WILL H. HAYS - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 02/09/1923 - HFSID 278945

WILL H. HAYS
This 1923 letter, signed by Hays and sent to newspaper editor Fred R. Ewing, documents the aftermath of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle's acquittal on rape and murder charges. It documents an important moment in the career of Arbuckle, whose sensational trial contributed to the adoption of self-censorship rules in the Hollywood film industry.
Typed letter signed "Will H. Hays.". With pencil notations near top edge on first page and verso of second page in unknown hand. 2 pages, 8x10¾, 2 sheets, single-sided, on Hay's letterhead as President of the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors of America, Inc, New York City. Feb. 9, 1923. Addressed to Fred R. Ewing, Editor, Clarion-News, Princeton, Indiana. This letter documents an important moment in the career of film comedian Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. It reads in part: "Now that the Arbuckle incident is concluded I want you personally to know the facts because I most earnest-ly want your continued interest in what we are doing to develop the full usefulness of motion pictures... the facts are that the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation decided last spring not to release the films... They have repeatedly said to everyone, publicly and privately, that they have not intended and do not in-tend to release the Arbuckle pictures...Thus the matter has been concluded in a way that should be satisfactory to all and it has been concluded by the operation in a natural way of natural and proper factors and not by an arbitrary power, real or imaginary." The Famous Players-Lasky films mentioned in this letter include Leap Year (1921), which wasn't released theatrically in the United States until 1981. This letter was written about ten months after Arbuckle was acquitted of manslaughter and rape charges in the death of Virginia Rappe on April 12, 1922. Rappe's death and Arbuckle's three media circus trials constitute probably the best remembered Hollywood scandal of that period. Hays briefly banned Arbuckle from working in American movies and Hollywood shut him out of acting jobs for a decade. Arbuckle found work as a director during this time under the pseudonym "William Goodrich". Hays quotes Arbuckle in this letter as saying: "I signed today a contract with Reel Comedies, Inc. to direct comedies. I am done with acting. My great ambition is to make the people laugh and be happy and I can do this best as a director of comedies." This scandal, and others, also increased calls for federal censorship of the movie industry. In response, Hays and the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) adopted the Motion Picture Production Code for films produced by Hollywood, better known as the "Hays Code" in 1930. This self-censorship codewasn't loosened until 1966. Hays (1879-1954, born in Sullivan, Indiana) was Postmaster General from March of 1921 to March of 1922 and later served as President of the MPPDA, which later became the Motion Picture Association of America. Lightly toned and creased. First page is missing both bottom corners. Second page is missing its right top corner. Folded twice and unfolded. Tears along edges, especially along folds. Large piece torn out of right edge of second page between folds. Tape repairs along folds on verso of each page. Otherwise in fine condition.