The Hollywood Ten
The Hollywood Ten were U.S. entertainment professionals who were blacklisted because they were accused of being communists. This blacklist consisted from screenwriters, directors to actors and other entertainment positions. These people’s careers were greatly impacted due to this accusation, and most of them had to change their names in order to continue working for the entertainment industry. The listed was started with ten major and most known blacklisted professionals. These ten were Alvah Bessie, Herbert Biberman, Lester Cole, Edward Dmytryk, Ring Lardner Jr., John Howard Lawson, Albert Maltz, Samuel Ortnitz, Adrian Scott, and Dalton Trumbo.
Alvah Bessie
He was an American novelist and journalist who wrote screenplays for Warner Brothers and other studios. He had been a member of the International Brigades and also fought in the Spanish Civil War in 1938. In 1947, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) summoned him and accused him of being involved with the Communist Party. He refused to confirm or deny this accusation and in 1950 he was imprisoned and blacklisted. Being one of the Hollywood Ten Blacklisted ruined his screenwriting career and he never returned to Hollywood.
Herbert Biberman
In 1928 he joined the Theater Guild as an assistant stage manager and then he quickly became one of the company’s best directors. Then in 1935 he entered films as a director and a screenwriter of “B” movies. The HUAC then accused him of communist activities, in 1947. When he refused to confirm or deny these allegations in 1950, he was sentenced to six months in prison and banished from Hollywood. Later in 1954, he made a film Salt of the Earth in which he exposed the terrible working conditions of miners in New Mexico. Since he was still blacklisted some unions refused to show the film. He then released the film in Europe where it won awards in France and Czechoslovakia. His films are best known in Europe due to him being blacklisted in Hollywood.
Samuel Ornitz
He had the opportunity to be in the business industry but instead he decided to write. In 1923 he was successful with his novel Haunch Paunch and Jowl. He had a career in Hollywood since 1929 and his screen credits were pleasant and he was one of the most outspoken of Hollywood’s left-wing community. In 1947, he was called before the HUAC to testify regarding his involvement with the Communist Party. Upon his refusal to answer the HUAC’s questions he was sentenced to a year in prison and was added to the famous Hollywood Ten Blacklist. His career in Hollywood had ended but that didn’t stop him from continuing writing novels until his death
Edward Dmytryk
In the 1930s he became an editor an in 1935 he became directing. By the 1940s he had a great array of credits, being part of many great films. In 1948 he became one of the Hollywood Ten when he was accused of being a part of the Communist Party and was sentenced to a year in prison and was blacklisted. After being blacklisted he went to direct three films in England but later returned to the United States in 1951. He then went before the HUAC once more but this time as a “friendly” witness and then his name was dropped from the blacklist. From here he resumed his American career and direct four films for producer Stanley Kramer and he went on to make many notable films [1].
The Hollywood Ten were U.S. entertainment professionals who were blacklisted because they were accused of being communists. This blacklist consisted from screenwriters, directors to actors and other entertainment positions. These people’s careers were greatly impacted due to this accusation, and most of them had to change their names in order to continue working for the entertainment industry. The listed was started with ten major and most known blacklisted professionals. These ten were Alvah Bessie, Herbert Biberman, Lester Cole, Edward Dmytryk, Ring Lardner Jr., John Howard Lawson, Albert Maltz, Samuel Ortnitz, Adrian Scott, and Dalton Trumbo.
Alvah Bessie
He was an American novelist and journalist who wrote screenplays for Warner Brothers and other studios. He had been a member of the International Brigades and also fought in the Spanish Civil War in 1938. In 1947, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) summoned him and accused him of being involved with the Communist Party. He refused to confirm or deny this accusation and in 1950 he was imprisoned and blacklisted. Being one of the Hollywood Ten Blacklisted ruined his screenwriting career and he never returned to Hollywood.
Herbert Biberman
In 1928 he joined the Theater Guild as an assistant stage manager and then he quickly became one of the company’s best directors. Then in 1935 he entered films as a director and a screenwriter of “B” movies. The HUAC then accused him of communist activities, in 1947. When he refused to confirm or deny these allegations in 1950, he was sentenced to six months in prison and banished from Hollywood. Later in 1954, he made a film Salt of the Earth in which he exposed the terrible working conditions of miners in New Mexico. Since he was still blacklisted some unions refused to show the film. He then released the film in Europe where it won awards in France and Czechoslovakia. His films are best known in Europe due to him being blacklisted in Hollywood.
Samuel Ornitz
He had the opportunity to be in the business industry but instead he decided to write. In 1923 he was successful with his novel Haunch Paunch and Jowl. He had a career in Hollywood since 1929 and his screen credits were pleasant and he was one of the most outspoken of Hollywood’s left-wing community. In 1947, he was called before the HUAC to testify regarding his involvement with the Communist Party. Upon his refusal to answer the HUAC’s questions he was sentenced to a year in prison and was added to the famous Hollywood Ten Blacklist. His career in Hollywood had ended but that didn’t stop him from continuing writing novels until his death
Edward Dmytryk
In the 1930s he became an editor an in 1935 he became directing. By the 1940s he had a great array of credits, being part of many great films. In 1948 he became one of the Hollywood Ten when he was accused of being a part of the Communist Party and was sentenced to a year in prison and was blacklisted. After being blacklisted he went to direct three films in England but later returned to the United States in 1951. He then went before the HUAC once more but this time as a “friendly” witness and then his name was dropped from the blacklist. From here he resumed his American career and direct four films for producer Stanley Kramer and he went on to make many notable films [1].
Video: The Hollywood Blacklist: 1947-1960 [2]
[1] Gary Handman, “The Hollywood Ten,” Library, University of California, Berkeley, last modified October 15, 2010, www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/blacklist.html.
[2] “The Hollywood Blacklist: 1947-1960.” youtube video, 3:55. Posted by “jnussbau,” Oct 13, 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJzV6-wJ3SQ.
[2] “The Hollywood Blacklist: 1947-1960.” youtube video, 3:55. Posted by “jnussbau,” Oct 13, 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJzV6-wJ3SQ.