The points of issue
The true first was published in France by J. J. Pauvert, Paris, in 1959 in French (as 'Hollywood Babylone'), in plain wraps with a photo-illustrated jacket. The first English-language US edition (Associated Professional Services, 1965) was suppressed and withdrawn; the first authorized US edition did not appear until Straight Arrow Books, 1975. Identify the genuine true first by the 1959 Paris Pauvert imprint and French text.
Is this the true first?
The 1959 Paris Pauvert edition is the true first. The 1965 unauthorized US edition was quickly suppressed, and the 1975 Straight Arrow edition is the first authorized US edition ('first US thus'). A genuine edition-precedence minefield.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue; the confusion is edition precedence. Most copies in the market are the 1975 Straight Arrow US edition, not the 1959 true first. Verify the Paris/Pauvert imprint and 1959 date for the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Hollywood Babylon a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The true first was published in France by J. J. Pauvert, Paris, in 1959 in French (as 'Hollywood Babylone'), in plain wraps with a photo-illustrated jacket. The first English-language US edition (Associated Professional Services, 1965) was suppressed and withdrawn; the first authorized US edition did not appear until Straight Arrow Books, 1975. Identify the genuine true first by the 1959 Paris Pauvert imprint and French text.
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. The 1959 Paris Pauvert edition is the true first. The 1965 unauthorized US edition was quickly suppressed, and the 1975 Straight Arrow edition is the first authorized US edition ('first US thus'). A genuine edition-precedence minefield.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue; the confusion is edition precedence. Most copies in the market are the 1975 Straight Arrow US edition, not the 1959 true first. Verify the Paris/Pauvert imprint and 1959 date for the first.
I have a first edition of Hollywood Babylon — 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.