Screenshot from the trailer for Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 North by Northwest. The words “Every Staggering Sight and Sound is REAL” are emblazoned over the image of a burning tanker truck with a man (Cary Grant, or his stunt double) lying on the ground in front of it.
1 July 2022
A video advertisement for a movie is known as a trailer. While trailers are often watched on the internet nowadays, perhaps the most common place for prospective audiences to see them is in theaters prior to the start of another movie. But if they are shown before the feature film, why are they called trailers?
The name comes from the fact that originally such advertisements were attached at the end of the final reel of a movie by the distribution company and shipped out to theaters. The feature film often came packaged with other material: a short film, often animated; newsreels; and trailers. Until the 1970s movies were usually shown continuously in theaters, from matinee to the final showing of the day. People would often be seated in the theater before the previous showing of the feature had finished and would then watch the entire package, often through multiple showings at the price of one ticket; where the trailer appeared in the sequence didn’t really matter. But when management began the practice of clearing the theater after each showing, the advertisements were moved to the beginning to ensure they were seen by more people.
This review of an Italian serial starring Bartolomeo Pagano, a.k.a. “Maciste,” which appeared in North Carolina’s Charlotte Observer on 2 May 1919, shows the position trailers took in the packaged sequence of films:
It bristles with action, satisfies with its thrills, stunts and startling situations, supplies many a laugh when bes[t] needed; there is romance and mystery aplenty and “Maciste” is at his best from main title to trailer.
(Language was less of a barrier to international film distribution in the silent era. Hence, European films were widely shown in America in the early days of film.)
Originally, trailers did not necessarily advertise other movies. They were often other types of advertisements or public-service announcements. The earliest printed use of trailer that I have found is in Portland’s Oregonian of 20 February 1916 in reference to an ad placed by the production company decrying government efforts to censor films:
“Free speech, free press and a free stage always have been ideals of the American people,” reads a trailer attached to all Balboa films. “Then why not a free screen? Our Constitution’s most sacred guarantee is freedom of expression. When censorship or any form of it is legalized here, then will begin the end of our democracy.” This statement is intended to present the whole censorship controversy to motion picture spectators in its true light. If it is established, the spectators will suffer more than the producers. Hence, the associated picture makers have decided to put the issue up squarely to the people in this manner. It is for them to say if they want their amusements censored or not.
And a few months later, this little poem was printed in a number of newspapers. This particular instance is from Omaha’s World-Herald of 7 May 1916:
Our Movie Mother Goose.
Sing a song of Filmland,
A close-up and a trailer.
For and twenty extra men
Chase the “goil” and nail her!
The hero in a sport shirt
Counts his weekly money,
While half a dozen roustabouts
Endeavor to be funny!
A trailer could also be a notice that a government board of censors had approved the film. (I’ve never seen one on an American film, but one often sees such notices on older British films.) But the effectiveness of such notices was questionable, as this piece from the 24 January 1917 Kansas City Times indicates:
“The trailer on the end of a film, showing it has been passed by some board of censorship, means nothing,” McClure said. “Operators think it is a good joke on the public to take the trailer from an authorized film and tack it on to one that is obscene. We have complaints of this practice continually,” He is opposed to the “trailer” for this reason.
During WWI, trailers were used as military recruiting ads, as this mention in the 31 March 1917 Oregonian shows:
It was further voted to ask all the manufacturing companies to attach a trailer to one or all of the films which are issued during that week, reading substantially like this:
“Your country needs you now!
“The United States Naval Reserve force is in need of men from all trades and professions to enroll at once to guard our coasts. Service for war time only.”
An early reference to a trailer advertising another film is from Pennsylvania’s Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader of 2 November 1922 for a film that was shot locally:
Moving pictures of the city’s various departments were taken by J. T. Jennings today. The scenes are to be used as a “trailer” for advertising the movie, “In the Name of the Law.” The film taken locally embraces the detective, police and councilmanic departments, the chief of police, mayor, chiefs of police convention and the police court reporters. The “trailer” is to be shown at Poll’s Theatre on Monday.
And two weeks later, there is this in the 14 November 1922 Oregonian:
It is remarkable to hear an advertisement receive applause. But such is the case at the Liberty theater, where a “trailer” advertising the coming attraction, “Brawn of the North” is being shown. Strongheart, the dog, is the central figure in this film, and the moment he puts his nose in the picture is a signal for enthusiastic approval from the audience.
In all likelihood, trailers advertising other films were well established by 1922, but these two are the earliest instances of the term being used in this specific sense that I have found to date.
Sources:
“At Showhouses.” Charlotte Observer (North Carolina), 2 May 1919, 17. Readex: America’s Historical Newspapers.
“Breezy Gossip of the Photoplay Favorites.” World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska), 7 May 1916, 44. Readex: America’s Historical Newspapers.
“City Officials Take Part in ‘Movies.’” Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader (Pennsylvania), 2 November 1922, 23. Readex: America’s Historical Newspapers.
“Close in on ‘Wildcat’ Films.” Kansas City Times (Missouri), 24 January 1917, 3. Readex: America’s Historical Newspapers. [The metadata for this paper and issue is suspect. The banner at the top of the page is illegible in the digital scan. From other articles on the page, it is clear the date is indeed 24 January 1917, but the page number and whether this is the daily Kansas City Times or the weekly Kansas City Star of the same date is unclear. The pages of the two papers are intermingled in the database.]
“Moving Picture News.” Oregonian (Portland, Oregon), 31 March 1917, 9. Readex: America’s Historical Newspapers.
“Moving Picture News.” Oregonian (Portland, Oregon), 14 November 1922, 16. Readex: America’s Historical Newspapers.
Oxford English Dictionary, second edition, 1989, s.v. trailer, n.
“Screen Gossip.” Oregonian (Portland, Oregon), 20 February 1916, 7. Readex: America’s Historical Newspapers.
Photo credit: Metro Goldwyn Mayer, 1959. Public domain image as the copyright to the film’s trailer was not renewed.