Lemme Tell Ya ’Bout The Hays Code - How Hollywood Censored Itself and Shaped American Movies
Sun Feb 08 2026
In this episode of The Tom Gulley Show, Tom Gulley examines the Hays Code, the set of moral guidelines that governed Hollywood films from the early 1930s through the late 1960s and fundamentally shaped American cinema.
Formally known as the Motion Picture Production Code, the Hays Code dictated what could—and could not—be shown on screen, regulating depictions of sex, crime, violence, religion, and social behavior. Enforced during Hollywood’s studio era, the code influenced storytelling, character arcs, dialogue, and even camera angles, leaving a lasting imprint on film language and genre conventions.
This episode places the Hays Code in historical and cultural context, exploring why the film industry adopted self-censorship, how filmmakers worked around its restrictions, and how the code ultimately collapsed under cultural change and legal pressure. The legacy of the Hays Code continues to shape debates over artistic freedom, censorship, and media regulation in the modern entertainment industry.
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In this episode of The Tom Gulley Show, Tom Gulley examines the Hays Code, the set of moral guidelines that governed Hollywood films from the early 1930s through the late 1960s and fundamentally shaped American cinema. Formally known as the Motion Picture Production Code, the Hays Code dictated what could—and could not—be shown on screen, regulating depictions of sex, crime, violence, religion, and social behavior. Enforced during Hollywood’s studio era, the code influenced storytelling, character arcs, dialogue, and even camera angles, leaving a lasting imprint on film language and genre conventions. This episode places the Hays Code in historical and cultural context, exploring why the film industry adopted self-censorship, how filmmakers worked around its restrictions, and how the code ultimately collapsed under cultural change and legal pressure. The legacy of the Hays Code continues to shape debates over artistic freedom, censorship, and media regulation in the modern entertainment industry. thetomgulleyshow.com