Bernard J. Berry

Infobox_Politician
name = Bernard J. Berry


width = 144px
height = 216px
birth_date = birth date|1913|7|3|mf=y
birth_place = Jersey City, New Jersey
death_date = death date and age|1963|1|6|1913|7|13|mf=y
death_place = Jersey City, New Jersey
residence = Jersey City, New Jersey
office = Mayor of Jersey City
order = 33rd
term_start = 1953-12-15
term_end = 1957-05-20
predecessor = John V. Kenny
successor = Charles S. Witkowski
party = Democratic
religion =
spouse =
children = Bernard J. Jr.
website =

Bernard J. Berry (1913-07-03 - 1963-01-06) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as the 33rd mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey from 1953 to 1957.

Berry achieved a level of notoriety for having banned both rock and roll music as well as an "obscene" film from Jersey City during his tenure. Berry banned the film The Moon Is Blue from being shown for being "indecent and obscene" [citation | newspaper = The New York Times | title = JERSEY JUDGE SEES 'THE MOON IS BLUE'; Superior Court Jurist Says He Will Give Decision Today on Film Seized as 'Indecent' | date = October 16, 1953 | page = 33 ] and refused to allow Bill Haley and the Comets to play a concert at municipally-owned Roosevelt Stadium. [cite book | last = Altschuler | first = Glenn | title = All Shook Up: How Rock 'n' Roll Changed America | page = 4 | publisher = Oxford University Press | location = New York City | year = 2003 | isbn = 0195139437 ] The latter act is believed to have inspired Haley to write the first protest song in rock and roll, "Teenager's Mother," which included the lyrics "Are you right? Did you forget too soon? How much you liked to do the Charleston?" [cite book | last = Dinnisoff | first = R. Serge | title = Risky Business: Rock in Film | publisher = Transaction Publishers | location = New Brunswick, New Jersey | year = 1991 | page = 33 | isbn = 0-88738-843-4]

References