AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Scandals Pushed Studios Toward Self‑Censorship
- Early film censorship drove studios to self-regulate to avoid government takeover.
- Scandals (Olive Thomas, Fatty Arbuckle, William Desmond Taylor) catalyzed calls for moral controls on Hollywood.
Code Favored Christian Norms Over Others
- The Production Code crafted moral rules favoring Christian norms while sidelining marginalized groups.
- It explicitly forbade miscegenation,
Will Hayes Used PR To Calm Critics
- Will Hays was hired as a PR-style 'commissioner' to placate critics without heavy reforms.
- He invited moral critics to sneak previews and celebrity meet‑and‑greets to defuse outrage.