The Earl Hays Press
The Earl Hays Press is a third-generation, family-owned Hollywood prop manufacturer founded in 1915. It produces printed props — newspapers, packaging, signage, IDs — for major film studios and streaming networks, anchored by a 25,000-item catalog.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1915
- HeadquartersSun Valley, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Earl Hays Press does
The Earl Hays Press is a Hollywood-based prop manufacturing company that produces printed inserts and physical props for the motion picture and television industry. Founded in 1915 by Earl Hays and currently in its third generation of family ownership, the company manufactures newspapers, magazines, books, license plates, driver's licenses, passports, credit cards, product packaging, and signage used as on-screen props. Operations run from a single facility in Sun Valley, California, employing 1-10 people.
The company's core capability combines modern digital printing with period-appropriate equipment, including platen presses still in regular use, enabling historically accurate prop production for any era. The business operates a dual model: a catalog business with over 25,000 pre-designed stock items available for quick fulfillment, and a custom design service where an in-house art department creates bespoke graphics and packaging from scratch or from client-provided files. Notable proprietary intellectual property includes the Morley Cigarettes brand, a fictional tobacco label created in the 1960s that has become a recurring prop across productions including The X-Files, Lost, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and The Twilight Zone.
Revenue is generated through one-off project sales to film studios and production companies, with pricing opaque and negotiated directly via email or phone. The customer base is concentrated in major Hollywood studios and streaming networks — Netflix, Disney, HBO, Warner Bros., Paramount, Amazon Studios, ABC, NBC, Marvel, Hulu, FX, and Legendary Entertainment. The company relies primarily on earned media coverage and brand recognition rather than active outbound marketing, and operates with no disclosed external funding, parent company, or institutional ownership.
The Earl Hays Press firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Earl Hays Press
- Legal name
- The Earl Hays Press
- Website
- https://theearlhayspress.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1915
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Earl Hays Press is a third-generation, family-owned Hollywood prop manufacturer founded in 1915. It produces printed props — newspapers, packaging, signage, IDs — for major film studios and streaming networks, anchored by a 25,000-item catalog.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Earl Hays Press industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Printed Prop Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Paper Manufacturing (322)
- SIC
- Papers & Allied Products (2600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Prop Storage, Warehousing & Asset Management (MPADAIAM)
Keywords
Where The Earl Hays Press is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sun Valley
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Earl Hays Press business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Prop Sales (Catalog): Sale of pre-designed stock printed items including newspapers, magazines, books, license plates, driver's licenses, passports, credit cards, product packaging, and signage. Products are available from an existing catalog of over 25,000 items.
- Custom Design and Printing: Custom design and printing services where the art department creates bespoke graphics and packaging based on client specifications for unique prop requirements.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
The Earl Hays Press product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Earl Hays Press manufactures and supplies printed props for film and television productions, offering a catalog of over 25,000 pre-designed stock items including newspapers, magazines, books, license plates, driver's licenses, passports, credit cards, product packaging, and signage. The company also provides custom design and printing services through its in-house art department, capable of producing both contemporary and period-appropriate items. Founded in 1915, it is one of the oldest continuously operating prop houses in Hollywood and serves major studios and streaming networks.
Product overview
The Earl Hays Press is a prop house company that manufactures printed props for the entertainment industry. Founded in 1915 and now in its third generation of family ownership, the company offers thousands of pre-designed printed items including newspapers, magazines, product labels, packaging, signage, and documents. The product portfolio spans multiple categories including Publications (magazines, newspapers, books, comic books), Art & Entertainment (movie posters, music posters), Labels & Packaging (food, beverages, alcohol, tobacco, personal products), Signage & Posters (market, office, school, public signage), and Cards & Documents (credit cards, greeting cards, IDs, gambling items). The company also offers custom design and printing services through its art department. Notable among their products is the Morley Cigarettes fictional brand, created in the 1960s, which has become a recognizable prop appearing across multiple major TV shows and films. The company operates from Sun Valley, California and serves major entertainment studios including Netflix, HBO, Disney, Amazon Studios, ABC, NBC, Marvel, Paramount, Warner Brothers, Hulu, and FX.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Publications Props Printed media props including magazines, newspapers, tabloids, books, and comic books for use in film and television productions.
- Art & Entertainment Props Movie and music-related printed props including posters and entertainment materials for film and television sets.
- Labels & Packaging Props Product labels and packaging for food, cosmetics, beverages, alcohol, and tobacco items used as props in production.
- Signage & Posters Props Market, office, school, and public signage as well as advertisements and posters for production sets.
- Cards & Documents Props Printed document props including credit cards, greeting cards, flyers, stickers, and gambling items such as lottery tickets and scratchers.
- Morley Cigarettes Fictional Brand Fictional cigarette brand created in the 1960s used as a recurring prop across numerous TV shows and films including The X-Files, Lost, The Walking Dead, and Breaking Bad, providing productions a legally safe alternative to real tobacco brands.
- Custom Design & Printing Services Bespoke design, printing, and build services for unique graphics and packaging needs, where the in-house art department either works from client-provided files or creates original designs from scratch for film and television productions.
Companies that use The Earl Hays Press
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
The Earl Hays Press technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The Earl Hays Press partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
The Earl Hays Press competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- History for Hire: Specialty prop house focused on historical and period-correct items for film and television. Highly comparable because it serves the same period-piece productions that rely on Earl Hays' vintage printing capability.
- Independent Studio Services: The largest full-service prop and set-dressing rental house in Hollywood. Directly comparable because it supplies physical props and set graphics to the same major studios Earl Hays serves, often on the same productions.
- Omega Cinema Props: Long-running Los Angeles prop house supplying furniture, set dressings, and graphics to Hollywood productions. Comparable as another generalist prop vendor competing for the same studio prop budgets.
- Prop Heaven: Los Angeles-based prop rental house carrying an eclectic inventory of set dressings and ephemera. Overlaps with Earl Hays on small printed and graphic props used by the same production designer buyers.
Broad incumbents
- Cinelease: Large provider of production equipment, lighting, and consumable supplies to film and TV. Comparable as a broader incumbent supplying the same studio customers with adjacent on-set needs, though it does not specialize in printed props.
Others
- Premiere Props: Prop auction and resale house. Adjacent ecosystem participant that monetizes used and collectible screen-used props, complementing rather than directly competing with Earl Hays' new-build printed prop business.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Earl Hays Press financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Earl Hays Press leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Earl Hays Press funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Earl Hays Press M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Earl Hays Press
What does The Earl Hays Press do?
The Earl Hays Press manufactures and supplies printed props for film and television productions, offering a catalog of over 25,000 pre-designed stock items including newspapers, magazines, books, license plates, driver's licenses, passports, credit cards, product packaging, and signage. The company also provides custom design and printing services through its in-house art department, capable of producing both contemporary and period-appropriate items. Founded in 1915, it is one of the oldest continuously operating prop houses in Hollywood and serves major studios and streaming networks.
Is The Earl Hays Press a public or private company?
The Earl Hays Press is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Earl Hays Press founded?
The Earl Hays Press was founded in 1915. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Earl Hays Press based?
The Earl Hays Press is headquartered in Sun Valley, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Earl Hays Press make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Prop Sales (Catalog) is the primary driver. The others are custom Design and Printing.
Who are The Earl Hays Press's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are History for Hire, Independent Studio Services, Omega Cinema Props and Prop Heaven. Cinelease is listed as a broad incumbent. Premiere Props is listed as an others.
Does The Earl Hays Press have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Earl Hays Press.
What industry is The Earl Hays Press in?
The Earl Hays Press's product category is Printed Prop Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAIAM, Prop Storage, Warehousing & Asset Management. Its NAICS code is 322 and its SIC code is 2600.