Earl Hays Press
| Industry | Printing Cinema props |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1915 |
| Founder | Earl Hays |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles |
The Earl Hays Press, headquartered in Los Angeles, is a supplier of props tailored for film and television productions. Established in 1915 by Earl Hays, the company changed ownership during the 1960s when long-time employee Ralph Hernandez Senior purchased it; the business remains under the stewardship of the Hernandez family. Specializing in the creation of generic printed materials—including food packaging, documents, and advertisements—the firm avoids legal complications related to trademarked brands. Among its well-known items are generic newspapers—one particular layout has been featured across hundreds of movies and TV shows—as well as the fictional "Morley" cigarette packs inspired by the Marlboro brand, along with replica currency.
History
The company was founded by Earl Hays in 1915 to cater specifically to the Hollywood film sector.[1] Drawing inspiration from drawings of international vehicle license plate designs, Hays devised a business centered on producing generic printed props.[2] By 1944, the enterprise employed a press writer alongside four printers dedicated to creating newspapers, magazines, and various printed items for studio use.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Ralph Hernandez Senior joined the firm in 1964 and completed his acquisition by the end of that decade.[2][1] The press is located in proximity to Hollywood Burbank Airport.[2] As of 2023, leadership has passed to Keith Hernandez, grandson of Ralph Hernandez Senior.[2][1] The 2023 Writers Guild of America strike had a significant effect on business operations, causing active projects to drop from approximately 100 to just a few. To alleviate financial pressures and prevent layoffs, Hernandez conducted an auction of historic rental inventory.[1]
Products
Earl Hays Press focuses on "insert printing," crafting realistic printed materials such as food and beverage packaging, menus, magazines, currency replicas, documents, credit cards, DVD and record sleeves, comic books, and advertisements. The company provides non-licensed alternatives for productions unable or unwilling to secure rights for real products. Authenticity is preserved through maintenance of vintage printing presses. Their inventory includes US and international license plate designs, totaling around 25,000 unique items.
A prominent offering is newspapers customized to fit specific eras and settings, available in numerous titles and formats ranging from financial dailies to local news sheets. Headlines can be tailored to suit storylines, while article content generally consists of generic text and imagery. One frequently used layout bearing the headline "She's 3rd Brightest But Hard Gal To See" has appeared in hundreds of film and television productions since the 1970s. Earl Hays Press newspapers have been featured in series such as Desperate Housewives, Modern Family, Married with Children, Scrubs, as well as films like No Country for Old Men and Absolute Power.
The company also manufactures "Morley" cigarette packs—a fictional brand designed to resemble Marlboro—which have been prominently used by characters in shows like The X-Files, Friends, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. First introduced in the 1960 film Psycho, Morley packs have appeared in numerous other series including The Twilight Zone, The Walking Dead, and Burn Notice. Custom publications such as the faux adult magazine Playpen seen on Friends are also part of their product lineup.
In addition, Earl Hays Press produces counterfeit currency for use on screen that mimics US dollars but replaces official signatures with that of the graphic designer and repeats serial numbers. These designs receive approval from the US Secret Service to prevent confusion with genuine money. An incident occurred during the 1965 film The Cincinnati Kid when fake $100 bills were circulated by crew members in New Orleans bars; this led the Secret Service to mandate supervised destruction of all remaining notes and printing plates.