In late 2007, I was exposed to the wonderful world of the Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA) Production Code Administration (PCA) files at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Margaret Herrick Library while conducting archival research for my undergraduate thesis on Baby Face (1933). And I was never the same again.

Since moving to Los Angeles in 2009, I’ve had the opportunity to dive further into the PCA files to try to make sense of this fascinating,  complex period in American film history.

Pre-Code Essentials

The culmination of all this research and passion is Pre-Code Essentials: Must-See Cinema from Hollywood’s Untamed Era, 1930-1934 by me and my pal, Danny Reid, who runs the wonderful pre-code.com. The book will be published by Running Press as part of the TCM Library in October 2025.

Pre-Code Essentials presents essays on 50 classic films from the era alongside over 200 photos, including select reproductions from the censorship files. There’s never been a pre-Code book like this (nor has a woman written a book on the subject!). Suffice it to say, we are very excited to share Pre-Code Essentials with everyone in October 2025.

If you’d like to pre-order a copy—soft cover, eBook, or audio book (we’re also the first pre-Code audio book!)—there are various links to do so here: pre-order Pre-Code Essentials!

In addition to using this research for our book, articles for TCM, and my blog  I See A Dark Theater, I’ve also contributed to a few pre-Code specific outlets and publications, which you can learn more about below.

Pre-Code Companion 

The Pre-Code Companion was a bi-monthly journal ingeniously conceived and edited by Danny from pre-code.com. Every issue focused on three films and two-four artists associated with each picture, with all proceeds going to ASCPA. I wrote about three movies across three issues:

• Baby Face (1933): Issue #1 
• Midnight Mary (1933): Issue #4
• Jewel Robbery (1932): Issue #6

Pre-Code Corner 

From July 2017-December 2018 I wrote a monthly pre-Code column for Classic Movie Hub, with the aim of presenting informative historical research in a light, lively way. Feel free to peruse my articles below:

• The Puzzling Sin of Nora Moran (1933)
• Scarface (1932) – An Anti-Gangster Picture?
• Man Wanted (1932) – Experience Necessary 
• Outward Bound (1930): High Class on the High Seas
• A Look at the Atlanta Better Films Committee
• So You Want to Be a Nurse: Tricks of the Trade, Pre-Code Style
• Three Wise Girls (1932) All Mixed Up
• “I Didn’t Know You With All Your Clothes On”: The Best of Pre-Code Warren William
• The Censorship Woes of One More River (1934)
• Warner Brothers Horror, In Living (Two) Color: Doctor X (1932) and Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933)
• Oh, No You Don’t – Or Yes, You Do? Three on a Match (1932) and Kidnapping
• 13 Reasons Why You Should Watch Thirteen Women (1932) Tonight 
• To Pre-Code or Not to Pre-Code: What Say You, Brief Moment (1933)?
• Skin and Savagery in The Sign of the Cross (1932): 7 Vicious Pre-Code Moments
• “Sweet Marijuana” and Murder at the Vanities (1934): The Opium Advisory Committee vs. The Department of State vs. the Production Code Administration (PCA) vs. Paramount
• The Puzzling Case of Phyllis Barry
• It’s Tough to Be Famous (1932), but It’s Easy to Be Naughty 
• Setting Sail on The Sin Ship (1931)