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Could Trumbo’s story of Hollywood’s shame hold the key for black actors now? Could Trumbo’s story of Hollywood’s shame hold the key for black actors now?
(7 months later)
It was the time when Hollywood almost died of shame. They called it McCarthyism, although the junior senator from Wisconsin had less to do with it than you’d think. But it was watching the House Un-American Activities Committee that taught Joe McCarthy all he knew before he set up in business himself.It was the time when Hollywood almost died of shame. They called it McCarthyism, although the junior senator from Wisconsin had less to do with it than you’d think. But it was watching the House Un-American Activities Committee that taught Joe McCarthy all he knew before he set up in business himself.
Related: Trumbo review – return to red-faced Hollywood's shame
Both insisted they were preserving their nation from communism; both were wicked frauds. This is the period in which the new film Trumbo is set. Dalton Trumbo was one of the Hollywood 10, the name given to the writers – along with the director Edward Dmytryk – jailed for refusing to say they were communists. They were subjected to hearings that were nothing more than kangaroo courts, with the committee members – who included a certain Richard Nixon – acting as prosecutors, judges and jury members.Both insisted they were preserving their nation from communism; both were wicked frauds. This is the period in which the new film Trumbo is set. Dalton Trumbo was one of the Hollywood 10, the name given to the writers – along with the director Edward Dmytryk – jailed for refusing to say they were communists. They were subjected to hearings that were nothing more than kangaroo courts, with the committee members – who included a certain Richard Nixon – acting as prosecutors, judges and jury members.
“Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist party?” asked the snide chairman J Parnell Thomas. When they started to answer, he banged his gavel and refused them a hearing. They were not allowed to make statements or have lawyers to help them plead their case. They were refused the “privilege” of taking the fifth amendment – that no one should give evidence that could incriminate them. Finally, they appealed to the supreme court, which sent them off to various penal institutions.“Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist party?” asked the snide chairman J Parnell Thomas. When they started to answer, he banged his gavel and refused them a hearing. They were not allowed to make statements or have lawyers to help them plead their case. They were refused the “privilege” of taking the fifth amendment – that no one should give evidence that could incriminate them. Finally, they appealed to the supreme court, which sent them off to various penal institutions.
It is a story full of tragedy, pathos and not a little humour – to which you can add fair doses of hypocrisy and downright cowardice. People in the film business lost their lives as well as their jobs. For 12 years, people found themselves on a blacklist – a list that never really existed.It is a story full of tragedy, pathos and not a little humour – to which you can add fair doses of hypocrisy and downright cowardice. People in the film business lost their lives as well as their jobs. For 12 years, people found themselves on a blacklist – a list that never really existed.
For 12 years, people found themselves on a blacklist – a list that actually never really existedFor 12 years, people found themselves on a blacklist – a list that actually never really existed
I remember talking to the writer of MASH, Larry Gelbart. Sitting by the desk in his Beverly Hills home, he mimed opening a drawer and taking out an envelope. “That’s what happened when I went into a producer’s office and asked about a certain star for a role I was writing. He looked at the envelope and started ticking off names. ‘No,’ he said, ‘can’t use him. Or him. Or her. They’re commies.’ That was the blacklist.”I remember talking to the writer of MASH, Larry Gelbart. Sitting by the desk in his Beverly Hills home, he mimed opening a drawer and taking out an envelope. “That’s what happened when I went into a producer’s office and asked about a certain star for a role I was writing. He looked at the envelope and started ticking off names. ‘No,’ he said, ‘can’t use him. Or him. Or her. They’re commies.’ That was the blacklist.”
When the House Un-American Activities Committee came to Hollywood, it proclaimed that communists in the film business were stifling the American way of life.When the House Un-American Activities Committee came to Hollywood, it proclaimed that communists in the film business were stifling the American way of life.
In fact, Parnell Thomas had an ulterior motive. His committee wasn’t getting enough publicity. Quite rightly, he thought there was one place to be sure of attention: Hollywood. Every time a famous film star came to “give evidence”, there would be pictures in the papers and long clips in the newsreels. It worked. The stars came and the flashbulbs popped.In fact, Parnell Thomas had an ulterior motive. His committee wasn’t getting enough publicity. Quite rightly, he thought there was one place to be sure of attention: Hollywood. Every time a famous film star came to “give evidence”, there would be pictures in the papers and long clips in the newsreels. It worked. The stars came and the flashbulbs popped.
Gary Cooper, one of the biggest Hollywood names back then, declared: “I don’t know much about communism, but what I know I don’t like very much.” Adolph Menjou, another top actor, known as the best-dressed man in town, declared: “Hollywood is rife with communists.” And Ronald Reagan, chairman of the Screen Actors Guild, said his members were greatly concerned about the “Red menace”.Gary Cooper, one of the biggest Hollywood names back then, declared: “I don’t know much about communism, but what I know I don’t like very much.” Adolph Menjou, another top actor, known as the best-dressed man in town, declared: “Hollywood is rife with communists.” And Ronald Reagan, chairman of the Screen Actors Guild, said his members were greatly concerned about the “Red menace”.
The blacklist was firmly established – even if no one could find a document to confirm it. The writers were the first victims. They were accused of inserting communist propaganda into their scripts. Although, as Bob Hope’s leading writer, Melville Shavelson, told me: “It was difficult enough to sell a script at any time – let alone insert propaganda into our work.”The blacklist was firmly established – even if no one could find a document to confirm it. The writers were the first victims. They were accused of inserting communist propaganda into their scripts. Although, as Bob Hope’s leading writer, Melville Shavelson, told me: “It was difficult enough to sell a script at any time – let alone insert propaganda into our work.”
Another writer, Oliver Crawford, told me how night after night, FBI men were parked outside his house, focusing their headlights on his front room. In the end he and his family escaped to New York. His daughter Joanne told me, “I had been instructed not to say what my father did for a living. When we were asked at school what our dads did, I said he was a bank robber.”Another writer, Oliver Crawford, told me how night after night, FBI men were parked outside his house, focusing their headlights on his front room. In the end he and his family escaped to New York. His daughter Joanne told me, “I had been instructed not to say what my father did for a living. When we were asked at school what our dads did, I said he was a bank robber.”
Actors suffered too. Philip Loeb, booked into an hotel, ordered champagne, opened the window and jumped to his death. The actress Lynn Grant spoke at a memorial service for another victim and was told she would be put on the blacklist unless she implicated her husband as a communist. She refused – and didn’t work for 12 years.Actors suffered too. Philip Loeb, booked into an hotel, ordered champagne, opened the window and jumped to his death. The actress Lynn Grant spoke at a memorial service for another victim and was told she would be put on the blacklist unless she implicated her husband as a communist. She refused – and didn’t work for 12 years.
The MGM star Betty Garrett, nine months pregnant, was excused going to Washington to be questioned. Her husband Larry Parks, star of the hit 1946 film The Jolson Story, gave evidence about the party that both he and his wife had joined before the war and which they left in 1943. “I sat watching on our little black and white television with tears running down my cheeks,” she told me. Giving evidence, Parks did not deny he had been a party member but refused to give the names of others. In the end, he broke down and confirmed a few names submitted to him by the committee. Both he and his wife had their contracts cancelled.The MGM star Betty Garrett, nine months pregnant, was excused going to Washington to be questioned. Her husband Larry Parks, star of the hit 1946 film The Jolson Story, gave evidence about the party that both he and his wife had joined before the war and which they left in 1943. “I sat watching on our little black and white television with tears running down my cheeks,” she told me. Giving evidence, Parks did not deny he had been a party member but refused to give the names of others. In the end, he broke down and confirmed a few names submitted to him by the committee. Both he and his wife had their contracts cancelled.
Related: ‘Every country has its fearmongers’ – Bryan Cranston on Trumbo and Hollywood’s blacklist
Meanwhile, the studio heads met at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York and produced a document saying that they would never allow a communist to appear in any of their films. It was sheer cowardice. If they had stood by their employees, the blacklist would never have taken root.Meanwhile, the studio heads met at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York and produced a document saying that they would never allow a communist to appear in any of their films. It was sheer cowardice. If they had stood by their employees, the blacklist would never have taken root.
As it was, Kirk Douglas refused to allow Dalton Trumbo to agree to anyone else being credited with writing the film Spartacus, which he was producing. With that one gesture, the blacklist ended. Could it come again? There are those who think it could happen – in reverse. Might the action of the black actors boycotting the Oscars be the start?As it was, Kirk Douglas refused to allow Dalton Trumbo to agree to anyone else being credited with writing the film Spartacus, which he was producing. With that one gesture, the blacklist ended. Could it come again? There are those who think it could happen – in reverse. Might the action of the black actors boycotting the Oscars be the start?
As a postscript: J Parnell Thomas was later imprisoned for corruption. He was sent to the same prison as one of the Hollywood 10 – Ring Lardner Jnr, who saw his oppressor working in the jail chicken farm. “Still shovelling the shit,” he told him.As a postscript: J Parnell Thomas was later imprisoned for corruption. He was sent to the same prison as one of the Hollywood 10 – Ring Lardner Jnr, who saw his oppressor working in the jail chicken farm. “Still shovelling the shit,” he told him.