Lot 119

Theodore Roosevelt TLS To Silent Film Censor: "it would merely serve to give those creatures the advertising they desire…"

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Theodore Roosevelt TLS To Silent Film Censor: "it would merely serve to give those creatures the advertising they desire…"

Estimate: $300 - $400

Current Bid: $550

(7 Bids)

by University Archives
July 28, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
88 Danbury Road
Suite 2A
Wilton, CT, US 06897

Theodore Roosevelt
Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY, August 20, 1915
Theodore Roosevelt TLS To Silent Film Censor: "it would merely serve to give those creatures the advertising they desire…"
TLS

A 1p typed letter signed by former 26th U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), as "Theodore Roosevelt" at lower right. August 20, 1915. [Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York.] Typed in blue ink on custom stationery with Roosevelt's address embossed at the top as "Oyster Bay, / Long Island, N.Y." Expected wear including a flattened horizontal transmittal fold with two tiny edge tears. A few extra scattered wrinkles, and slight grubbiness due to handling found at the right edge. Else near fine. 6.5" x 7.625". Provenance: Gibbs Family Collection. Alvin J. Gibbs and James W. Gibbs were autograph and antiques dealers from Canton, Ohio.

Theodore Roosevelt wrote this letter marked "Private" to J. Louis Breitinger (1871-1953), a Pennsylvania attorney and former Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (1911-1912), who chaired the Pennsylvania State Board of Censors between 1914-1917. In this capacity, Breitinger's office either approved silent films for public consumption, approved them conditionally, or banned them.

Roosevelt wrote in part:

"Thank you very much for your letter and for your consideration. But I don't know that there is anything I can do in the matter. In fact if I did anything, it would merely serve to give those creatures the advertising they desire…"

The exact subject which Roosevelt and Breitinger discuss here is unclear, but we can assume that it related to a recently released motion picture. It seems probable that Breitinger had contacted Roosevelt - the former president - to lend credibility to the former's campaign against some sort of immorality portrayed in film. To place this kind of intervention in context for example, Breitinger's office had demanded cuts to the silent film "John Barleycorn" just one year earlier, in July 1914. The silent film based on Jack London's semi-autobiographical novel of the same name showed many scenes of underage and illicit drinking which Breitinger ordered removed before it could be viewed by Philadelphia moviegoers. In addition, the Pennsylvania censor mandated that the film's director add between 500-1,000 feet of film to "John Barleycorn" showing how the protagonist became reformed after he kicked his alcoholism.

While Breitinger's office objected to questionable moral behaviors like drinking portrayed on the silver screen, he apparently had few concerns about D.W. Griffith's epic historical drama "Birth of a Nation," which was released in early 1915. Pennsylvania newspapers in August and September 1915 reported that Breitinger's office not only approved of the controversial film about Reconstruction and the growth of the KKK, but even praised it. Breitinger is quoted in the September 4, 1915 issue of "The Philadelphia Inquirer" as stating, "It ["The Birth of a Nation"] is the best and most stupendous I have yet seen and as an educational film I think it is marvelous…"

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 6.5" x 7.625"
  • Medium: TLS

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000