The Birth of a Baby is a 1938 American educational film about childbearing.[1][2][3][4] It was directed by famed Canadian producer of silent shorts Al Christie.[5] The film stars Eleanore King, Richard Gordon, Ruth Matteson, and Josephine Dunn. The film's original negative was lost in the Fox vault fire of 1937.[6]
| The Birth of a Baby | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | A. E. Christie |
| Written by | Burke Symon Arthur Jarrett |
| Produced by | Jack H. Skirball |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | George Webber |
Production companies | Christie Productions The American Committee on Maternal Welfare, Inc. |
| Distributed by | Special Pictures Corporation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 72:00 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Cast
- Eleanore King as Mary Burgess
- Richard Gordon as Dr. Wilson
- Ruth Matteson as Julia Norton
- Josephine Dunn as Mrs. Bromley
- William Post Jr. as John Burgess
- Frederica Going as Mrs. Perry
- Helen Hawley as Mrs. Burgess
- Kathleen Comegys as Mrs. Wilson
- Robert Ober as Mr. Case
- Edith Gresham as Mrs. Case
- Walter Gilbert as Mr. Perry
Censorship
The film featured scenes of actual childbirth and this caused issues for the Hays Office. The filmmakers tried to get around the need for a Seal of Approval from the Hays Office by appealing directly to local and state censorship boards for approval to show the film in mainstream theaters.[7][8] The film was banned in New York State in 1939 by a court ruling that scenes of childbirth were too indecent for public entertainment.[8]
