Oral history interview with Richard D. Heffner, 1997

Biographical Note

Richard D. Heffner (1925-2013) was University Professor of Communications and Public Policy at Rutgers University, creator of the prize-winning television show The Open Mind, and the first general manager of WNET (Channel 13). Prior to that appointment, he had a broadcasting career at NBC, ABC, and CBS. Heffner was a key figure in establishing standards for the Motion Picture Association of America's film ratings. From 1974-1994, Heffner served as Chairman of the Board and Administrator of the motion picture industry's voluntary classification and ratings system. Heffner was author of numerous books and publications including Documentary History of the United States. He was editor of an edition of Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America and co-author of Conversations with Elie Wiesel

Scope and Contents

This extensive interview with Richard D. Heffner focuses on his two decades as Chairman of the Board and Administrator of the Motion Picture Association of America's voluntary classification and ratings system (1974-1994). Heffner provides insights into how ratings were conceived and applied, providing countless examples with decisions for specific films. The considerable detail is supported by a novel structure for part of the interview. The interview was conducted by Los Angeles Times film editor Charles Champlin. Heffner and Champlin completed ten conventional oral history sessions, at which point Champlin suggested that the interviewing might be more even productive if they drew upon the daily logs that Heffner kept over his tenure in movie ratings. Following that, Heffner would review his logs and record a "Pre-Oral History Memorandum." Champlin would review these and then conduct a conventional oral history drawing on the information provided by Heffner. For the sessions on this model, the transcript contains the Pre-Oral History Memorandum, reproduced source documents referenced by Heffner, and the interview of Heffner conducted by Champlin. There are Pre-Oral History Memorandums and related sessions addressing each year of Heffner's tenure with the MPAA between 1977 and 1994

Subjects

• Champlin, Charles, 1926-2014, interviewer.
• College teachers--Interviews.
• Heffner, Richard D.--Interviews.
• Interviews.
• Motion Picture Association of America.
• Motion picture industry--United States.
• Motion pictures--Censorship--United States.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Sex in motion pictures.
• Television personalities--Interviews.
• Violence in motion pictures.

Access Conditions

Copyright by The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, 2001 and 2013