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Very rare Walt Disney letter signed regarding the proposed "Neely Anti-Block Booking Bill", anti-trust legislation in the U.S. Congress that rocked Hollywood during the 1930s and 40s, so important to the movie industry that stars such as Shirley Temple were dispatched to Capitol Hill to testify against it.
Composed on colorful "Pinocchio" letterhead, Disney writes on 21 March 1940 to Congressman William Colmer, explaining how such legislation might impact Disney and its business model. At the center of the controversy were the bill's proposed bans on "compulsory block booking", which would prohibit studios from requiring independent theaters to buy a slate of films, and "blind selling", which would force studios to provide a "complete and true synopsis" of the film, thereby giving them no flexibility to change the story based on test screenings, etc. While these provisions would give independent theaters more leverage over studios, Disney argues that, on the whole, government oversight of the motion picture industry would be "harmful". Letter reads,
"I address you with reference to the 'Neely Bill', which pertains to the questions of block booking and blind selling of motion pictures. / My duties in connection with the production of our motion pictures occupy my time to such an extent that I have been unable to carefully read and analyze this proposed legislation. Therefore, I will not presume to impose my opinion as to its technical merits.
Our company is an 'independent', as that term is generally understood. We produce cartoon short subjects such as the Mickey Mouse series, and an occasional feature like 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', and like our current feature, 'Pinocchio'. Therefore, our position differs in many respects from that of the 'live action' studios. It may be that the 'Neely Bill' might affect us much less than it would many of the other motion picture companies. Indeed, our market is such that some of the Neely Bill's provisions conceivably might react in our favor.
On the other hand as a matter of general principle, I am constrained to believe that legislative interference in an industry such as motion pictures might be harmful, and would be more likely to impede rather than further production and distribution.
It is my opinion that the motion picture industry is qualified and capable of regulating itself from within, and such regulation, free from legislative pressure, would be more normal and would avoid undue disturbance and economic burdens…[signed] Walt Disney".
Authentication: James Spence Authentication (JSA) Letter of Authenticity and a Gotta Have Rock and Roll Certificate of Authenticity.