The New York herald., 1922-04-20
Lifting of Arbuckle
Ban Depends on
Actor and Public
When Faith in Comedian Is
Restored 1t Is Expected
Films Will Be Released.

Telephone calls by the dozen were
received at 522 Fifth avenue yesterday
by Will II. Hays, head OF the Motion
Picture Producers and Distributors OF
America. from bankers. big business
mon, newspaper publishers. clergymen
and others of substantial Importance. in
Guiding movie magnates who COM
mended his action en- Tuesday in hating
the exhibition In all parts of the country
OF the iatcsr pictures by Roscoe s(Fatty)
Arbuckle. All of them praised his sus-
pension of the announced bookings SO
soon after Arbuckle's acquittal on a
charge of manslaughter growing out Of
the death OF Virginia Rappe.
Film men themselves spoke Of Mr..
Hays as the conscience Of the movies"
who had lifted the business to a new
plane. His action was likened to that Of
Judge Landis in declaring that the So
organized baseball after they had been
acquitted by jury
Mr.. Hays himself had nothing to say.
The general impression prevailed in the
stances that he would let the whole mat
ter drop. He would not, it was under
stood. review the Arbuckle trial nor
make any further investigation of the
case In Los Angeles, though he plans to
inspect the film colony this summer.
This was not taken to mean that Ar
buckle had been permanently ruled off
the screen.
Everything pointed to the fact that
the issue would depend on Arbuckle him.
self. The one time Postmaster-General
is expected to watch his conduct closely
and IL the rotund comedian behaves
quietly. as his statement following his
acquittal indicated he would. then pres
emily he will be restored to grace, al
ways provided that public faith has been
restored in him. But for the present he
will have no opportunity to become the
hero OF little children, as he was before
his trial.
Neither Adolph Zukor. president of
Famous Players Laslky Corporation, who
spent the day comforting with the heads
of the exchange system that would have
distributed the Arbuckle films. nor
Nicholas Schenck. representing Joseph
NJ. Schenck. producer of the Arbuckle
Angeles with his wife. Norma Talmadge.
had anything to say yesterday. 1t was
too carly. 1t was said at the Famous
Players-Lasky Offices. to get word from
the exhibitors as to how they regarded
this cancellation of their bookings.
Opinion in the photoplay district was
divided as TO how the country at large
would have received Arbuckle. 1t was
pointed out that an exhibitor at Mont
real recently had advertised the show
Ing OF an Arbuckle picture. though as
n matter of fact he had no such picture
In sight. He simply intended to feel out
the public. A couple of clergymen de-
nounced the exhibition from the pulpit.
but the public showed no excitement in
either direction. After week the ex-
hibitor Withdrew the picture.
On the other hand. city OF $4,000
population in this country was cited in
which an Arbuckle picture had been ad.
vertised. The entire police force of the
town had to be called out to handle the
crowd that flocked to the theater out OF
morbid curiosity.
Preceding Mr.. Hays's action. 1t was
learned he had received hundreds OF
communicat tions of protest from men OF
standing in all parts OF the country
protesting against the impending re-
lease OF Arbuclsle pictures which had
Just been made known. The decision OF
Mr.. Hays. however, was made inde-
pendent OF these messages, as he had his
mind made up to stop the pictures be-
fore he took his recent flying trip TO
his home in Sullivan. Ind. during which
the protests arrived at his office.