Born during the era of silent movies, the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company produced a series of Charlie Chaplin films in 1915, most notably including The Tramp. The Essanay document above shows us one thing: It didn't take long for the film industry to master the cold rejection letter. Filmmakers could pour their heart and soul into writing a script. And what did they get in return? A list of 17 possible reasons to reject a manuscript, with a deflating check mark next to a particular item. That's it. No further explanation offered.

Essanay closed in 1925, probably to the delight of some. You can still find some of Essanay's films in our collection of 65 Free Charlie Chaplin Films Online.

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via @tedgioia

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