These men make The Headliners – poster, Ken Rodmell, 1962

This poster highlights the growth and growing professionalism of The Headliners of Canada studio only three years after Cooper & Beatty acquired the Canadian franchise in 1959. By 1962, the studio was handling an enormous volume of work, and success depended as much on the skill and knowledge of the people behind the scenes as on the technology itself.

Ted Cruise was a respected production manager – a difficult and often stressful post, given the sheer number of high-profile jobs moving through the studio every day. Alex Hobson brought dual strengths: in addition to his production knowledge, he was an accomplished hand-lettering artist, able to adapt to the shifting needs of advertising typography. Earl Stephens served as a key link between the studio and Toronto’s major advertising agencies, offering typographic expertise that went beyond salesmanship. He was also one of the few native-born Canadians working in the typography and advertising industries at that time – a quiet sign that Canadian culture was, at last, beginning to change.

This poster is not only a record of a thriving studio, but a reminder of a transitional moment in typographic history – when the skills of individuals still shaped the technology, not the other way around. – Rod McDonald

Artifact Text

These men make The Headliners the finest custom photo-process lettering service in Canada (Headliners ‘h’ mark)

They have to – their reputations are at stake (h) Their names are Earl Stephens, Ted Cruise and Alex Hobson (h) If you know lettering then you know how important their reputations are (h) If you are a lettering man then you know we are talking about absolute quality (h) If you are checking invoices then you know our prices are the most economical in the field and they will stay that way – without overtime charges (h) Our work is the best custom photo-process lettering bargain in Canada (h) Call Earl, Ted or Alex and see for yourself.

The Headliners
Of Canada Limited, Toronto Em 4–7724 and Montreal Un 1–7800  A division of Cooper & Beatty, Limited