P. S. Harrison
Encyclopedia
P.S. Harrison
, known popularly as Pete Harrison, founded the motion picture trade journal, Harrison's Reports
, which was published weekly from 5 July 1919 until 11 August 1962. Until 1959, he was the publisher and chief reviewer.
ethnicity. Working as a stoker, he jumped ship in New York in 1903. In Long Beach, California
, he worked as a projectionist, and managed a nickelodeon. In 1918, he became a film reviewer for Motion Picture News
with a column titled Harrison’s Exhibitor Reviews.
From beginning to end, Harrison's Reports did not accept film advertising, leaving Harrison free to discuss subjects other trade periodicals would not report. Often he would advise, “It is a clean picture”, meaning no subject matter relating to sex. From his editorials, it is clear he believed “dirty” movies were bad for the movie business. He took a strong stand against the practice that later became known as “product placement
” that is, brand names appearing in movies. From the late 1940s through the early 1950s, his editorials also took on a strong anti-communist stance.
In the 1950s, cable TV made its first appearance, and Harrison approved efforts by theater owners to make it illegal.
and the Hays Office, rarely favorably. In the 31 October 1931 issue, Harrison reported that Hays Office lawyer Gabriel Hess, among others, had been indicted for criminal conspiracy in Ontario, Canada. The wording of Harrison's editorial was erroneous, and in the issue of 14 November 1931, Harrison printed a retraction/correction, including the text of the indictment as it related to Hess. The same editorial also stated that Hess had filed a libel suit against Harrison.
Libel laws of that period required virtually no proof of damage to the plaintiff. In the 28 September 1935 issue, Harrison reported that Hess had been awarded $5,200 plus costs. Harrison settled the judgment for $5,000, money he did not have, but he did have enough friends who donated or loaned him the money he needed to continue in business.
, was co-written by Harrison and producer E.B. Derr. It is the only known production credit for Harrison, and the only writing credit of Derr, who produced several dozen movies from 1930 to 1943 (and none afterward). That movie's review by Variety
opined, "Harrison draws a complete blank as a producer-scenarist.”
, known popularly as Pete Harrison, founded the motion picture trade journal, Harrison's Reports
Harrison's Reports
Harrison’s Reports was a New York City-based motion picture trade journal published weekly from 1919 to 1962. The typical issue was four letter-size pages sent to subscribers under a second-class mail permit. Its founder, editor and publisher was P. S...
, which was published weekly from 5 July 1919 until 11 August 1962. Until 1959, he was the publisher and chief reviewer.
Journal founder
In 1919, he founded Harrison's Reports. Until the 1950s, he may have been its sole writer and reviewer (except for one review in 1943; see below).Early years
Born as Petros Spallios in Turkey of GreekGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
ethnicity. Working as a stoker, he jumped ship in New York in 1903. In Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, he worked as a projectionist, and managed a nickelodeon. In 1918, he became a film reviewer for Motion Picture News
Motion Picture News
The Motion Picture News was an American film industry trade paper published from 1913 to 1930.The publication was created through the 1913 merger of the Moving Picture News founded in 1908 and the The Exhibitors' Times, founded only earlier in 1913.After being acquired by Martin Quigley in 1930,...
with a column titled Harrison’s Exhibitor Reviews.
From beginning to end, Harrison's Reports did not accept film advertising, leaving Harrison free to discuss subjects other trade periodicals would not report. Often he would advise, “It is a clean picture”, meaning no subject matter relating to sex. From his editorials, it is clear he believed “dirty” movies were bad for the movie business. He took a strong stand against the practice that later became known as “product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
” that is, brand names appearing in movies. From the late 1940s through the early 1950s, his editorials also took on a strong anti-communist stance.
In the 1950s, cable TV made its first appearance, and Harrison approved efforts by theater owners to make it illegal.
Sued for libel
Harrison’s editorials often discussed Will H. HaysWill H. Hays
William Harrison Hays, Sr. , was the namesake of the Hays Code for censorship of American films, chairman of the Republican National Committee and U.S. Postmaster General from 1921 to 1922....
and the Hays Office, rarely favorably. In the 31 October 1931 issue, Harrison reported that Hays Office lawyer Gabriel Hess, among others, had been indicted for criminal conspiracy in Ontario, Canada. The wording of Harrison's editorial was erroneous, and in the issue of 14 November 1931, Harrison printed a retraction/correction, including the text of the indictment as it related to Hess. The same editorial also stated that Hess had filed a libel suit against Harrison.
Libel laws of that period required virtually no proof of damage to the plaintiff. In the 28 September 1935 issue, Harrison reported that Hess had been awarded $5,200 plus costs. Harrison settled the judgment for $5,000, money he did not have, but he did have enough friends who donated or loaned him the money he needed to continue in business.
Brief career as screenwriter
The 13 November 1943 issue published a review of the feature film The Deerslayer, the first review in Harrison’s Reports acknowledged not to have been written by Harrison. The screenplay, adapted from the Novel by James Fenimore CooperJames Fenimore Cooper
James Fenimore Cooper was a prolific and popular American writer of the early 19th century. He is best remembered as a novelist who wrote numerous sea-stories and the historical novels known as the Leatherstocking Tales, featuring frontiersman Natty Bumppo...
, was co-written by Harrison and producer E.B. Derr. It is the only known production credit for Harrison, and the only writing credit of Derr, who produced several dozen movies from 1930 to 1943 (and none afterward). That movie's review by Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
opined, "Harrison draws a complete blank as a producer-scenarist.”