While my fellow author Jason Mattson was writing about Windom Earle’s playing cards, I took a closer look a the Miss Twin Peaks Contest flyer seen late in season two of Twin Peaks. As it turns out there are at least three variations of this flyer which I’ll explore in this All in the Details article.
FIRST APPEARANCE
The first time we see the flyer is during Episode 2017 as Norma Jennings is sorting the mail. Interestingly, we see the back of the flyer with the address to the Double R Diner:
Norma Jennings
c/o: Double R Diner
Twin Peaks, WA
The zip code and the return address are barely legible. I wonder if it is the same zip code used on the postcard from James Hurley – 55219.
In the script written by Barry Pullman for this scene, the flyer is mentioned:
INT. DINER
CUT TO:
OPEN ON Norma looking at a FLYER for the Miss Twin Peaks contest. She then carries it over to Shelly at the counter.Â
Norma doesn’t carry it over to Shelly in the broadcast version. Instead, she turns the flyer around again so we can see the Double R Diner address.
We get another look as Norma encourages Shelly to enter.
The flyer looks similar to this replica I picked up in the 1990s from Bruce Phillips, the Twin Peaks guy. The biggest difference is the log-themed border is not dark like the flyer in the episode
Brother Jerry Horne from Twin Peaks Archive shared the original flyer from his collection a few years ago.
WINDOM EARLE’S FLYER
The same flyer Norma is holding appears again in Windom Earle’s cabin during Episode 2018.
Windom uses the flyer to demonstrate to Leo what will happen to the individual crowned as Miss Twin Peaks. The scene from this episode written by Robert Engles and Harley Peyton refer to the flyer as a brochure in the script:
[Earle] picks up a brochure for the MISS TWIN PEAKS CONTEST.
EARLE
Miss Twin Peaks. What do you get if you win. AÂ dozen roses, a college scholarship, the accolades of your peers…
(picks up the queen without a face)
Oh and I know you got to die. A royal execution.Â
Oddly, when the scene cuts to a two-shot of Leo Johnson and Windom Earle, the faceless Queen of Hearts card and The Joker card are missing from the flyer. Most likely the close-up shots were captured at a different time.
MEDIUM-SIZED POSTER
Strangely, a medium-sized poster of the Miss Twin Peaks Contest flyer appears behind Regional Bureau Chief Gordon Cole when he speaks with Shelly Johnson at the Double R Diner in Episode 2018. It’s the only time we’ll see this sized poster at the Double R.
The poster is gone by the next episode when Special Agent Dale Cooper gets coffee and doughnuts from the Double R.
HAYWARD’S LETTERS
Later in Episode 2018, we see Donna Hayward sorting through her mail. There is a folded flyer, assuming it’s addressed to Donna included in the bunch. It appears to be the same as the one from Episode 2017.
ANNIE DISCOVERS THE FLYER
The same flyer Donna receives is seen again at the Double R Diner.
Annie Blackburn finds the flyer while cleaning dirty dishes. The script describes a slightly different flyer (note “Pageant” not “Contest”)
INT. DOUBLER DINER – DAY
The diner is quiet, nearly empty. Annie cleans the counter, pauses to retrieve a flyer. It reads: THE MISS TWIN PEAKS PAGEANT, our Twentieth Anniversary. Shelly steps into view, reads it over Annie’s shoulder.
The flyer will end up in the trash as Annie expresses disinterest in participating.
APPLICATION FLYER
So far we’ve seen the original flyer, the reproduction flyer from Bruce Phillips, and the medium-sized poster. For Episode 2019, Bobby Briggs introduces a new (and larger) flyer.
As Bobby unfolds the flyer, we catch a glimpse of the application portion. The script by Harley Peyton and Mark Frost mentions a “pamphlet.”
BOBBY
(pulling pamphlet from his jacket)
Check it out. Miss Twin Peaks. Once we get that crown on your head, the sky’s the limit.
He folds the flyer over the table so we can’t see details about the application.
But a few moments later, the flyer moves so we can see some details. It looks like it asks for the contestant’s name, address, age and something about wanting to enter the “Miss Twin Peaks Pageant.”
As Shelly gets back to work, we get one more look at the application flyer. This time the script calls it a “brochure”:
It’s an order, not a request. Bobby holds out the brochure. Shelly pauses, wounded by his attitude. He doesn’t care what she thinks. But Shelly takes the brochure nonetheless.
Once again, Brother Jer to the rescue. He shared the original application flyer which includes the prompt: “Give a brief explanation of what winning the Miss Twin Peaks Pageant means to you.”
BIG POSTER
Later in the episode, Ben Horne addresses the “Miss Twin Peaks Judging and Rules” committee at the Roadhouse. The scene opens with an oversized poster of the Miss Twin Peaks Contest flyer. I’m assuming this is the original from which the paper flyers were duplicated.
This poster has so many things going for it – a log frame, gold glitter, red font color and a full-color image of what I’m assuming is Miss Twin Peaks 1988.
Speaking of which, has anyone identified the model in the photo? I thought perhaps it could have been someone like Emily Fincher who played Louise Dombrowski, the Flashlight Dancing girl from Ben and Jerry Horne’s dreams.
This is yet another reason why I love the Twin Peaks community. Soon after I published this article, the amazing Dugpa came to the rescue. The model in the poster was Jula Bell who also played the vacuum girl at One Eyed Jacks in the David Lynch-directed Episode 2002.
Here’s another look at Jula Bell with Sherilyn Fenn and Don Amendolia from that episode.
According to her website, Jula Bell is an “American singer, bass player, autoharpist, writer, poet, and activist from Los Angeles, California . Â She is associated with the Los Angeles punk scene starting in the 1980s and is considered to be a forerunner of the Riot Grrrl movement of the 90s. She is also known for her work in film production with David Lynch (Twin Peaks), DEVO for Girl U Want (Tank Girl theme song), as well as numerous other commercials, videos, and TV soundtracks.”
When the camera reserves angles as Ben speaks with the committee, you can see the corner of the poster on the far right side of the screen.
MORE APPLICATION FLYERS
As Ben leaves the Roadhouse, he stops by a table to say “hello” to his assistant Bobby. On the table, you can see some of the application flyers.
Here’s another look at the application flyer that Shelly and Donna are completing.
ENTER NADINE BUTLER
Enter Nadine and Mike who are greeted by a familiar-looking lady. She will appear as the pie-eating patron whose hand starts shaking at the Double R Diner in the next episode. She needs an entire article as she makes several more appearances throughout the season.
Nadine sits at the same table as Shelly and Donna while she completes are application.
A wide angle shot which shows flyers on multiple tables at The Roadhouse.
A wink to Mike Nelson from Nadine as she continues filing out her form.
LUCY’S FLYER
In Episode 2020, Lucy Moran discusses entering the Miss Twin Peaks Contest. She hands flyer to Deputy Andy Brennan.
As Andy reviews the flyer, we get an interesting clue about the flyer with the dark frame. I wonder if it was filled in with marker to make it appear more on screen. It seems like marker is bleeding through the white paper.
Two alternate angles of the flyer resting on Andy’s pink boxes of doughnuts.
POSTER APPEARS AGAIN
When Mayor Milford visits Lana Budding at The Roadhouse in Episode 2020, we briefly see the poster being placed on an easel. This gives an approximate size for the poster (in case anyone wants to recreate it one day).
LEO CLEANING
The original dark frame flyer reappears at Windom Earle’s cabin. We see it as Leo Johnson is cleaning an area along the wall.
The camera passes over the flyer attached to the wall next to Windom Earle’s playing cards.
As Leo shocks himself, the flyer is seen hanging in the background.
BACK TO THE DOUBLE R
Let’s return one more time to the Double R Diner where the original application is found on a counter.
Cooper helps Annie crumple up the flyer as he surprises her with a visit.
FINAL APPEARANCE
The final appearance of the original flyer is seen inside Windom Earle’s cabin in Episode 2021.
The Miss Twin Peaks 20th Anniversary font at the Roadhouse set uses a different font compared to the flyer (serif versus sans serif).
Maybe one day we’ll learn who designed the flyer or that spectacular stage background.
