Posters and Ads

AMBERSONS’ INDUSTRY ANOUNCEMENT ADS

These advertisements are representative of ads that appear in Film Industry Trade Publications. They can appear prior, during and even after a film is completed and released. Intended for members of the film industry as well as exhibitors (Theaters) they are for the most part announcements.

The two ads below were, first, an announcement of the formal casting for THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS. Second, for Agnes Moorhead who had essentially a “bit” part in CITIZEN KANE, the ad makes it clear that in THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS she had been promoted to a leading player in a star part. Thus, this ad was an announcement that her “stock” was rising within the film industry and, in the future, she should be cast accordingly.

The Ad below was aimed at exhibitors. It announced that THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS, in addition to paid advertising, had many magazine articles written about it with these pieces appearing in major publications. For exhibitors this was very important as it meant that the film had been “pre-sold” to the public or, better put, there was a raised awareness of the film with its potential audience.

THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS POSTERS AND PRINT ADS

Following are the posters and ads designed for the General public. An indication of just how important and prestigious a production THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS was is that, prior to release and before those previews and re-cutting, Norman Rockwell was commissioned to do the illustrations for the poster. These illustrations consisted of portraits of the leading players. Then, using them, a master poster was created and variations of it utilized for different levels of release including magazine and newspaper ads. Below are scans of some of the original portraits as well the master poster and its variations. Eventually the Rockwell poster was discarded for a traditional posters and those are here as well as lobby cards – some with deleted scenes – used in theaters playing the film. In addition to foreign posters there are newspaper ads for the film playing at several theaters showing how these theaters chose to advertised the film. At the bottom of the page there is a sample of the AMBERSONS Press Book.