James Sterling Moran (January 1, 1908 â€" October 18, 1999) was a
publicist and a press agent for film studios, manufacturers,
retailers, Washington politicians from the 1930s to the 1980s. In
1989, Time ranked him as "the supreme master of that most singular
marketing device--the publicity stunt."Born in Woodstock, Virginia, in
1907. Moran was the son of a chimney maker. When he was 12 years old,
he was riding a bicycle and was hit by a car. The driver was so
relieved to see Moran unharmed that he gave him $100, which Moran
immediately used to take a train to New Orleans, returning home two
weeks later.Instead of attending college, Moran took a variety of
jobs: a tour guide in Washington, an airline executive and manager of
a studio where Congressmen recorded speeches for local radio. Moran
married several times but had no children.His attention-grabbing
publicity stunts began in the 1930s. He made his mark when he went to
Alaska on behalf of General Electric and sold a refrigerator to an
Eskimo. On February 4, 1939, he was interviewed by Parks Johnson and
Wally Butterworth on the Vox Pop radio program. Claiming that one must
give in to impulsive behavior because inhibitions were "warping" our
personalities, he threw eggs at an electric fan.
publicist and a press agent for film studios, manufacturers,
retailers, Washington politicians from the 1930s to the 1980s. In
1989, Time ranked him as "the supreme master of that most singular
marketing device--the publicity stunt."Born in Woodstock, Virginia, in
1907. Moran was the son of a chimney maker. When he was 12 years old,
he was riding a bicycle and was hit by a car. The driver was so
relieved to see Moran unharmed that he gave him $100, which Moran
immediately used to take a train to New Orleans, returning home two
weeks later.Instead of attending college, Moran took a variety of
jobs: a tour guide in Washington, an airline executive and manager of
a studio where Congressmen recorded speeches for local radio. Moran
married several times but had no children.His attention-grabbing
publicity stunts began in the 1930s. He made his mark when he went to
Alaska on behalf of General Electric and sold a refrigerator to an
Eskimo. On February 4, 1939, he was interviewed by Parks Johnson and
Wally Butterworth on the Vox Pop radio program. Claiming that one must
give in to impulsive behavior because inhibitions were "warping" our
personalities, he threw eggs at an electric fan.
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