Censorship and Early Retirement
The Kefauver Hearings of the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency in 1957 marked the beginning of the end of Irving Klaw's mail-order photography business in New York. The investigation tried to link pornography to juvenile delinquency. The McCarthy-style hearings branded Klaw as a degenerate pornographer and ushered in a new wave of media censorship. Bettie Page was also summoned to the hearings but was never called to testify. (Parts of the hearings are recreated in the film The Notorious Bettie Page.) She retired from modeling soon afterwards.
Because of the political, social, and legal pressures he faced, Klaw closed his storefront business and burned many of his negatives. It is estimated that more than 80 percent of the negatives were destroyed. However, his sister Paula secretly kept some of the better images, which can be seen today.
Read more about this topic: Irving Klaw
Famous quotes containing the words censorship, early and/or retirement:
“Right now I think censorship is necessary; the things they’re doing and saying in films right now just shouldn’t be allowed. There’s no dignity anymore and I think that’s very important.”
—Mae West (1892–1980)
“In the true sense one’s native land, with its background of tradition, early impressions, reminiscences and other things dear to one, is not enough to make sensitive human beings feel at home.”
—Emma Goldman (1869–1940)
“Douglas. Now remains a sweet reversion—
We may boldly spend, upon the hope
Of what is to come in.
A comfort of retirement lives in this.
Hotspur. A rendezvous, a home to fly unto.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)