What Authors Need To Know About Morals Clauses

For someone not familiar with the world of book publishing, a publishing contract can be an intimidating document. One recent addition to many publishing contracts is the inclusion of "morals clauses," which allow a publisher to cancel a book deal if an author is accused of engaging in illegal, immoral, or publicly condemned behavior that could negatively affect book sales.

THE ORIGIN OF MORALS CLAUSES

The origin of morals clauses can be traced back to 1921 when Universal Pictures began including them in their talent agreements after the Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle controversy. Arbuckle, a comedic actor, had just signed a three-year deal with Paramount Studios when he hosted a party in his San Francisco hotel room. Following the party, a young actress named Virginia Rappe was found seriously injured in Arbuckle's hotel room and died several days later. Arbuckle was accused of rape and manslaughter, and although he was eventually acquitted of the charges, his