On November 30, 1995, Don Larsson wrote:

 

>Kate Bowles wonders:

>"I think this question has come up before, but can anyone remind me of early

>precedents of the tactical inclusion of censorable scenes in the

>expectation that cutting them will protect the rest of the movie? (_Casino_

>is apparently one recent example)."

>

>I believe that Preston Sturges used to do this kind of thing.  It has often

>been done in some TV series as well.  I don't have authoritative sources,

>but shows ranging from THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS COMEDY HOUR to MASH come to

>mind.

 

 

Warner Brothers cartoonists during the 1930's and 1940's used to include

gags which obviously flew in the face of the Code to distract censors from

subtler gags they wanted left in.  This sometimes backfired, in that the

decoys were occasionally missed by the censors and left in.

 

--Richard Leskosky

 

Richard J. Leskosky                     office phone: (217) 244-2704

Assistant Director                      FAX: (217) 244-2223

Unit for Cinema Studies                 University of Illinois

 

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