“Often in those early days because duping stocks weren’t very good the trailers would be made up of out-takes and whatever scraps were left around,” said Birchard. “So they weren’t necessarily the most exciting or even the best scenes of the film.”

It didn’t matter though, says Birchard. In those days most towns were lucky to have even one movie a week, so audiences weren’t picky.

As the industry grew, the trailer became a sort of post card from the set. Famous directors like Alfred Hitchcock, Cecil B. DeMille or Orson Welles would personally vouch for their latest work.