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THE BRIGHTEST YEARS OF CINEMA ADVERTISING

by William Gray

n the earliest years of cinema advertising,
Ione of the important features used to draw
public attention to the new variety of features
screening, or future coming attractions, was
the use of bill posters, located in all parts of
the city, suburbs and country areas.

Bill posters came in a variety of sizes, the
largest consisting of 23 sheets, commonly
used in prominent positions throughout the
cities and towns. They could be viewed on
highways, buildings, bridges and, best of all,
in city streets and subway railway stations
facing crowds waiting for public transport and
trains.

There were also posters consisting of six
sheets, three sheets, single sheet, and an
abundance of single items called daybills.
Because of the huge volume that cinemas
demanded, they could be purchased cheaply,
and could therefore be placed throughout all
areas located within a theatre’s proximity.

Expressed in today’s currency, a 24 sheet
poster was bought from the film exchange of
each company for $2.50, a six sheet for
90 cents, a three sheet for 45 cents and a one
sheet for 15 cents. Daybills sold for $2.00 per
100.

Daybills measured approximately 100 cm x
40 cm. During World War II, these were
reduced in size to 75 cm x 34 cm to conserve
paper for the war effort. Paramount alone
reduced their daybills to 30 cm wide.

In addition to the use of posters, there were
attractive lobby cards, glass slides and silk
banners. These were available for hire only. A
56 cm x 71 cm lobby card would cost 20 cents
per week, or 28 cm x 36 cm for 25 cents per
week. Black and white stills would cost
25 cents per week for a set of 8. Glass slides
were 15 cents per week. Additional items
were photogravure couriers for $1.50 a set of
1000. Three column advertising blocks were
30 cents per week, double column 20 cents per
week, and single column 10 cents per week.
Scene blocks would cost 20 cents per week
and, in some cases (e.g. Gone with the Wind)
silk banners were available, price on
application. Film trailers came under a
separate category to Feature hire, and were
booked separately.
As it was mandatory for all cinemas to screen
the national anthem either before or after each
session, copies of these could be purchased
outright from selected exchanges – Paramount
had one, and MGM another.
There were several printers in Sydney who
were assigned the task of printing the huge
volume of posters required. One of the
principal firms engaged was W E Smith
Limited, in Chippendale, Sydney.

20 CINEMARECORD # 95