Research


New York State Motion Picture Division License Application Summary Books


Some content may contain outdated and offensive terminology. See: New York State Archives Statement on Language in Descriptive Resources


Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230

Summary:
The Motion Picture Division reviewed each film intended for screening in New York State and issued a license for its exhibition unless the film was judged "obscene, indecent, immoral, inhuman, sacrilegious or of such character that its exhibition would tend to corrupt morals or to incite crime." The volumes in this series contain information on films for which licenses were sought and the actions taken by the division on each film.
Creator:
Title:
License application summary books
Quantity:

19 cubic feet

120 volumes

Inclusive Dates:
1921-1965
Series Number:
A1420

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date application for license or permit was received.

Scope and Content Note

During the period from 1921 to 1965, the Motion Picture Division, and its predecessor the Motion Picture Commission, reviewed each film intended for screening in New York State and issued a license for its exhibition unless the film was judged "obscene, indecent, immoral, inhuman, sacrilegious or of such character that its exhibition would tend to corrupt morals or to incite crime." The volumes in this series contain information on films for which licenses were sought and the actions taken by the division on each film.

The volumes list the following for each film: the serial number that was issued to films licensed; the applicant's name (exchange or distributor); number of original prints; number of duplicate prints; number of reels of film; total film footage; number of seals; amount received for licenses, permits, and seals; title of film; country of origin, if foreign; and action taken (approved, approved with eliminations, or rejected). The later volumes also provide information on Motion Picture Association determinations (either a yes or no response is recorded). Figures are totaled daily for the various categories of information, and totals are also entered at the end of each month. Separate books (7 volumes) were kept for 16 mm films between 1941 and 1965.

Alternate Formats Available

Microfilm (15 reels, 35 mm) is available from the New York State Archives through interlibrary loan.

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this series.

Access Terms

Corporate Name(s):
Geographic Name(s):
Subject(s):
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Detailed Description

Dates Contents Box Roll

Accretion: A1420-77
1921 August 1-1922 February 2 Volume 1 1 2
1921 September 9-1922 January 31 Volume 2 1 2
1922 February 1-1922 June 30 Volume 3 1 2
1922 July 5-1922 November 24 Volume 4 1 2
1922 November 27-1923 April 30 Volume 5 1 2
1923 May 1-1923 August 31 Volume 6 2 2
1923 September1-1923 November 30 Volume 7 2 2
1923 December 3-1924 February 29 Volume 8 2 2
1924 March 1-1924 May 31 Volume 9 2 3
1924 June 2-1924 August 29 Volume 10 2 3
1924 August 29-1924 November 29 Volume 11 3 3
1924 December 1-1925 February 26 Volume 12 3 3
1925 February 26-1925 May 29 Volume 13 3 3
1925 June 1-1925 August 31 Volume 14 3 3
1925 September 1-1925 December 19 Volume 15 3 3
1925 December 21-1926 March 31 Volume 16 4 3
1926 April 1-1926 August 26 Volume 17 4 4
1926 August 27-1926 December 31 Volume 18 4 4
1927 January 3-1927 April 20 Volume 19 4 4
1927 April 21-1927 August 15 Volume 20 4 4
1927 August 16-1927 December 12 Volume 21 5 4
1927 December 13-1928 April 6 Volume 22 5 4
1928 April 7-1928 August 31 Volume 23 5 4
1928 September 1-1928 December 31 Volume 24 5 4
1929 January 2-1929 May 6 Volume 25 5 5
1929 May 7-1929 September 20 Volume 26 6 5
1929 September 21-1930 March 11 Volume 27 6 5
1930 March 12-1930 August 20 Volume 28 6 5
1930 August 21-1931 January 16 Volume 29 6 5
1931 January 17-1931 May 13 Volume 30 6 5
1931 May 14-1931 September 25 Volume 31 7 5
1931 September 26-1932 February 8 Volume 32 7 5
1932 February 9-1932 June 30 Volume 33 7 6
1932 June 30-1932 November 23 Volume 34 7 6
1932 November 25-1933 April 4 Volume 35 7 6
1933 April 5-1933 August 29 Volume 36 8 6
1933 August 29-1934 January 11 Volume 37 8 6
1934 January 11-1934 May 22 Volume 38 8 6
1934 May 23-1934 October 25 Volume 39 8 6
1934 october 25-1935 March 22 Volume 40 8 6
1935 March 22-1935 August 16 Volume 41 9 7
1935 August 16-1935 December 31 Volume 42 9 7
1936 January 2-1936 April 27 Volume 43 9 7
1936 April 28-1936 August 22 Volume 44 9 7
1936 August 24-1936 December 17 Volume 45 10 7
1936 December 17-1937 April 14 Volume 46 10 7
1937 April 14-1937 August 30 Volume 47 10 7
1937 August 30-1937 December 31 Volume 48 10 7
1938 January 3-1938 May 9 Volume 49 10 8
1938 May 10-1938 June 30 Volume 50 11 8
1938 July 1-1938 November 17 Volume 51 11 8
1938 November 17-1939 March 18 Volume 52 11 8
1939 March 20-1939 August 3 Volume 53 11 8
1939 August 4-1939 December 27 Volume 54 11 8
1939 December 28-1940 May 6 Volume 55 12 8
1940 May 7-1940 October 3 Volume 56 12 8
1940 October 4-1941 February 27 Volume 57 12 9
1941 February 28-1941 July 24 Volume 58 12 9
1941 July 25-1941 December 31 Volume 59 12 9
1942 January 2-1942 June 4 Volume 60 13 9
1942 June 5-1942 November 13 Volume 61 13 9
1942 November 14-1943 April 30 Volume 62 13 9
1943 May 1-1943 October 29 Volume 63 13 9
1943 October 30-1944 April 13 Volume 64 14 9
1944 April 14-1944 September 30 Volume 65 14 10
1944 October 2-1945 March 31 Volume 66 14 10
1945 April 2-1945 August 14 Volume 67 14 10
1945 August 17-1946 January 3 Volume 68 14 10
1946 January 4-1946 May 24 Volume 69 15 10
1946 May 27-1946 October 16 Volume 70 15 10
1946 October 17-1947 March 31 Volume 71 15 10
1947 April 1-1947 September 10 Volume 72 15 10
1947 September 11-1948 February 26 Volume 73 15 11
1948 February 27-1948 July 8 Volume 74 16 11
1948 July 9-1948 November 30 Volume 75 16 11
1948 December 1-1949 April 25 Volume 76 16 11
1949 April 26-1949 September 15 Volume 77 16 11
1949 September 16-1950 January 31 Volume 78 17 11
1950 February 1-1950 May 23 Volume 79 17 11
1950 May 24-1950 September 18 Volume 80 17 11
1950 September 19-1951 January 2 Volume 81 17 12
1951 January 3-1951 April 18 Volume 82 18 12
1951 April 19-1951 August 17 Volume 83 18 12
1951 August 20-1951 December 13 Volume 84 18 12
1951 December 14-1952 April 4 Volume 85 18 12
1952 April 4-1952 August 8 Volume 86 19 12
1952 August 11-1952 December 19 Volume 87 19 12
1952 December 22-1953 April 27 Volume 88 19 12
1953 April 28-1953 September 8 Volume 89 19 13
1953 September 9-1954 January 25 Volume 90 19 13
1954 January 26-1954 June 3 Volume 91 20 13
1954 June 3-1954 October 29 Volume 92 20 13
1954 November 1-1955 March 31 Volume 93 20 13
1955 March 31-1955 August 26 Volume 94 20 13
1955 August 29-1956 January 31 Volume 95 21 13
1956 January 31-1956 June 26 Volume 96 21 13
1956 June 27-1956 November 20 Volume 97 21 14
1956 November 21-1957 April 29 Volume 98 21 14
1957 April 29-1957 October 4 Volume 99 22 14
1957 October 4-1958 February 27 Volume 100 22 14
1958 February 28-1958 August 26 Volume 101 22 14
1958 August 27-1959 February 19 Volume 102 22 14
1959 February 20-1959 September 4 Volume 103 23 14
1959 September 8-1960 March 11 Volume 104 23 14
1960 March 14-1960 September 27 Volume 105 23 15
1960 September 28-1961 April 11 Volume 106 23 15
1961 April 11-1961 November 3 Volume 107 24 15
1961 November 6-1962 June 12 Volume 108 24 15
1962 June 13-1963 January 23 Volume 109 24 15
1963 January 23-1963 September 12 Volume 110 24 15
1963 September 13-1964 May 12 Volume 111 25 15
1964 May 13-1964 December 29 Volume 112 25 15
1964 December 30-1965 April 30 Volume 113 25 15
1941 July 3-1944 March 31 Volume 1 (16 mm) 26 1
1944 April 1-1946 July 29 Volume 2 (16 mm) 26 1
1946 August 2-1948 July 19 Volume 3 (16 mm) 26 1
1948 July 20-1953 February 27 Volume 4 (16 mm) 26 1
1953 March 5-1959 September 29 Volume 5 (16 mm) 27 1
1959 October 1-1964 December 23 Volume 6 (16 mm) 27 1
1965 January 5-1965 May 21 Volume 7 (16 mm) 27 1