Prior to the appointment of Will Hays (1879 – 1954) to head the Motion Pictures Producers and Distributors Association in 1922 (which later became the Motion Picture Association of America), American magazine and newspapers were filled with articles and editorials concerning the need for someone to “clean up Hollywood”.
Hays, a Republican politician and an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, rode into town on the heels of a number of well-publicized Hollywood scandals in 1922. Recognized as a sober, moral man, his office was located in New York City, far from the ballyhoo of Hollywood.
Hays’ salary came out of the pockets of the Hollywood producers – and in as much as he promised to intimidate and police the film industry into make uplifting and wholesome productions, he was also the paid apologist of the producers.
From Amamzon: The Memoirs of Will Hays
