The Louise Brooks Society archive contains hundreds of examples of vintage newspaper and magazine advertisements, many of which promote Brooks’ films. These ads — gathered after spending thousands of hours combing through vintage publications — were found either on microfilm at a library, online in a digital archive, or in some surviving form of print. (You wouldn’t believe how many old newspaper pages are still floating around.)
Displayed here are just a few examples of advertisements for the 1929 motion picture, Tagebuch einer Verlorenen, or Diary of a Lost Girl. As with the film’s bibliography, much can be gleamed from the detail found in these pieces. They reveal not only where the picture was shown, but also the gist of a film’s ad campaign and which stars the studio or theater management thought important to feature. Other interesting details are also sometimes revealed, like the cost of admission, and whether or not any special promotion, musician or opening act accompanied the film. If there was a contest, the ads likely made mention of it. If the film played as part of double bill, we learn what films were paired.
Tagebuch einer Verlorenen, or Diary of a Lost Girl was known to have been exhibited about under other titles including: خاطرات روزانهی یك دخت گمشده (Arabic countries); Tres páginas de un diario (Argentina); Das Tagebuch einer Verlorenen (Austria); O diário de uma perdida (Brazil); Diário de uma mulher perdida (Brazil); Jornal de uma perdida (Brazil); Jornal de uma garota perdida (Brazil); Deník ztracené (Czechoslovakia); Diario de una perdida (Ecuador); Kadotetun päiväkirja (Finland); Journal d’une fille perdue (France); Trois pages d’un journal (France); ΤΟ ΗΜΕΡΟΛΟΓΙΟ ΜΙΑΣ ΠΑΡΑΣΤΡΑΤΗΜΕΝΗΣ (Greece); Egy perdita naplója (Hungary); Diario di una donna perduta (Italy); Diario di una perduta (Italy); Diario di una prostituta (Italy); Das Tagebuch einer Verfuhrten (Latvia); Kritušas dienasgramata (Latvia); Diario de una mujer perdida (Mexico); Diario de una muchacha perdida (Mexico); Dusze bez steru (Poland); Dziennik upadley dziewczyny (Poland); Pamiętnik upadłej (Poland); Jornal de Uma Perdida (Portugal); Jurnalul unei femei pierdute (Romania); Dnevnik izgubljenke (Slovenia); Tres páginas de un diario (Spain); Diari d’una perduda (Spain – Catalonia); En fallen flickas dagbok (Sweden); Trois Pages D’un Journal (Switzerland); Diary of a Lost Girl (United States); Tres páginas de un diario (Uruguay); Diario de una perdida (Uruguay); Дневник падшей (U.S.S.R.); Diario de una joven perdida (Venezuela).
[Help wanted: The LBS would like to acquire advertisements for this film from anywhere in Latin America, central Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or Asia. If you can help, please contact the LBS. ]
LEFT: This magazine ad — from a German trade publication, proclaims the film’s literary origins and record setting sales of more than 1,200,000 copies. The ad dates from September, 1929 – before the film opened in Berlin. It also notes the Pabst directed film would be distributed throughout the nation — in Berlin, Dresden, Hamburg, Münich and Cologne.
ABOVE: This French newspaper advertisement associates the film of Diary of a Lost Girl with the book by Margarete Böhme. The ad dates from 1930 and promotes the film’s appearance at the Rialto Theatre in Paris.
ABOVE: With the phrase “tire du roman” (“from the novel”), this French newspaper ad likewise associates the film with the book. The ad dates from 1930 and promotes the film’s appearance at the Colisee Theatre in Paris.
ABOVE: This newspaper advertisement from Geneva, Switzerland dates from December, 1930.
ABOVE: This newspaper advertisement from Latvia from 1931 promotes a showing of the film at the Victoria Theater.
ABOVE: This newspaper advertisement from Warsaw, Poland dates from 1931. It promotes the premiere of Diary of a Lost Girl, which is here alternately titled Dusze Bez Steru. Also on the program was an early Mickey Mouse film.
ABOVE: This 1931 ad promotes the “big” premiere of Pamiętnik upadłej, as it was titled in Poland. Also showing at Warsaw’s Kino-Teatr Palace is the 1928 American film, Hot News, starring “charming, adorable and funny” Bebe Daniels.