia Kazan, 172 pages, dust jacket illustrated by Bill Hofmann. Based on Schulberg's story 'Your Arkansas Traveler.'
Is this the true first?
US Random House first; this is the published screen-play text, not a story collection.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints drop the First Printing statement from the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Face in the Crowd (screenplay/book) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Stated First Printing on the copyright page; the published screenplay subtitled A Play for the Screen, with an introduction by director Elia Kazan, 172 pages, dust jacket illustrated by Bill Hofmann. Based on Schulberg's story 'Your Arkansas Traveler.'
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Random House first; this is the published screen-play text, not a story collection.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Reprints drop the First Printing statement from the copyright page.
I have a first edition of A Face in the Crowd (screenplay/book) — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.