Eric Johnston

For other people named Eric Johnston, see Eric Johnston (disambiguation).
Eric Johnston
Born
Eric Allen Johnson

(1896-12-21)December 21, 1896
Washington, D.C., U.S.
DiedAugust 22, 1963(1963-08-22) (aged 66)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
OccupationEntrepreneur
Employer(s)United States Chamber of Commerce, Motion Picture Association of America
SpouseIna Hughes Johnston
AwardsPresidential Medal for Merit (1947)

Eric Allen Johnston (December 21, 1896 – August 22, 1963) was a business owner, president of the United States Chamber of Commerce, a Republican Party activist, president of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and a U.S. government special projects administrator and envoy for both Democratic and Republican administrations. As president of the MPAA, he abbreviated the organization's name, convened the closed-door meeting of motion picture company executives at New York City's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel that led to Waldorf Statement in 1947 and the Hollywood blacklist (including firing of the Hollywood Ten), and discreetly liberalized the Motion Picture Production Code. He served as president of the MPAA until his death in 1963.[1][2][3]

  1. ^ Bachrach, Fabian (23 August 1963). "Eric Johnston Dies; Aided 3 Presidents". New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Milestones: Aug. 30, 1963". Time. Time Life Inc. 30 August 1963. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  3. ^ Edgerton, Ralph A. (1989). "The Eric Johnston Story". The Pacific Northwesterner. Retrieved 24 August 2020.