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Dalton Trumbo’s Breakthrough: A Timeline of the Breaching of the Blacklist,

1958-1961

Introduction

The recent release of the popular film Trumbo based on the Bruce Cook 1977

biography, together with the republication of that volume, and the appearance of

the definitive scholarly biography Dalton Trumbo: Blacklisted Hollywood Radical

by blacklist scholar Larry Ceplair and Trumbo’s son Christopher, and the widely

read Kirk Douglas memoir I Am Spartacus: Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist,

have refocused popular attention on the events leading up to the beginning of the

end of the Hollywood blacklist. Many of these events were first described a

quarter of a century ago by film historian Jeff Smith in his carefully written and

heavily annotated 1989 article, “A Good Business Proposition: Dalton Trumbo,

Spartacus, and the End of the Blacklist” published in the University of Texas Press

periodical The Venus Light Trap and republished in revised form in 1999 in the

collection Controlling Hollywood edited by Mathew Bernstein.

While groundbreaking, Smith’s essay did not exhaust all the key events

surrounding the beginning of the end of the blacklist, nor did his very extensive

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source materials include everything that was written about them at the time or

since the publication of his essay. Film scholars are now beginning to dig deeper

into the demise of the blacklist in the way they once did into its genesis. To

expedite further research on this subject the author has produced a timeline

drawing upon all these sources in an attempt to produce a more complete picture

of these events. In addition to providing a convenient thumbnail sketch of facts

already available to a diligent researcher, the timeline provides some in-depth

analysis of certain important events and public debates and of the motivations of

those who participated in them. The timeline uses a series of coded labels to

identify the references which recount the events contained therein. An alphabetic

listing of the labels, with full reference information for each, appears at the end of

the timeline.

The timeline also refers to a letter written by Dalton Trumbo on 17 January 1960

to his long time friend, agent and ally in the fight against the blacklist, Ingo

Preminger, brother of director Otto Preminger, that appears to conclusively

demonstrate that by the end of 1959 he did have free and open run of the

Universal Studios lot and offices, thereby settling one controversy that has

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recently arisen around the actions (or lack thereof) taken by Kirk Douglas in

bringing that about. The letter also makes clear that at the time it was written,

with his script for Exodus complete, Trumbo was certain that he was going to

receive screen credit from Otto Preminger. Another published letter by Trumbo

written on the same day to A. C. Spectorsky, associate publisher of Playboy

Magazine, confirms this and strongly suggests that in his view, had his name

appeared on screen in the credits for only Exodus it would still have constituted a

major breach of the blacklist.

The Timeline highlights not only the stubborn opposition to Trumbo’s efforts to

break the blacklist by the American Legion, but also the major efforts made by the

pro-blacklist Hollywood organization, the Motion Picture Alliance for the

Preservation of American Ideals (MPA) and by the House Un-American Activities

Committee (HUAC) to prevent him from obtaining screen credit for Spartacus. It

also provides significant circumstantial evidence of White House intervention at

the eleventh hour that blocked the Committee from holding its planned new

Hollywood hearings in the fall of 1959 with the intention of shutting down the

entire black market in banned screen writers. Trumbo had written to President

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Eisenhower on January 24, 1957 describing the role of all three branches of the

Federal Government in enforcing the blacklist in Hollywood and asking that he

make a public statement condemning the practice. Eisenhower replied to

Trumbo’s letter through his Special Counsel, Gerald D. Morgan , informing

Trumbo that he could make no public comment. However, by mid-1959 the

President found himself engaged in a public controversy with the Chairman of the

Committee Francis E. Walter (D – Pennsylvania) over Walter’s demand that he

remove a large portion of the works by American artists in an exhibit about to be

sent to Moscow under the auspices of the United States Information Agency

(USIA). Early in June Walter charged that over half of these works were done by

artists who had been involved in Communist “front” organizations or causes and

he wanted them removed from the exhibit. A few years before in 1956 the then

head of the USIA had cancelled a number of American art exhibits intended to be

sent to several other foreign countries because the works of some of the very

same artists were a part of them.

But at his July 1 news conference Eisenhower backed up the positions of the USIA

and the State Department and publicly refused to “censor” the exhibit, as he

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termed it. Eisenhower was reported to be privately opposed to attacks on the

exhibit and to have told a meeting of Republican congressional leaders earlier in

the week that he was anxious to avoid creating a situation analogous to the

suppression of writer Boris Pasternak’s Nobel prize winning novel, Dr. Zhivago by

the Russian government. In a telegram to the President, the four man jury

appointed by the State Department to select the works to be exhibited

commended him for his stand as did many other individuals and institutions from

the art world. However, Walter vowed to press on with his efforts to eliminate at

least some of the works by the offending artists from the exhibit but to no avail.

His threat to hold hearings in July and call USIA and State Department officials as

witnesses devolved into one closed door session on the same day as the

president’s press conference at which two of the artists were questioned. No

further hearings took place. Upon its return to the US the exhibit was staged at

the Whitney Museum in New York in October.

It was just at this same moment, at the start of July, that several reports of plans

for new HUAC Hollywood hearings in the fall appeared in the New York Times in

connection with stories concerning the warnings by the California Branch of the

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American Legion in late May about the “re-infiltration of Communists” into the

film industry. In making his stand against government censorship of artists and

writers in connection with the USIA exhibit, Eisenhower had to have been

cognizant of the Committee’s plans for Hollywood hearings later in the year and

of the whole controversy over maintaining the blacklist, which was now much

more in the public eye as the result of several public statements by former

President Harry Truman condemning it as well as HUAC, and because of the

Academy Awards presented to blacklisted writer Nedrick Young, who had been

hired by Stanley Kramer to write the script for The Defiant Ones, and earlier to

Dalton Trumbo under the name Robert Rich for his story and script for The Brave

One. The Committee was apparently planning to hold these hearings some time

after the conclusion in later November of its hearings concerning Communist

activities in Puerto Rico that were to be held in New York and San Juan. It was at

that time that rumors of the Committee’s imminent appearance became

widespread in Hollywood causing some consternation at the studios and among

producers making use of the black market in banned writers.

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But the Committee never appeared. Given his recent mindset it seems likely that

Eisenhower quietly intervened through Congressional leaders to quash these

Hollywood hearings, allowing a momentarily terrified Otto Preminger to recover

his composure and soon afterwards announce that Trumbo would receive credit

for Exodus. The timeline thus attempts to explain Otto Preminger’s wildly

vacillating attitude during the period from November 1959 to January 1960

towards awarding blacklisted writer Albert Maltz and later Dalton Trumbo screen

credit for Exodus through these sudden rumors of the imminent appearance of

HUAC in Hollywood that began to circulate late in 1959 and then the failure by

mid-January 1960 of the Committee to appear, not insignificantly, the beginning

of a presidential election year.

As the Timeline clearly demonstrates, Preminger’s declaration set off a cascade of

events that ultimately toppled the blacklist. Although Preminger immediately

came under attack by some right wing newspapers and the national commander

of the American Legion, he responded in kind, refusing to budge from his

denunciation of the blacklist as immoral and Un-American. He was quickly joined

in the fray by producer Stanley Kramer who also insisted on his right to hire

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anyone he chose, based on his own conscience, whatever their past political

affiliations, and announced that blacklisted writer Nedrick Young would be the

author of his forthcoming film, Inherit the Wind. When he too came under attack

from the Legion, he reiterated his position, leading to a debate between him and

the Legion’s national commander broadcast on nationwide television. As many

moderate liberal and centrist personalities within the film industry and liberal

national veterans and civil liberties organizations jumped to the defense of

Kramer, Preminger and Kirk Douglas (who was also under attack), the American

Legion became much more isolated from mainstream public opinion in its defense

of its role in enforcing the blacklist.

Battered by repeated public anti-blacklist statements by Otto Preminger and by

Stanley Kramer, Universal soon admitted that Trumbo was also the author of

Spartacus and in August, after a Sindlinger poll commissioned by the studio

showed that neither the name of Dalton Trumbo nor Howard Fast on the list of

screen credits would likely hurt box office receipts for Spartacus, they granted

him screen credit for that film as well. Both films were tremendously successful

and over the next decade, one by one, some blacklisted writers, actors and

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directors were able to return to work without making any political recantations

before the Committee.

None of this is likely to have happened had the Committee actually come to hold

open hearings investigating the black market in blacklisted writers in Hollywood in

December 1959 or even, as was rumored for a time, closed door hearings around

December 1960. A year later, around the start of 1962, Trumbo wrote a letter to

Albert Maltz celebrating the huge world-wide box office success of Spartacus and

Exodus and the several big new projects such as Hawaii that he was currently

openly working on at his old, extremely high fees and with his name guaranteed

to appear in their screen credits. Concluding, he expressed optimism that the

blacklist would continue to gradually open up as other individual blacklisted

writers, one by one, found a way through luck or circumstance to get their names

on screen. Yet he still cautioned:

“For myself, one thing could really hurt: another ticket from the committee. I’d

stand a better than even chance of going under and probably would go under.”

(letter to Albert Maltz, late 1961 or early 1962, AD pg.561)

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But the political establishment had decided that the blacklist was no longer

needed as part of its campaign to keep public opinion cowed by the fear of

Communist subversion at home and abroad and consequently tolerant of the Cold

War and the perilous nuclear arms race. Rather, as Trumbo had argued years

before in mid-1958 in a long report intended to be read by Vice President Richard

M. Nixon, it had become an embarrassment in America’s struggle to keep its hold

on the high moral ground of civil liberties and representative democracy in its

ideological battle with the USSR and its efforts to maintain support for its

repressive Cold War policies in Europe and elsewhere. Probably expressing

administration policy, Nixon had refused to make a public anti-blacklist statement

at the time but had suggested that the blacklist was a problem to be solved by the

industry itself without government intervention. Thus, a year and a half later

President Eisenhower probably acted to block the threat of such direct

government intervention in the form of new Hollywood House Un-American

Activities Committee hearings similar to the ones that were mainly responsible for

the creation and the maintenance of the blacklist by the studios in the first place,

thus opening the way for Trumbo, Preminger, Kramer and Douglas to breach it.

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Timeline

Date Event Source

December 1957 - Eddie Lewis takes an option on Howard Fast’s novel RS 303-304; 306, IAS 43

January 1958 Spartacus for $100 but on the sole condition that the

novel’s author write the screenplay

12 January 1958 Dalton Trumbo signs contract with Bryna Films to Smith in CH 218-19, 235

write screenplay from the novel The Brave Cowboy. note 47; Trumbo letter to

Kirk Douglas is persuaded to try to use this small film Albert Maltz 21 January

with Trumbo’s name on it to break the blacklist. 1958 in AD 413-14, RS

However, Bryna Films reserves the right to shift 309-10, IAS 50-52; Cook

Trumbo over to write the screenplay for Spartacus if 270-71

Fast’s script proves unusable or cannot be brought up

to par in time to beat the rival project based on

Arthur Koestler’s Spartacus novel The Gladiators into

production.

May 1958 Fast is brought in to write the script. Fast’s treatment RS 305-6, 307-8, 310-11,

and his first 60 pages of script are found to be in need 312-13; IAS 44, 46, 49, 53,

of a great deal more work (he had never written a 58-9; Cook 270-71

screenplay in Hollywood before). Trumbo is brought Trumbo letter to Eddie

in to write a new outline for Fast but his subsequent Lewis 31 May 1958 in AD

pages are still found to be below par. Without Fast’s 424-25 and notes 11-13;

knowledge Trumbo is now brought in to write the Eddie Lewis UCLA

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entire Spartacus script using Eddie Lewis as his front, interview with Ceplair,

mainly because he can write well and fast enough to Session One

get it before the camera’s before the rival production

of The Gladiators being rapidly penned by another

fast writing blacklisted author, Abraham Polonsky,

using Ira Wolfert as his front.

1 June 1958 Kirk Douglas meets with Vice President Richard Nixon Trumbo letter to Edward

in his office in Washington DC in an attempt to Lewis 31 May 1958 in AD

convince Nixon to make a statement condemning the 424-429 and notes 12-13

blacklist or at least supporting the right of by Manfull on AD 425

independent producers to hire whomever they wish

without regard to previous political affiliations. He

gives Nixon a lengthy statement written by Trumbo

arguing the case for this as in the best interests of the

United States and its film industry. Nixon refuses but

says that the blacklist is an industry problem that

needs to be resolved within the industry itself without

outside government interference, thereby signaling

that the administration and the Republicans in

general would not interfere with an industry

abandonment of the blacklist.

Late June 1958 Howard Fast hands in the completed first draft script RS 314 ; IAS 53; Howard

for Spartacus which Douglas has already secretly Fast, “Spartacus Revisited”

rejected and later tells Fast has been “lost”. It is only pp. 3-5; Fast, written

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“re-discovered” a year later in late May 1959 when statement to author;

the slave story part of the film runs into serious Dalton Trumbo “Last

trouble after Kubrick’s plot enhancements based on General Notes on

Arthur Koestler’s novel The Gladiators are finally Spartacus” pp. 1-2, Eddie

rejected. Lewis, cover memo to

Screen Writers Guild pp. 1,

15 July 1958 First draft screenplay of Spartacus, written by Trumbo RS 311, IAS 54, 64-67, 70;

using Eddie Lewis as his front, in part based on first 60 Cook 271; Eddie Lewis,

plus pages of Howard Fast script, handed in to cover memo to Screen

Universal with author listed as Eddie Lewis and Writers Guild, pp. 1, 4; Kirk

Howard Fast. The studio loves the script. With some Douglas papers register at

revisions, in early August it is submitted personally by University of Wisconsin,

Lewis and Douglas in London, to Olivier, Ustinov and pg. 20

Laughton who all agree by early September to appear

in the film.

September 1958 Universal green lights Spartacus after Lawrence Oliver RS 312; Eddie Lewis, UCLA

agrees to play Crassus. Unwilling to continue playing interview with Ceplair,

his part in the script writing charade, Eddie Lewis tells Session One; Eddie Lewis

Kirk Douglas to take his name off of the script. Over to Meroney and Coons,

the next few months Trumbo does several complete Eddie Lewis to Tom

rewrites under the pseudonym Sam Jackson. He will Benedek (1), (2); Douglas

ultimately be paid $100K by Lewis under that name papers register pg. 20,

with funds from Universal. All later versions of the Smith in CH 224, Trumbo

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script have the name Sam Jackson as well as Eddie letter to Ingo Preminger,

Lewis on their leather bindings but no author’s name 14 January 1960 in AD

appears on any publicity releases until Universal 531; RS 309; IAS 73

agrees to give Trumbo screen credit two years later.

27 October 1958 At October meeting of production heads and RS 315, IAS 70-71 both

distributors in Miami United Artists’ Arthur Krim quoting telegram from

announces production of The Gladiators starring Yul Arthur Krim to Douglas

Brynner, to begin shooting in Europe in the spring of dated 27 October 1958.

1959. Milton Rackmil of Universal announces the

production of Spartacus starring Kirk Douglas to begin

shooting in Hollywood in January, thus probably

knocking UA’s production out. Krim, who hopes to do

business with Bryna in the future, later telegraphs

Douglas informing him that Yul Brynner has agreed to

surrender his registered exclusive right to use the title

“Spartacus” thus signaling at least the temporary

suspension of The Gladiators project.

December 1958 – Some time prior to late February 1959, Lewis tells Eddie Lewis UCLA

June 1959 Trumbo that he believes the secret that he is the interview with Ceplair,

author of Spartacus will be impossible to keep. At Session One ; Ceplair

Trumbo’s behest, over the next six months Lewis Cineaste review essay on

repeatedly urges Douglas to tell Universal that IAS; Trumbo letter to

Trumbo is the author of Spartacus and to demand Michael Wilson, 24

screen credit for him February 1959 in AD 484

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15 December Two weeks before Christmas, two members of the Trumbo letter to Albert

1958 American Academy of Motion Pictures board, George Maltz and Michael Wilson,

Seaton and Valentine Davies, who hope to mount a 9 January 1959 in AD 470

campaign to repeal the Academy’s ban on awarding

Oscars to any member who had refused to cooperate

with the HUAC committee, approach blacklisted actor

and writer Nedrick Young about revealing to New

York Times writer Thomas Pryor that he is the co-

author of Stanley Kramer’s The Defiant Ones under

the pseudonym Nathan E. Douglas. The film is likely to

soon be nominated for best screenplay of 1958 and

they hope to prevent another blacklisting scandal

over this award following upon the ones over The

Brave One (1956) and The Bridge On The River Kwai

(1957) penned using pseudonym’s or fronts by

blacklisted writers Dalton Trumbo, and Michael

Wilson and Carl Foreman. On Trumbo’s advice to save

his ammunition until he needs it Young refuses.

31 December The Defiant Ones wins the New York Film Critics NYT Jan 1,1959, Trumbo

1958 Award for best screenplay. Under threat from Pryor letter to Albert Maltz, 9

to run the story without his confirmation Young gives January 1959 in AD 470-1

him an interview in which he confirms his co-

authorship of the film’s screenplay. Under Trumbo’s

direction he and co-author Harold J. Smith also go on

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popular Los Angeles television news commentator

Bill Stout’s local program on KNXT-TV that evening to

announce his authorship over the air. Public phone- in

response is overwhelmingly positive. Buoyed by this,

Seaton and Davies launch their internal campaign to

repeal the Academy prohibition at the next board

meeting.

8-9 January 1959 Radio news commentator for KPOL and TV news Trumbo letter to Albert

commentator for KABC-TV, Channel 7, Lou Irwin Maltz, 9 January 1959 in

broadcasts an unprecedented two part frankly anti- AD 471

blacklist show portraying the blacklisted screenwriters

as American Boris Pasternak’s. On the second night

many notables such as Ed Hartmann, president of the

Screen Writers Guild, Max Youngstein, vice-president

of United Artists, Frank King of the King Brothers,

Ambassador Hill, the U.S. envoy to Mexico City, and

John Nettleman, information officer for the State

Department, all make anti-blacklist statements in

response to the revelations from Nedrick Young and

Hal Wallace about The Defiant Ones. They all

emphasize that writers should be judged by the

content of their work, not their private opinions.

In response, Ward Bond, president of the pro-

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blacklist, pro-studio, anti-union Motion Picture

Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals

(MPA) can only bemoan the widespread thriving black

market in blacklisted writers’ scripts in Hollywood. He

says: “They’re all working now, all these fifth

amendment communists, and I don’t think that

anything I say about it will make much difference.

There’s no point at issue. We’ve just lost the fight and

it’s as simple as that.”

15 January 1959 The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences NYT Jan 16,1959

rescinds its two year old ban on awarding Oscars to

blacklisted industry members.

16 January 1959 Dalton Trumbo admits to the New York Times to NYT Jan 17,1959; Time, Jan

writing The Brave One under the name of Robert Rich, 26, 1959

for which he had won the 1956 Academy Award for

best story in March of 1957.

27 January 1959 Shooting commences on Spartacus in Death Valley IAS 97, letter to Michael

using the 16 January 1959 Final Revised Screenplay Wilson, 24 February 1959

written by Dalton Trumbo under the name Sam in AD 484; Spartacus –

Jackson. Not long before, starting with director Criterion Collection DVD,

Anthony Mann and Peter Ustinov and then Lawrence Peter Ustinov

Olivier and Charles Laughton, many starring members commentary;

of the cast begin visiting Trumbo at his home in Cook 271-2

Highland Park to improve their parts. They discuss this

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personal contact with Trumbo with each other on the

set. After being replaced by Stanley Kubrick in mid-

February, director Anthony Mann begins to speak

openly around town in Hollywood about Trumbo’s

role as screenwriter.

24 February 1959 Trumbo writes to Michael Wilson that, because of the Trumbo letter to Michael

new, more favorable conditions within the movie Wilson, 24 February 1959

industry, he, Wilson and Albert Maltz should engage in AD 480-486

in a concerted campaign of “ guerrilla warfare”

against the blacklist. Using their unmatched

excellence as screen writers, each of them should

refuse to work on a major script unless their demand

to receive screen credit for it is met.

As part of this he plans to “go on strike” in three or

five months time and demand Douglas’ support for

him to receive screen credit for Spartacus as the price

of his returning to work on it. Because of the frequent

visits by the Spartacus leading players to Trumbo at

his home for script conferences and the knowledge of

his role by Lew Wasserman, the most powerful man in

Hollywood, as well as by others at the talent agency

he heads, the Music Corporation of America (MCA),

Trumbo asserts that the only ones in Hollywood who

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are now still unaware that he is the film’s author are

the two top executives at Universal (studio head

Edward Muhl and board chairman Milton Rackmil).

Week of 21 March Walter Winchell in the Daily Mirror and Mike Connelly IAS 111, 117; Smith in CH,

1959 in the Hollywood Reporter publish as facts reports 224, 236, note 70, Trumbo

that Dalton Trumbo is the real author of Spartacus. letter to Lewis, late March

His fee at this point is given as $50,000. The reports 1959 (misdated by AD

probably originate with anti-communist employees editor Helen Manfull) in

on the Universal lot who belong to the industry wide AD 534-5, 541 note 16

network of informers of the ultra-right wing and pro-

blacklist organization Motion Picture Alliance for the

Preservation of American Ideals (MPA), a pro-studio

anti-union group founded in 1943.

Despite Trumbo’s efforts through Lewis to persuade

Douglas to publicly confirm these reports, Douglas

instead keeps quiet and privately convinces studio

head Ed Muhl that they are based on unfounded

rumors. Muhl warns Douglas that if Trumbo is later

found to be the writer of Spartacus, further

production work on the film may be cancelled.

Neither Douglas nor Muhl respond to the Winchell

story with a public denial.

6 April 1959 At the Academy Awards, on stage the blacklisted IMDB “The Defiant Ones”,

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writer Nedrick Young shares with Hal Wallace the “Nedrick Young”; Smith in

award for best screenwriting of 1958 for The Defiant CH 220-221

Ones , written and credited to him under the assumed

name Nathan E. Douglas

9 April 1959 In the Variety front page lead story accompanied by Smith in CH 236, nt. 73;

banner headlines, former President Harry S. Truman Var Apr 9, 1959; LAT May

denounces the blacklist in the film industry or “in 1, 1959; IAS 126-7

anything.” Three weeks later he again denounces the

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in

the Los Angeles Times.

Early May 1959 Otto Preminger engages blacklisted writer Albert Cook 273-74; Hirsch 321-

Maltz, living in exile in Mexico City, to do a complete 22; Ceplair, DT 395, text

screenplay for Exodus after novelist Leon Uris’ work is and note 2, Albert Maltz,

found to be unusable. Perhaps influenced by the now Citizen Writer in Retrospect

more favorable climate in Hollywood for breaking the 2: 912-13; Fujiwara 257

blacklist, and perhaps prodded by his brother Ingo, he

tells Maltz that if and when he completes the script by

the December deadline he will give him screen credit.

Maltz launches into a major research effort, visiting

Israel before the end of the month and planning

another trip in July, interviewing both Israeli and Arab

citizens and reading Zionist literature on the Jewish

settlement movement and both pro-Israeli and pro-

Arab sources on the 1947-48 war before starting to

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write the script.

9 May 1959 Hearings are held in both houses of Congress over NYT Mar 8, May 10, 1959

several weeks concerning bills designed to negate the

effect of recent Supreme Court decisions that uphold

civil liberties and limit the internal security powers of

the government based on current law. While

supporters of these bills point to the recent annual

report to Congress by the House Un-American

Activities Committee (HUAC) and statements by J.

Edgar Hoover, Director of the FBI, contending that

the internal Communist threat is still as great as ever

despite the precipitous decline in membership in the

Communist Party, opponents argued that

Communism has gotten nowhere in the US, that the

real threat is external, and that the proposed

legislation represents overzealous internal security

enforcement which will damage the US ability to carry

on the real fight. Opposition to such laws seems more

widespread and better organized than in years past.

Testifying for the government, Deputy Attorney

General Lawrence E. Walsh speaks in careful terms

about the proposed legislation, supporting some bills,

such as a law allowing states to enforce their own

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statutes against advocacy of overthrowing the Federal

government, while opposing others such as one

expanding the Smith Act to bar “theoretical advocacy”

as opposed to explicit “incitement to action,” a

distinction drawn by the Court in 1957.

Columist Anthony Lewis reports that “although no

one in the government has said so explicitly, it is

apparent that there is a relaxed attitude in the

Administration towards the security problem as a

whole. The aim seems to be to allow tensions to

continue subsiding and to avoid stirring up new

controversies about security programs”. (italics mine)

Late May 1959 In response to recent anti-blacklist statements in the NYT June 30, July 5 (2),

press and Academy Award presented to Nedrick Sept 6, 1959

Young at the Oscars, in late May, in a resolution at

their Annual Convention in Hollywood, the California

branch of the American Legion attacks the studios for

secretly using previously blacklisted writers using

fronts and pseudonyms. The Legion charges that “a

situation now exists whereby the American public is

witnessing the re-infiltration of the motion picture

industry by the Communists and their fellow

travelers.” The Legion also attacks the Academy of

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Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for “rescinding its

former ban on known Communists to receive its

coveted Oscar Award.”

31 May 1959 Communicating by telegram Trumbo walks off the IAS 126-127; Ceplair,

picture (Spartacus), ostensibly because of Bryna Cineaste review essay on

authorized rewrites by Peter Ustinov over three IAS; Eddie Lewis, UCLA

weeks in March and constant interference by interview with Ceplair

Douglas, Lewis and Kubrick. Through Lewis’ repeated Session One; Trumbo

previous urgings Douglas knows that the price of telegram to Douglas in IAS

Trumbo’s return will be for him to press Universal for 124; Dalton Trumbo, “Last

screen credit for Trumbo as screenwriter of General Notes on

Spartacus. Up to now it had been understood by Spartacus” pp. 1-2, 5,

Trumbo, Douglas and Lewis et al that no writer‘s Ceplair DT 381, 649 n. 64

name will appear on screen.

2 June 1959 Trumbo gives Eddie Lewis a signed copy of his novel Eddie Lewis UCLA

Johnny Got His Gun with an inscription thanking him interview with Ceplair,

for “risking his own name to help a man who had lost Session Four

his” by continuing to pressure Kirk Douglas to give

him screen credit.

3 June 1959 In a speech to the House of Representatives, Francis NYT June 4, 28, July 22

E. Walter, chairman of HUAC says that a routine check 1959

of his Committee’s files showed that 34 of the 67

artists whose works are represented in an art exhibit

now on its way to the United States fair in Moscow

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have “records of affiliation with Communist fronts

and causes.” He demanded that the art exhibit be

censored. He told the House “I cannot believe that

the overwhelming majority of the patriotic American

citizens will stomach this nonsense.”

In response, the United States Information Agency

(USIA) said that government officials decided to place

the selection of the art in the hands of a four-man

jury of art experts outside the Government, headed

by Franklyn C. Watkins, of the Pennsylvania of Fine

Arts in Philadelphia, without any attempt at guidance.

The jury was selected by twenty-two government

cultural advisors and approved by the President. The

officials stated that “the jury felt that the judging of

works of creative art should be solely on the merit of

the paintings and sculptures rather than the political

views of the artists. The Government authorities

concerned concurred in this view.”

9 June 1959 In a memo Bryna controller Jeff Asher proposes to Smith in CH 224 and end

meet with famed Hollywood lawyer Leon Kaplan now note 72.

representing Douglas and MCA president and Douglas

agent Lew Wasserman to discuss his proposal to add

Sam Jackson or even Dalton Trumbo to the list of

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writers’ names eligible for screen credit for

Spartacus filed with the Screen Writers Guild of

America.

12-22 June 1959 After a weeklong unsuccessful attempt to use Cover letter for script

another un-identified blacklisted writer on contract to materials from Eddie Lewis

Bryna as a stand-in for Trumbo, at Douglas’ to the Screen Writers Guild

desperate request Howard Fast returns to Universal of 23 June 1960; Written

Studios, spends three days watching the film already statement from Howard

shot with Kubrick many times and then writes 22 new Fast to the author; Howard

slave story scenes on the studio lot. Unbeknownst to Fast, “Spartacus Revisited,”

him, he is acting as a replacement screenwriter for pp. 6-9

Dalton Trumbo.

Late June 1959 Douglas promises Trumbo to tell Universal officially at IAS 126-130; Howard Fast,

the end of principal shooting except for the battle written statement to

montage, projected to be around 1 August that he is author; Howard Fast,

the writer of Spartacus and to press them for screen “Spartacus Revisited” pp.

credit for him. Fast departs the studio and Trumbo 8-9 and written statement

returns to work on Spartacus. Fast later secretly to the author.

confers with Kubrick at his home in New Jersey about

the final battle and other Spanish scenes. Trumbo

presents Douglas with an autographed copy of his

novel Johnny Got His Gun with an inscription thanking

him as his new friend who hired him under the

assumed name Sam Jackson which he also signs in the

25
book.

27 June 1959 HUAC announces it is planning to hold hearings early NYT June 28, 1959

next month on the art exhibit sent to Moscow to be

shown as part of the American fair there late in July.

Critics, including the Chairman of the Committee,

Representative Francis E. Walter, have charged that

many of the works of art in the collection were

executed by American artists who have been

associated in the past with “Communist fronts or

causes” and do not portray this country’s true culture.

They call for the Exhibit’s immediate recall and

replacement. The USIA and State and Commerce

Departments say the art works are already in Moscow

and there is no thought of changing plans to show

them. The four man jury who selected the 70 works

of art by 67 artists says that they were chosen

according to artistic merit alone with no regard to the

political background of the artists.

At the planned hearings the Committee intends to call

some of the artists who contributed to the Exhibit as

well as government officials, presumably from the

USIA and the State Departments, whose board of

cultural advisors chose the jury.

26
29 June-early July The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) NYT June 12, 30, July 1,

1959 lets it be known to the film industry in Hollywood, 5(2), 1959

probably through its permanent investigator

stationed there, that it is planning to hold new

Hollywood hearings on Communism in the film

industry next fall. It is feared that the hearings will

focus on blacklisted writers who defied the

Committee in 1947 such as the Hollywood Ten and in

1951 by taking the fifth amendment but who are now

working secretly for film producers as part of the

black market. Some in the industry believe that the

recent attacks by the California Branch of the

American Legion on the film industry were just

preparation for the Congressional group.

Significantly, there has not been, and will not be any

formal public announcement in Washington by the

Committee of its planned fall Hollywood hearings,

unlike the case of its planned major hearings in San

Francisco and Los Angeles, aimed at investigating

communists in the California teaching profession,

that have now been postponed to the fall. This at

least suggests some uncertainty within the

Committee about whether the Hollywood hearings

27
will actually take place because of anticipated

opposition to such hearings within the Executive

branch, and a desire to avoid embarrassment

resulting from their later cancellation after they had

been formally announced. (see below)

29 June – 22 Under pressure from their anti-Legion factions, the NYT June 30, July 1, 5(2),

August 1959 studios at first prepare a strong rejection of outside Sept 3, 6, 1959

control on their hiring of writers, voiced in the press

by B. B. Kahane, head of the Academy of Motion

Picture Arts and Sciences and Vice President of

Columbia Pictures, followed by Jack Warner of

Warner Brothers and other industry leaders.

However, due to counter pressure from their pro-

Legion factions and legal staff, their rebuff slowly

collapses as the American Legion National Convention

approaches in late August, leaving the Legion’s power

over the studios’ ability to hire whom they wish

unchecked and independent producers using

blacklisted writers to face its attacks alone.

1 July 1959 Representative Walter, Chairman of HUAC, holds the NYT July 3(1), 3(2), 1959

first of his planned hearings on the Moscow Art

Exhibit. In open session Wheeler Williams, New York

sculptor and president of the American Artists

28
Professional League tells the Committee that the

paintings and sculpture should be withdrawn as

“childish doodles” and a “discredit to the nation.” Mr.

Williams has long evinced hostility to “modernistic

art” which he has often termed “Communistic.” Left

wing contributors to the Exhibit, Ben Shahn and Philip

Evergood are questioned in executive session.

1 July 1959 At his press conference on Wednesday, 1 July 1959 NYT July 3(1), 5(1), 22,

President Eisenhower publicly refuses to remove any 1959

works from the exhibit of American art already sent to

Moscow and scheduled to open there at the Moscow

fair on July 25. He tells how the selection committee

had been named. Referring to “this furor about the

art” he declares: “I assure you I am not going to

censor art that has already gone there… I am not

going to be any censor of the choices that were

made… I might… if we have another exhibit…get the

juries [selecting the art to include] one or two people

that, like most of us here, say we are not too certain

exactly what art is, but we know what we like and

what America likes. What America likes ought to be

shown.”

The Times reports that “Privately the President was

29
reported to have opposed attacks on the exhibit. At a

meeting with Republican Congressional leaders earlier

in the week he was said to have remarked that

censoring the exhibit could only bring on “another

Pasternak case” referring to Soviet suppression of the

Nobel prize-winning novel “Dr. Zhivago” by Russian

writer Boris Pasternak.” In so doing he signals to

Congress and the Committee that the administration

is opposed to the suppression of free expression by

artists and writers because of their past or current

political opinions. (italics mine)

2-3 July 1959 The four man jury that selected the American art sent NYT July 3(1), 5(1), 22,

to the Moscow fair sends an open telegram and 1959

letters to the President commending him for his

refusal to censor the Moscow Exhibit. They assert

that withdrawing the Exhibit “would give the Soviet

propagandists an ideal weapon to attack our

democratic freedom.” They point out that only one

third of the collection, chosen solely on the basis of

artistic merit, was abstract or semi-abstract and deny

any “Communistic” taint or “un-American” flavor in

the collection, calling it “the broadest, most

representative exhibition of American art of the past

thirty years every sent abroad by the Government.”

30
Many institutions and leaders in the art world also

send letters praising the President, the jury and the

United States Information Agency (USIA) that

appointed it, and urging vigilance in guarding freedom

of creative expression. These include the Museum of

Modern Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Whitney

Museum, the American Association of Museum

Directors, and the American Federation of Arts, which

has a membership of 400 institutions and 2,000

individuals

2 July 1959 Despite the President’s public refusal to remove any NYT July 3(2), 22, 1959

works from the Moscow exhibit, the Chairman of

HUAC, Representative Walter, continues his month

long fight to force removal of at least part of the

exhibit. He writes a letter to Secretary of State,

Christian A. Herter, reminding him that on four

previous occasions proposed American art exhibits

were cancelled because the participating artists, some

of whom are contributors to the current exhibit, were

held to be Communist sympathizers. Records show

that these exhibits, prepared for South America,

Australia, Paris and Europe in general were cancelled

in 1956 on the orders of the then director of the USIA,

31
Theodore Streibert, who adopted a policy of

withholding exhibitions of paintings by artists

suspected of Communist leanings.

25 July 1959 The art exhibit opens as part of a fair displaying many NYT June 28, July 22 1959

other examples of American ingenuity in Moscow’s

Sokolniki Park with Vice President Richard M. Nixon

officiating.

During the rest of the year the Times does not report

any further convening of the planned HUAC hearings

to hear the testimony of State Department or USIS

officals concerning the Exhibit. Apparently they are

never held. After its return from Moscow the Exhibit is

scheduled to be shown at the Whitney Museum in

New York from 21 October to 8 November. (italics

mine)

Late July 1959 Eddie Lewis, speaking for Bryna, officially confirms to Eddie Lewis commentary

studio head Ed Muhl his own near certainty at this on Spartacus DVD; Eddie

point that Trumbo is in fact the author of Spartacus. Lewis to Tom Benedek (2);

Ostensibly speaking for himself as the film’s producer, Eddie Lewis, UCLA

he tells Muhl that Trumbo should and will get screen interview with Ceplair

credit. Trumbo later writes “to Ring Lardner Jr. that it Session One; Ceplair,

was his and Eddie Lewis’ policy ‘to keep Kirk out of Cineaste IAS review essay;

the picture’ as the man who made the [credit] NYT Feb. 22, 1960, Trumbo

32
decision because as an aactor he was far more letter to Aubrey Finn, 6

vulnerable to public opprobrium than Preminger.” August 1959 and

attachment, AD 493, 506;

Muhl rejects Lewis’ demand for screen credit because Trumbo note to Manfull in

of the extreme career risk to himself and engages AD 493-4

Lewis as the go-between in his several vain attempts

to get Trumbo to sign a “clearance letter” denying he

is a communist in anticipation of the approaching

Legion convention in late August. In early August,

Trumbo, through his attorney Aubrey Finn, also

rebuffs efforts by Mendel Silverberg, counsel for the

Association of Motion Picture Producers (the studios)

and Columbia Pictures, to obtain a clearance letter

from him.

Late July 1959 Worried by his mid-June visit to Maltz in Mexico, in Ceplair, DT 395-6; Hirsch,

which he sees signs of massive research for Exodus 322, 327-8; NYT Jan 20,

but no completed draft script pages, without Maltz’s 1960; Preminger 168;

knowledge Preminger consults with Dalton Trumbo Ryan 11

for a week about the problems of writing the script.

He then signs a contract with Trumbo to write his own

version of the Exodus script. He promises to pay him

$50,000 for a completed script and to award him

screen credit. Already hard at work on several drafts

of The Other Side of the Coin, another previously

33
contracted Preminger project, and under constant

pressure from Kirk Douglas and Eddie Lewis for

Spartacus scene rewrites, and soon to be engaged in

writing new mass scenes to be shot in Spain, the

Report on Spartacus (his classic critique of the first

rough cut of the film), and the retakes and additional

scenes resulting from it, Trumbo is not able to even

begin to look at the Exodus project until sometime in

November, probably late in the month.

August 1959 Principal photography on Spartacus ends on 1 August. Spartacus Production

Trumbo is smuggled onto the studio lot on the night Reports; Dalton Trumbo:

of 21 August to view first rough assembly; he sees “Notes to Myself on

film a second time the next night and then writes a Spartacus” scribbled down

rough set of “Notes to Myself on Spartacus” followed and then typed up after

by his mammoth single space eighty page Report on seeing the rough assembly

Spartacus over the weekend; swayed by it, Douglas a second time, dated 23

decides to shoot a large number of retakes and August 1959; Trumbo,

additional scenes; he also decides, on Kubrick’s Report on Spartacus; IAS

advice, to go to Spain to film the final battle, the 134-137, RS 325-6; Cook

devastation scene, slave marching scenes, as well as 272

other mass slave scenes proposed by Trumbo

22-26 August On 22 August B. B. Kahane, Vice President of NYT, Sept 3, 6, 1959; Smith

1959 Columbia Pictures, Vice President of the Association in CH 224-5, Trumbo letter

of Motion Picture Producers (the studios) and head of to B. B. Kahane, 29

34
the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences September 1959 in AD

kowtows to the American Legion ‘s Americanism 490-3 and notes 18, 20;

Commission at its National Convention by attacking Trumbo statement to

Dalton Trumbo as a “hard core Communist doing Helen Manfull in AD 493-4,

undercover work.” The Legion passes a resolution note 21.

on 26 August praising the studios for adhering to the

Waldorf Agreement of 1947 but condemning Bryna

pictures and Universal for employing Trumbo on

Spartacus and Stanley Kramer and United Artists for

employing Nedrick Young on The Defiant Ones.

Trumbo soon threatens legal action and Kahane yields

and offers several alternate letters of retraction but

dies before the issue is resolved. In its coverage of

the Legion resolution in early September the New

York Times reports as fact that Trumbo has worked on

the script of Spartacus.

Mid-October to Universal approves an additional $1M for scenes to Spartacus Production

November 1959 be shot in Spain. Kubrick spends nearly the full month Reports for November

of November shooting these additional scenes in 1959

Spain including the Final Battle master shots and close

in fighting scenes, Slave Camp Scenes, Metapontum

Triumph, Devastation Scene, Slave March Scenes and

Spartacus speech to the slave army on beach scene.

11 November In October and early November Maltz hands in the Albert Maltz letter to

35
1959 final sections of a 280 page treatment for Exodus to Dalton Trumbo, 11

Preminger including detailed scene summaries. He November 1959 in Smith in

writes from exile in Mexico to Trumbo that he has CH 225, 236 note 80;

written the script for Exodus and that director Otto Fujiwara 258

Preminger “is very anxious to have my name on it.”

Mid-November Rumors of imminent new fall hearings by the HUAC Trumbo statements to

through December committee, already reported earlier in the summer by Helen Manfull in AD 493-

1959 the New York Times as planned for the fall, begin to 4 note 21; AD 301, 541,

circulate in Hollywood. These rumors are likely being note 16; Trumbo letter to

spread by the MPA’s vast network of agents and William Faulkner 24

informants throughout Hollywood in an attempt to January, 1957 AD 382-3;

scare off Douglas or at least prevent Universal from Trumbo letter to President

awarding screen credit to Trumbo. If they originate Dwight Eisenhower, 24

with the MPA these rumors have some credibility January 1957, AD 383-4;

because of the organization’s close working Ceplair Cineaste review

relationship with the permanent HUAC investigator in essay on IAS

Hollywood who, together with their network of

informers, continues to seek out and intimidate

studios and independent producers who are, or are

considering, hiring blacklisted writers, and to advise

studio executives on who they may or may not

employ.

Early December, Douglas probably learns from Trumbo through Lewis, Spartacus – Criterion

1959 (7 December now just back from Spain, that Preminger intends to Collection DVD; Kirk

36
– 9 December) give Albert Maltz screen credit for Exodus. Not to be Douglas voiceover

outdone and under renewed prodding from Lewis, commentary; IAS 147, RS

but also in an effort to dispel the atmosphere of fear 323; Kirk Douglas letter to

at Universal engendered by the recent rumors of author, 5 May 2008;

imminent new HUAC Hollywood hearings, Douglas Trumbo letter to Ingo

invites Trumbo for lunch at the Universal commissary. Preminger, 17 January

He leaves a pass for him with his real name on it at 1960 in Trumbo

the gate, causing quite a stir within the studio correspondence

community.

By breaking the taboo on openly associating with a

blacklisted screenwriter Douglas signals his support

for Lewis’ earlier demand for screen credit for

Trumbo and his unwillingness to protect Universal’s

‘plausible deniability’ about its knowledge of

Trumbo‘s role as Spartacus screenwriter from the

American Legion or the HUAC committee any longer.

Trumbo openly sets foot on the Universal Studios lot__

according to Douglas, the first time in a decade that a

blacklisted writer has done so.

Douglas tells all his friends that he is pressing

Universal for screen credit for Trumbo. At first none

of them believe him. Then they try to dissuade him

37
from “throwing away his career” but he persists. The

frightened anti-Legion movement within Universal is

probably revived by Douglas’ open defiance and

renewed pressure for screen credit for Trumbo and by

Trumbo’s repeated appearances on the studio lot.

Early December Leaders of the pro-blacklist MPA such as Hedda Ceplair Cineaste review

1959 Hopper undoubtedly learn immediately of Douglas’ essay on IAS

actions and perhaps of Lewis’ earlier demand for

screen credit for Trumbo from their informants on the

Universal lot. To prevent his campaign from gaining

traction and achieving its purpose by reviving the

industry wide anti-blacklist, anti-Legion movement,

they choose not to publicize his bold acts of defiance

in the press.

Early December Having arrived back from Israel in New York over the IAS 150-151; RS 323-4;

1959 (7 December weekend of 5 December, Otto Preminger learns Helen Manfull in AD 469

– 9 December) within a few hours of Trumbo’s visit to the Universal

lot, probably through his brother Ingo, Trumbo’s

decade long friend and agent. He confirms by

telephone with Douglas that the actor is pressing

Universal for public confirmation and screen credit for

Trumbo as the author of Spartacus. Apparently deeply

frightened by the rumors of new Hollywood HUAC

hearings, which some in Hollywood fear may focus on

38
producers like himself who are covertly using

blacklisted writers through the black market, he

hysterically urges Douglas to cease and desist in his

efforts. If Trumbo gets screen credit he warns “it will

kill both pictures.” Douglas refuses to be deterred.

10 December Preminger makes no mention of his screenwriter for Dalton Trumbo, letter to

1959 – 14 January Exodus at his wide ranging Exodus news conference Ingo Preminger, 2 January

1960 on 8 December covering the film’s cast, crew and 1960 and statement to

production schedule. On 10 December Preminger Helen Manfull, AD 527-

fires Albert Maltz, whose just submitted 400 page 30, note 2; Hirsch 324;

draft script is much too long and dramatically Cook 274-75; Ceplair DT

unsatisfactory, and tells Trumbo to start working full 396, 400; Preminger 167-

time on Exodus. Preminger and Trumbo work on a 8; NYT Dec 9, 1959

cut down rewrite of Maltz’s script for 34 days straight

at Trumbo’s home in Highland Park, California before

Preminger leaves with the 246 page final draft of the

script for London around 14 January 1960.

22 December The Writers Guild of America is preparing to to fight NYT Dec 22, 1959

1959 for the abolition of the Hollywood blacklist. It

reactivates its Committee set up for this purpose and

is seeking an informal, unofficial meeting between

representatives of the Guild and the movie producers

at which an understanding will be reached which will

lead to the end of the blacklist, without ever

39
admitting that it ever existed, thereby protecting the

producers from legal action by those who were

adversely affected by it.

Later December With Trumbo‘ receipt of free access to the Universal Trumbo statement to

1959 lot from Douglas, which goes unreported in the press, Helen Manfull AD 493-4

Muhl no longer feels the need to keep his own note 21; Trumbo letter to

contacts with him secret. At Muhl’s request, Trumbo Ingo Preminger, 17 January

meets with him and Eddie Lewis together in his office 1960 in Trumbo

on the studio lot for the first time to discuss what he correspondence

will do if the rumored return of HUAC to hold new

Hollywood hearings materializes. Trumbo says he will

take an ad in the New York Times saying he will

answer no questions about his political beliefs posed

by the committee. A relieved Muhl offers his support

and hints at some financial backing from the studio

for the ad in other papers as well. However, Muhl will

not change his mind about awarding Trumbo screen

credit until mid-summer. (see below) He continues

to press Trumbo to sign a “clearance letter” but to no

avail.

January 1960 The rumors about the return of the Committee, Trumbo statements to

though probably well founded, prove false. HUAC fails Helen Manfull in AD 493-

to appear. The planned late fall Committee Hollywood 4 note 21; Ceplair

hearing are apparently quashed by high level Cineaste review essay on

40
Executive Branch officials in Washington, probably in IAS ; Cook 274-75;

the White House, perhaps in the Oval Office. (see

below) McCarthyism has now been discredited and

the much reduced Communist Party is no longer seen

as a serious threat by the Executive Branch, despite

the efforts of the Committee and of J. Edgar Hoover

to maintain the fiction that it is. As a result, such

hearings are now highly unlikely, at least for the rest

of the year because this is now the start of a

presidential election year and in this new, less

repressive climate, powerful forces in the Republican

party including Vice President Richard Nixon as well as

the Democrats judge such overt government intrusion

into the film industry to be detrimental to their

parties’ presidential aspirations.

As a result Otto Preminger apparently changes his

mind once again. He later claims to Trumbo

biographer Bruce Cook that he never discussed the

question of screen credit with him or any other

blacklisted writer he employed during this period.

However, he does recount to Cook how, late in their

collaboration, he made a little joke to Trumbo that if

the picture was a failure, he would see to it that he

41
got the blame, signaling to him that he still intended

to keep his promise, made the previous summer, to

award him screen credit.

January 1960 Probably referring to the repercussions of Douglas’ Trumbo letter to Ingo

lunch with him at Universal, on 17 January Trumbo Preminger, 17 January

writes to Ingo Preminger that although he has 1960 in Trumbo

corresponded and met personally with studio heads, correspondence; Trumbo

stars, producers and directors ”in their offices [on the letter to A. C. Spectorsky,

Universal Studios lot] and in mine” the Screen Writers 17 January 1960 in AD 532-

Guild is still unwilling to be seen meeting or 33;

communicating with him directly. (italics mine)

Nevertheless, undoubtedly referring to Ingo’s brother

Otto Preminger’s still standing and probably just

renewed promise to give him screen credit for

Exodus, Trumbo concludes with the phrase “blacklist

or no blacklist…my name is going to appear on the

screen in 1960.” In an autobiographical sketch for an

article sent to A. C. Spectorsky, associate publisher of

Playboy magazine, bearing the same date, Trumbo

states matter of factly that “towards the latter part of

1960 my name is going to appear, for the first time in

twelve years, on a screenplay I have written. This, in

Hollywood, will be an almost unparalleled example of

42
freedom, truth, and virtue.” Trumbo clearly believes

that the appearance of his name on screen in the

credits for Exodus is now certain and will be a major

breach of the blacklist.

19 January 1960 On Sunday 17 January 1960 Otto Preminger returns Preminger 118; Cook

from London to New York and the next day he meets 275; Ceplair DT 404-5;

for lunch at the St. Regis Hotel where he is staying Fujiwara 260-1; Hirsch

with Arthur Krim and Robert Benjamin, president and 327-8; NYT Jan 20, 1960;

chairman of the board of United Artists. He tells them Var Jan 27, 1960

that Dalton Trumbo is the author of the script for

Exodus and that he is going to give him screen credit.

Krim responds that “You have the right to do this. We

can’t support you but we are not going to stop you.”

The next day, in an interview with the New York

Times, Preminger announces that Dalton Trumbo has

written the script for Exodus and will receive screen

credit; he also confirms that Trumbo is the author of

all or nearly all of the script for Spartacus as well.

Preminger asserts that Trumbo was first hired last July

after novelist Leon Uris’ efforts to adapt his own book

into a screenplay failed. He makes no mention of

blacklisted writer Albert Maltz’s extensive work and

overlong first draft script for the film which was the

basis for Trumbo’s final version.

43
Preminger asserts that although he is not an

“authority” on the existence or effect of a Hollywood

blacklist, “assuming there is one, I will not participate

in it because I feel it is immoral and an illegal

extension of due processes of law, just like lynching,

let’s say. As long as there is no legal reason not to

employ a writer or an actor, I don’t think it is my job

to inquire into the politics of the persons I sign.”

20 January 1960 The next day there is a “no comment” from Universal NYT Jan 21, 1960

on Preminger’s credible revelation that Trumbo is the

author of Spartacus. All five Hollywood studios,

including Universal, tell the New York Times this will

change nothing in their adherence to the Waldorf

Agreement of 1947 (the blacklist) to which they swear

even stronger allegiance. But Arthur Krim, president

of United Artists, the major financing and distribution

company for independent films that is bankrolling and

distributing Exodus, tells the Times that under their

contract UA has no right to consult or approve of

writers hired by Preminger and “we intend to respect

our contractual obligation.” His declaration creates a

large breach in the blacklist.

25 January 1960 Rep. Francis E. Walter (D) Chairman of the House Un- NYT Jan 26, 1960

44
American Activities Committee tells the National

Society of New England Women at the Waldorf

Astoria Hotel in New York ”that such groups as the

American Association of University Professors, some

Justices of the Supreme Court and highly placed policy

makers of the Executive Branch ‘do not or will not

understand the threat of Communism.’” He

“castigates ‘the appalling gullibility of the leadership

of the free world.’” (italics mine) Walters “did not

name individuals in his statement.” His target is very

likely President Dwight D. Eisenhower who has forced

the cancellation of his planned Hollywood hearings.

February 1960 Many in Hollywood applaud Preminger’s action as a Smith in CH 226; Var Jan

principled stand against the blacklist. But Variety 27, 1960; Hirsch 327-8;

reports that others see it as just another example of NYDN Feb 5, 1960; NYHT

his inviting controversy in search of publicity and a Feb 2, 1960; Ceplair DT

bigger box office. In fact by April Exodus will break all 406, HR Jan 20, 1960

time records with one million advance ticket sales.

Under attack by the American Legion, the Hollywood

Reporter and The New York Daily News, Preminger

continues to publicly defend his action and his right to

hire whomever he wants without regard to their

politics and to attack the blacklist as illegal, unjust and

un-American in the New York Herald Tribune, and on

45
radio and television.

7 February 1960 Also under attack by the American Legion, director NYT Feb 8, 1960

Stanley Kramer confirms the Legion’s charges that

blacklisted writer Nedrick Young was the co-author of

his film The Defiant Ones. Young had won the

Academy Award for screenwriting for that film in

1959 under the pen name Nathan E. Douglas. Calling

the Legion’s policy “un- American” and

“reprehensible” Kramer defies the Legion’s

condemnation of his publicly announced decision that

Young will write the script for his forthcoming film

Inherit the Wind. Like Preminger he says he will hire

any writer he pleases regardless of the writer’s “past

affiliations” and unlike the studios, which in the past

had frequently employed fronts and pseudonyms for

blacklisted authors, will let the public know who his

screen writers are by giving them screen credit.

9 February 1960 Producer Stanley Kramer is rebuked for a second time NYT Feb 10, 11, 1960

by American Legion national commander Martin B.

McKneally for hiring blacklisted writer Nedrick Young.

McKneally rebukes Mr. Young for failing to answer

questions from HUAC in 1953 about his political

affiliations by taking the Fifth Amendment. He also

reaffirmed his criticism of Kirk Douglas and Otto

46
Preminger for hiring as a screenwriter Dalton Trumbo,

who had also refused to answer HUAC questions in

1947 and served a year in prison as a consequence.

The Council of the Authors League of America comes

to the support to Kramer and Preminger. In telegrams

sent to the producers by its president Moss Hart the

League’s expresses its continuing opposition to any

form of blacklisting of writers. The telegrams say that

that “the council voted unanimously at its meeting

today to commend and applaud you for your

courageous stand in rejecting publicly the effort to

interfere, on pseudo-patriotic grounds, with the right

of writers to work.”

Kramer and McKneally agree to debate the question

of employment of screen writers with “possibly

suspect” political records face to face from Chicago

and Los Angeles on a closed circuit television hook-up

to be taped immediately and broadcast on the

program “FYI” over the CBS television network this

coming Sunday at 11 AM. The debate will be

moderated by popular Los Angeles radio and TV

commentator Bill Stout.

47
14 February 1960 Highly influential New York Times film critic Bosley NYT Feb 14, 1960

Crowther defends Stanley Kramer, Otto Preminger

and Kirk Douglas from attacks by the National

Commander of the American Legion for hiring Nedrick

Young and Dalton Trumbo as screenwriters and in the

case of the first two, for publicly announcing the fact.

He calls for a re-examination of the industry’s

adherence to the 1947 Waldorf ‘manifesto’ by the

studios and for its public, explicit rejection in the

manner of Kramer and Preminger rather than its slow

“collapse through [covert] violation without

acknowledging its obsolescence and demise [thereby

continuing] a hypocrisy that has already too much

prevailed.”

14 February 1960 The taped debate between Stanley Kramer and NYT Feb 15, 1960

American Legion national commander Martin B.

McKneally is broadcast nationwide on CBS on Sunday

morning at 11 AM. McKneally is more conciliatory

than in his earlier statements. He tries to find

common ground, complimenting Kramer on the

patriotism that emanates from all his films, and they

both agree in their opposition to invasion by ideology.

He asserts that he would be the first to rush to the

defense of the Fifth Amendment if any attempt were

48
made to abolish it. He rests his argument on the

menace of Communism, which he believes that

Kramer also recognizes. He says: “When you are

dealing with Communists, you know that they don’t

believe as you and I do…They believe the exact

opposite of what you and I do. They don’t believe in

the dignity of the human personality at all. They don’t

believe in freedom as you and we believe in it. They

believe in tyranny.” Therefore, he asserts that the

movie industry should not employ a Communist, or

anyone who has sought refuge behind the Fifth

Amendment when questioned about subversive

associations unless he recants. “He has to do some

repentance, you know.”

Kramer responds that in deciding to hire someone he

would be guided only by his own conscience and the

writer’s ability. While McKneally denies that the

Legion was not in favor of a blacklist he claims that it

is only keeping the American people informed about

subversion. Kramer retorts that there are law

enforcement organizations such as the FBI to cope

with subversion and that if current laws are

inadequate they can be changed. He said that “those

49
who disagree with his or Mr. McKneally’s viewpoint

had as much right to constitutional guarantees as

those who support them.”

Kramer said that he had come to the conclusion that

it was not right to consider a writer’s past political

associations in hiring or firing him. He asserted: “ I

have struggled a great deal in terms of my conscience

with the idea of the hiring of individuals and their

right to make a living…I am in an art form. I think the

artist must have a freedom of expression. Beyond

that, as an individual entrepreneur, I must have the

right to hire and fire according to the dictates of my

conscience.”

15 February 1960 The American Veterans Committee (AVC) and the NYT Feb 16, 1960

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) join Stanley

Kramer in his battle with the American Legion for the

right of a producer to hire a writer whatever his

political affiliations. In a letter to Kramer, the AVC

chairman Mickey Levine, accuses the Legion of

exerting “mob pressure” and describes the position of

the Legion’s National Commander as “neo-

McCarthyism.” In his letter he expresses “admiration

and support” to Mr. Kramer “for the truly American

50
position you have taken in resisting the mob pressure

of the American Legion.” Mr. Levine reveals that he

had urged leading liberal organizations in the nation

to join in the defense of any person in the movie

industry who wishes “to stand tall and free” and

warned that the AVC would resort to court action if

the Legion tried “illegal” picketing or boycotts to

harass producers. He writes that “the time has long

passed when we can permit the Legion with impunity

to terrorize American citizens who happen to disagree

with it s unusual interpretation of democracy and

concept of justice.”

Among honorary members of the AVC are former

President Harry S. Truman, Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt

and Dr. Ralph J. Bunche. On its national committee

are Senator Paul Douglas of Illinois and Senator

Richard L. Neuberger of Oregon.

In another letter of support to Kramer, Patrick

Murphy, executive director of the ACLU said Mr.

Kramer “had struck an important blow for civil

liberties by reminding the public__ and the motion

51
picture industry__ that the Constitution and the Bill of

Rights are documents of freedom which apply to

every American. By vigorously asserting the principle

that an individual should be judged on the basis of his

competence, not his political beliefs, you have

affirmed a basic concept of American democracy

which the American Legion has long forgotten.”

The ACLU has long called for the abolition of HUAC.

17 February 1960 Harry Brandt of the Independent Theater Owners Smith in CH 226, 236 note

Association publicly supports Kramer and Preminger. 87; IFJ, Feb 17, 1960

He writes that as an independent film exhibitor he has

confidence that “an informed public will make proper

decisions at the box office based on the contents of a

motion picture and not by reason of a suspected

political inclination of a person associated with its

production. “

21 February 1960 Rejuvenated by these blows against the blacklist and NYT, Feb 22, 1960

by Trumbo’s repeated open presence on the studio

lot, the anti-Legion movement at Universal goes on

the offensive and wins its battle to withdraw the

studio from the Waldorf Agreement of 1947. Still

under intense pressure from Douglas and perhaps

fearing that he will publicly confirm Preminger’s claim

that Trumbo is the author of Spartacus if they do not

52
do so first, un-named highly placed sources inside

Universal confirm to the New York Times that Dalton

Trumbo is the writer of Spartacus, that the studio was

informed of this by Bryna Productions long ago

(thereby giving up their cloak of plausible deniability),

and that they and Bryna are now trying to decide

whether to give him screen credit.

The sources summarize the arguments being put

forward inside the studio for and against the award of

screen credit to Trumbo which are centered around

the question of whether the likely controversy and

picketing by the American Legion that would follow

such an award will help or hurt box office receipts for

the picture.

22 February 1960 Responding to the Times article of the day before, NYT and NYP Feb 23, 1960

Howard Fast asserts that he was responsible for over

half of the Spartacus script and should also receive

screen credit as its coauthor. He subsequently files an

appeal with the Screen Writers Guild. In June Bryna

provides the Guild with copies of most of the versions

of the script and other written script materials for use

in adjudicating Fast’s claim.

20 March 1960 Frank Sinatra announces to the press that he has NYT Mar 21, 1960; Cook

53
hired blacklisted writer Albert Maltz to write the 279-80; IAS 152-3; Smith

script for his forthcoming independent production of in CH p. 226

The Execution of Private Slovak causing a bigger

uproar than Preminger’s announcement of two

months before.

30 March 1960 Trumbo is reinstated as a member of Screen Writers Smith in CH 228; NYT Mar

Guild of America after paying back dues covering the 31, 1960

period during which he was blacklisted.

8 April 1960 After coming under intense attack by the American NYT April 9, 1960; Cook

Legion and the right wing press, answered by his own 279-80; IAS 154-5; Smith

ads in Variety, Sinatra finally gives in, probably at the in CH 237 note 91

behest of the Kennedy presidential campaign with

which he is closely associated. He takes another ad in

Variety announcing that he has dismissed Maltz and

will financially settle with him. The production is

subsequently cancelled.

2 May 1960 In a speech to the national convention of the Motion NYT May 3, 1960

Picture and Television Engineers Stanley Kramer

vowed to continue to resist pressures from the

American Legion and other such organizations in his

fight to for the right to hire anyone he wishes

regardless of their political views. He admitted that by

firing one un-named blacklisted writer (Nedrick

Young, author of his recently completed film Inherit

54
the Wind and of his forthcoming film My Glorious

Brothers) he could save himself considerable

difficulty. But he expresses some uncertainty about

his future actions. “I do not know what will happen to

me or if the American Legion can hurt me or my

pictures…The Legion can make my life miserable. How

much pressure I can withstand, I do not know.”

Earlier in the speech Kramer reaffirmed the basic

principle that the movies is an art form and “freedom

in an art form in a democracy is basic.” He asserted

the right and even the need for producers to deal

with important ideas of the nation regardless of the

controversies such pictures may provoke. As

examples he cites two films he had produced: The

Defiant Ones which dealt with racial conflict and On

The Beach which depicts the destruction of all life on

earth by a nuclear war.

30 May 1960 The New York Times reports that it has learned that NYT May 31, 1960

Dalton Trumbo is the author of the screenplay o f a

third film currently in production in Mexico, Hot Eye

in Heaven to be released by Universal International in

association with Kirk Douglas’ company Bryna

Productions. Trumbo is in Mexico to do any final last

55
minute rewrites during production. (The picture will

later be released as The Last Sunset). There is no

indication that Universal will give Trumbo screen

credit, nor has a decision been made as yet on

whether Universal will give him credit for Spartacus,

the most expensive picture that Universal has ever

distributed. There is no doubt here that the Spartacus

script is mainly the work of Trumbo, although Howard

Fast, the author of the novel, wrote a first draft that

Trumbo then rewrote.

Trumbo’s authorship became known a week after the

visit to Hollywood of American Legion national

commander Martin B. McKneally, during which he

reported that for the most part the movie companies

other than Universal were adhering to their pledge

not to hire men like Trumbo who had refused to

cooperate with HUAC and that he had no evidence to

support the widespread rumors in Hollywood that the

industry was using blacklisted writers with increasing

frequency. Mr. McKneally admitted that the greater

number of independent producers who did not sign

that agreement had made it harder to block

employment of such writers.

56
Three of the companies who signed the agreement

along with Universal, Metro- Goldwin-Mayer,

Twentieth Century Fox and Paramount have made

deals involving blacklisted writers and directors since

the first of the year. All of the pictures involved were

or will be made abroad.

July 1960 Sindlinger Poll commissioned by Ed Muhl at Trumbo’s Sindlinger Poll, July 1960;

request shows that neither Dalton Trumbo nor written summary of Ed

Howard Fast’s name on screen will damage Spartacus Muhl interview with the

box office and may well help it. As a result Muhl author, December 1993;

changes his mind and throws his support within NYT Aug 8, 1960

Universal behind giving Trumbo screen credit.

Late July, 1960 Screen Writers Guild of America rules that only Dalton NYT Aug 8, 1960; Smith in

Trumbo can receive screen credit for Spartacus. CH 228, 237 note 95

5 August 1960 Universal and Bryna decide to give Trumbo sole NYT Aug 8, 1960; NYP Aug

screen credit for Spartacus on Tuesday, August 2. 8, 1960; Smith in CH 228,

They announce to the press late that week that 237 note 96

Dalton Trumbo will be given screen credit and credit

in all promotional materials for writing Spartacus.

Howard Fast will get screen credit for the novel.

5 Sept 1960 Over the last year, many producers who are opposed NYT Sept 5, 11,1960

to the blacklist but fearful of defying it have

approached blacklisted writers with a simple request

57
that they write a letter in which they say that they are

not now Communists. In the past, many such writers

ran afoul of HUAC and were placed on the blacklist

not because they were unwilling to discuss their own

politics but because they refused to name names of

others whom they knew to be involved in radical

causes, now or in the past. The producers are

explaining to the writers that they need name no one

but themselves nor discuss their own past political

affiliations. In return they promise to give them work

and screen credit for it. At least two writers, some of

the best of whom are living abroad in order to find

work, have written such letters and are now working.

The blacklist, which started in 1947 when the studios

publicly promised to deny employment to anyone

considered to be subversive. These were initially

defined as those who refused to cooperate with

HUAC but ultimately came to include anyone

considered to be radical by the American Legion.

These actions by producers may lead to an open clash

with the American Legion whose national commander

declared on 23 May that he did not think that a

blacklisted writer should be employable solely

58
because he has written a note saying he is not now a

Communist, even if he admits to having once been

one. However, if a substantial number of the

blacklisted writers sign such letters and are hired

publicly, the blacklisting of screenwriters will become

meaningless and the end of their blacklist may quickly

lead to the end of the one for actors as well.

However, some of the best writers such as Dalton

Trumbo, who went to jail rather than answer

questions from HUAC about their politics, are unlikely

to do so. He and Nedrick Young, have recently gained

screen credit for films they have written without

signing such statements.

Beyond their opposition to the blacklist, these

producers and their stars are motivated by the need

to hire the best writers to pen top notch scripts for

films that they hope will make millions of dollars and

the best of those writers are still blacklisted. Low

budget second rate films written by second rate

writers cannot compete with television where many

such films can be seen free of charge.

Late September As opening night draws near Trumbo is again Trumbo statement to

1960 pressured by Muhl to sign a “clearance letter.” UA Helen Manfull AD 494

59
falsely claims to Muhl that it has obtained a signed note 21

“clearance letter” from Trumbo and suggests that he

do likewise but is unable to produce it. Trumbo

pledges that he will not let the extreme right destroy

Spartacus and if it appears about to do so, he will act,

but in what manner he as yet cannot say. At

Trumbo’s suggestion, U-I and UA discuss the

possibility of a joint publicity campaign around

Trumbo’s name on screen to counter actions by the

American Legion.

6 October 1960 Spartacus opens at the DeMille Theater in New York NYT Oct 7, 1960; NYP Oct

on 6 October 1960 to widely mixed reviews including 7, 1960; Var Oct 7, 12,

flat pan by New York Times critic Bosley Crowther and 1960; RS 332; IAS 158;

rave review by Archer Winston in the New York Post. Margulies, See chapters

Right wing gossip columnist Hedda Hopper tells her titled “Portrait of a

readers “the story was sold to Universal from a book Production,” ”On the

written by a Commie and the screen script was Other Side of the Camera,”

written by a Commie, so don’t go see it.” But she and “Cast/Credits”

Crowther are ignored by the public who flock to see

the picture, despite the small number of peaceful

pickets from the American Legion and the American

Nazi Party who appear in front of the theater.

While the other seven key members of the behind-

60
the-camera creative team are shown in photographs

with lengthy full paragraph captions in the film’s

souvenir book, Trumbo, despite being listed as the

screenwriter in the credits on the final page, is only

accorded two short sentences at the end of a four

page introduction. There is no mention of his political

past or blacklisting for the past thirteen years.

Howard Fast is listed as the author of the novel but,

despite his acknowledged authorship of the first draft

of the script, is not mentioned in the text of the book.

12 October 1960 Inherit the Wind, written in part by blacklisted NYT Oct 13, 1960

Academy Award winning screenwriter Nedrick Young,

opens to an excellent review by New York Times film

critic Bosley Crowther. However, as in The Defiant

Ones, Young’s pen name Nathan E. Douglas, not his

real name, appears on screen under screenwriting

credit.

14 October 1960 New York Times reports that the major studios as well NYT Sept 11, Oct 14, 1960;

as United Artists and the American Legion seem Trumbo letter to Robert

headed for a showdown over the use of blacklisted Jennings 21 December

writers on several films such as Spartacus and Exodus 1960 in AD 538; letter to

written by Dalton Trumbo, Inherit the Wind written Alvah Bessie, 3 January

by Nedrick Young, and Never On Sunday, helmed by 1961 in AD 540; CCAM

blacklisted exiled director Jules Dassin, which are 275, note 13

61
opening in New York City. There may be picketing of

theaters showing Spartacus, Exodus and Inherit the

Wind by an undetermined number of the 17 000

individual American Legion posts across the country

based on resolutions expected to be passed at the

Legion’s forthcoming annual national convention to

be held in Miami Beach, Florida the following week

from 17 to 20 October.

If these films do well financially in spite of criticism by

the American Legion and other right wing

organizations, many producers in Hollywood are

expected to conclude that the public is not concerned

with the politics of movie writers, only in the pictures

that they write and will be strongly inclined to use

blacklisted writers in the future. Possibly use of

blacklisted actors and directors would follow. But if

these films are box office flops, many producers are

expected to conclude the opposite and it will be more

difficult than ever for blacklisted writers to get work,

at least in the open.

At its convention the Legion passes another

resolution condemning both Spartacus and Exodus

62
because of Trumbo’s authorship and Universal

Studios for employing him to write the Spartacus

script. Campaigning for the presidential election to be

held in three weeks both Nixon and Kennedy address

the convention.

4 November 1960 Representative Francis E. Walter, chairman of HUAC NYT Nov 5, 1960

claims that Vice President Richard M. Nixon, who will

stand for election to the Presidency in just a few days,

apparently does not realize that the prevention of

domestic subversion is an essential part of over-all

national security. Walter is responding to Nixon’s

announcement that the US is moving closer to a

“spectacular breakthrough” in intelligence designed

to head off a surprise attack on the United States.

Walter’s statement, perhaps partly politically

motivated, suggests his continued frustration with the

Administration’s lack of support for, or more likely,

continued resistance to high profile hearings in

Hollywood planned by his Committee.

15 December Exodus opens in New York to mixed reviews. New NYT Dec 16, 1960; Var Dec

1960 York audiences cheer when Trumbo’s name appears 31, 1960; “Preminger

on screen. At its Hollywood premiere, Exodus is Reveals: Trumbo Scripts

picketed by 25 to 30 peaceful demonstrators from ten Exodus” in Ryan 10-11

legion posts from the Los Angeles area. They hope to

63
convince theater owners not to show the film.

However, three weeks before, the Maryland branch

of the Legion issues a statement saying that “Exodus

has great appeal for all of our people and special

appeal for those whose hearts go out to the people of

Israel.”

The Exodus souvenir book, authored by long time

Preminger writer Tom Ryan, contains a two page

article in the form of a press release dated 19 January

1960 recounting Preminger’s earlier interview with

the New York Times on that day in which he revealed

that Dalton Trumbo was the author of Exodus. Article

details the history of the blacklist and the black

market in banned writers, Trumbo’s previous scripts

written under pseudonyms including his Academy

Award for The Brave One, and Preminger’s hiring of

Trumbo as screenwriter to replace the novel’s author

Leon Uris. The second page is almost entirely devoted

to Preminger’s defense of his decision to hire Trumbo

and give him screen credit, and to his denunciation of

the blacklist as illegal, unjust and un-American. The

article is accompanied by two large photographs, one

of Trumbo alone, the other of Trumbo and Preminger

64
together. Blacklisted writer Albert Maltz’s extensive

work on Exodus and authorship of its lengthy first

draft script goes unmentioned.

December 1960 Spartacus and Exodus are continuously picketed by NYT Dec 22, 1960; Trumbo

The American Legion and other right wing groups in Wire to Michael Wilson, 9

half a dozen cities. Spartacus is under postal and press December 1960, AD 536;

attacks directed at Trumbo and suffers organized Trumbo statement to

party cancellations. Exodus is subjected to mass Helen Manfull AD 494

cancellations by Jewish groups. Rumors of new post- note 21, IAS 159

election closed HUAC Hollywood hearings, perhaps

spread by the MPA’s industry wide network of

informers, are surfacing. Universal is alarmed. “If

these films are economically damaged by my name”

writes Trumbo, “the ban against everyone will be

absolute.”

Trumbo is pressured again by the studio to write a

“clearance letter.” Kirk Douglas is told by producer

Sam Spiegel in London that Michael Wilson, secret

blacklisted writer of Lawrence of Arabia, has written

such a letter, and is urged by him to get Trumbo to do

likewise. Trumbo queries Wilson who cables back

from London that he has done no such thing and

advises him to hold out. Trumbo stands firm. The

65
Committee once again fails to appear, perhaps as the

result of pressure from incoming President John F.

Kennedy and Democratic leaders in the House.

28 December Exodus number one and Spartacus number two in Trumbo letter to Alvah

1960 Variety national box office survey for 28 December Bessie, 3 January 1961 AD

1960. Trumbo expects them to alternate between 540

these two top ranks for many months to come.

Although Trumbo sees this as a major breakthrough

he reluctantly concludes that the blacklist will only

gradually collapse over time as each individual

blacklisted writer, one by one, manages to get his

name back on screen. He cautions Alvah Bessie that if

the Legion campaign had frightened the public away

from these films, making them into financial flops,

“then I, for one, would never have been able to work

again and those who do not yet work openly would

have even a slighter chance than I of making it.”

29 December Using the anti-trust laws to charge a conspiracy to NYT Dec 30, 1960; Trumbo

1960 restrain commerce, twelve blacklisted writers and letter to Michael Wilson,

actors including four of the original Hollywood Ten 20 March 1958 AD 415-

and three Academy Award winners file suit against 417; letter to Alvah Bessie

every major movie producing company in Hollywood 21 May 1958 AD 422-23;

save for United Artists and four allied film distribution NYT June 13, 1961; Jan

companies as well as both major producer 19,1962; June 19, 1962;

66
associations. They seek an injunction against the June 2, 1965

practice by producers of denying them and 200 others

employment, purportedly because they have been

labeled as subversives or uncooperative or “disloyal”

by HUAC or the American Legion but really because

they are “public relations risks.”They also seek to

enjoin the studios from preventing films by

independent producers who do employ them from

being exhibited in theaters through their control of

nationwide distribution companies. They are asking

for treble damages for lost income over the last

thirteen years amounting to $7.5 million.

Despite its unprecedented wide ranging targets and

novel use of anti-trust law Trumbo does not join the

plaintiffs in their lawsuit. He sees it as just another in

the long list of over a dozen failed court actions over

the past thirteen years on behalf of the victims of the

blacklist. Although the filing of the lawsuit at this

time, which is covered on the front page of the New

York Times, may heighten the pressure on the studios

to end the blacklist, Trumbo’s judgment on the likely

outcome proves correct. The plaintiffs’ motion to bar

defense attorneys from asking them about their

67
political beliefs or affiliations during pre-trial

depositions is denied. Eleven of the twelve indicate

that they will therefore stand on their Fifth

Amendment rights not to answer such questions. The

court also later refuses to issue a temporary

restraining order on the defendants to cease and

desist their alleged blacklisting practices pending

further legal action saying there is no evidence prior

to the coming trial of such wrong doing. The Court of

Appeals reaffirms this decision and the Supreme

Court refuses to hear the plaintiffs’ final appeal.

Finally in mid-1965 the $7.5 million lawsuit is settled

for $80,000. But by then the blacklist is slowly but

unmistakably disintegrating. (see below)

3 February 1961 Newly inaugurated President John Kennedy leaves the NYT, Feb 5, 1961, RS 334,

White House to attend a public screening of Spartacus IAS 161-165; Cook 277-

at the Warner Theater three blocks away; afterwards 78

he praises the film to the audience and members of

the press called to witness his exit.

17 February 1961 Screen Writers Guild of America nominates Dalton NYT Feb 17, 1961

Trumbo for award for Best Written American Drama

of 1960 for Spartacus

February-April Spartacus nominated for six academy awards and NYT, Feb 28, 1961; Mar 17,

1961 Exodus for three. Thanks to the efforts of John Wayne 1961; Apr 17, 1961;

68
and other right wing Hollywood personalities from

the MPA, neither film is nominated for Best Picture.

Spartacus wins Golden Globe award for Best Dramatic

Film of 1960 based on the votes of 1.5 million film

goers in fifty foreign countries. Sal Mineo wins Best

Supporting Actor for his performance in Exodus.

Spartacus wins four Oscars including the top honors

for Best Supporting Actor (Peter Ustinov), edging out

favorite Sal Mineo for Exodus, and Best

Cinematography (Russell Metty), beating Exodus (Sam

Leavitt) again, but Exodus wins Oscar for Best Musical

Score (Earnest Gold), edging out Alex North whose

score for Spartacus was also nominated.

8 June 1961 Kirk Douglas breaks his silence and publicly defends NYT June 9, 1961,

his decision to hire Dalton Trumbo to write a series of

films for Bryna Pictures and Universal Studios starting

with Spartacus and including what will become the

cult classic Lonely Are the Brave.

4 October 1961 Director Fred Zinnemann hires Trumbo to write the NYT Oct 5, 1961; AD 556

screenplay for Hawaii, to be financed by United

Artists. Zinnemann is attacked in Variety for doing so

by the national commander of the American Legion.

69
He threatens legal action against Variety and issues a

firm, completely unapologetic statement rejecting the

Legion’s attack. No other national news outlet carries

the Legion’s broadside.

16 October 1961 Mass rally of right wing film industry people, probably NYT Oct 16, 1961

organized by the MPA, held at the Hollywood Bowl

protesting hiring of “red” screen writers, particularly

Trumbo, and in favor of upholding the blacklist

End of 1961 or Spartacus earns $19 million thus far while costing $12 Trumbo letter to Albert

early 1962 million and Exodus earns $14 million while costing Maltz, no date, AD 556-

$3.5 million. Trumbo’s name on screen doesn’t hurt 558; letter to Alvah Bessie,

box office of either film. They are the top box office 3 January 1961 AD 540

earners for 1961. Trumbo is overloaded with work at

his old high fees under his own name. He now

believes that the blacklist will slowly evaporate but

that each blacklisted writer will have to find a way

through luck and his own particular set of

circumstances to get his name on screen. His only

personal fear is of another subpoena from the

Committee which he says would most likely drag him

under. But the Committee never holds Hollywood

hearings again.

Despite the limited success he, Wilson and Maltz have

70
won in breaching the blacklist, Trumbo paints the

current political situation in subdued tones. Speaking

presciently, he writes:

“The extreme right, in all its varied and wonderful

forms, is no longer fundamentally interested in

Communists, ex-Communists, crypto-Communists,

etc. It knows perfectly well that the Communists have

been smashed, that they have not one iota of

influence on any even small segment of American

society, that the support or endorsement of any

progressive movement or objective by Communists is

the worst thing that can happen to it. The attack

against Communists and so-called Communists, once

specific, in now merely general. The specific attack

now is directed against ‘liberals”__ a term which

includes most Democrats, not a few Republicans, all

artists and all intellectuals...This time they are not

merely after the Democratic administration, they are

after the government of the United States itself. They

want to take possession of that government for

themselves, and then to change or subvert it from

constitutional democracy to constitutional

autocracy. Their ends are revolutionary, and the

71
government against which their revolution is aimed is

the United States of America.”

1962 - 1973 Trumbo continues to work in the open, penning the Trumbo letter to Albert

scripts for Montezuma (unproduced at the time Maltz, no date (late 1961

(1961) but now finally green lighted by Steven or early 1962), AD 556-

Spielberg), Lonely Are the Brave (1962), The Sandpiper 558; Trumbo letter to

(1965), Hawaii (1966), The Fixer (1968), The Horsemen Alvah Bessie, 3 January

(1971), The Way We Were (uncredited) (1973), 1961 AD 540; Dalton

Executive Action (1973), and finally writing and Trumbo, notes to Helen

appearing in the film Papillon (1973). He also writes, Manfull and her

directs and appears as orator in Johnny Got His Gun comments, AD 525- 526;

(1971), based on his own prize winning anti-war

novel. But, as he intimates to Alvah Bessie, other

individual blacklisted writers, directors and actors will

only slowly return to work in the open during the

middle or by the end of the sixties. Many never do.

72
Reference Abbreviations

AD – Additional Dialogue: Letters of Dalton Trumbo, 1942-1962, Helen Manfull

editor, M. Evans and Co. Inc, New York, 1970

CCAM– The Catholic Crusade Against the Movies: 1940-1975, by Gregory D. Black,

Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, 1997

Ceplair Cineaste review essay on IAS – Cineaste (Winter 2012) Vol. XXXVIII No. 1,

pp. 11-13, “Kirk Douglas, Spartacus, and the Blacklist” by Larry Ceplair

Ceplair DT–Dalton Trumbo: Blacklisted Hollywood Radical, by Larry Ceplair

University Press of Kentucky, Lexington, 2015

Cook – Dalton Trumbo by Bruce Cook, Charles Scribners and Sons, New York, 1977

Eddie Lewis to Tom Benedek (1) – The Wrap, 15 June 2012, “Kirk Douglas

Rewrites Movie History in I Am Spartacus” by Tom Benedek

Eddie Lewis to Tom Benedek(2) – Los Angeles Review of Books, 8 November 2012

“Kirk Douglas Revisionist History” by Tom Benedek

Eddie Lewis UCLA interview with Ceplair – UCLA Center for Oral History, Edward

Lewis interview with Larry Ceplair, Session One,

29 August 2012, Session Four, 5 September 2012


73
Eddie Lewis to Meroney and Coons – The Atlantic, 5 July 2012, “How Kirk Douglas

Overstated His Role in Breaking the Hollywood

Blacklist” by John Meroney and Sean Coons

Eddie Lewis commentary on Spartacus DVD - Spartacus – Criterion Collection

DVD, Eddie Lewis voiceover commentary

Eddie Lewis cover memo to Screen Writers Guild - Cover memo of Spartacus

script materials sent to Screen Writers Guild on 23 June

1960 at their request to help them adjudicate Howard

Fast’s claim for screen credit

Fujiwara – The World and Its Double: The Life and Work of Otto Preminger,

by Chris Fujiwara, Faber and Faber Inc, New York, 2008

Hirsch – Otto Preminger: The Man Who Would Be King by Foster Hirsch, Alfred A.

Knopf, New York, 2007

HR Jan 20, 1960 – The Hollywood Reporter, 20 January 1960, editorial by

publisher W. R. Wilkerson, pg. 1

IAS – I Am Spartacus: Making A Film, Breaking the Blacklist by Kirk Douglas,

Open Road Integrated Media, New York, 2012

74
IFJ Feb 17, 1960 – Independent Film Journal, 17 February 1960, “A Member

Laments,” by Harry Brandt

LAT May 1, 1959 – Los Angeles Times, 1 May 1959, “Truman Again Rips House

Committee”

Margulies – Spartacus: The Illustrated Story of the Motion Picture Production,

edited by Stan Margulies, Bryna Productions Inc and Universal

Pictures Company Inc, Los Angeles, 1960

NYDN Feb 5, 1960 – New York Daily News, 5 February 1960, editorial

NYHT Feb 3, 1960 – New York Herald Tribune, 3 February 1960,

interview with Otto Preminger

NYP Feb 23, 1960 – New York Post, 23 February 1960, “Trumbo Should Get

‘Spartacus’ Credit, Says Fast__’And Me, Too’”

NYP Aug 8, 1960 – New York Post, 8 August 1960, “Trumbo Gets ‘Spartacus’ Film

Credit”

NYP Oct 7, 1960 – New York Post, 7 October 1960, Rave Review of Spartacus

by Archer Winston

75
NYT Jan 1, 1959 – New York Times, 1 January 1959, “Coast Scenarist Reveals

Identity: ‘Defiant Ones’ Co-Author is Actor-Writer Who in ’53

Invoked 5th Amendment,” by Thomas Pryor

NYT Jan 16, 1959 – New York Times, 16 January 1959, “Academy Rescinds Ruling

on ‘Oscars’” by Thomas Pryor

NYT Jan 17, 1959 – New York Times, 17 January 1959, “Robert Rich Identified:

Dalton Trumbo Admits to Having Written ‘The Brave One’” by

Murray Schumach

NYT Mar 8, 1959 – New York Times, 8 March 1959,”House Unit Gives Warning on

Reds: Congress Told Peril Remains Despite Decline in Party’s

Membership in U.S.” by C. P. Trussell

NYT May 10, 1959 – New York Times, 10 May 1959,”Nation Weighs Security

Threat: Debate Stems From Court Decisions” by Anthony

Lewis

NYT June 4, 1959 – New York Times, 4 June 1959,” Walter Says U.S.I.A Chose Red

Artists”

76
NYT June 12, 1959 – New York Times, 12 June 1959,”California Inquiry Off:

Hearings on Reds in Schools Rescheduled for Fall”

NYT June 28, 1959 – New York Times, 28 June 1959,”House Unit Sets Hearings on

Art: Walter to Lead Inquiry Next Month on Works Selected

for Moscow Exhibit”

NYT June 30, 1959 – New York Times, 30 June 1959,”Film Aide Denies Charge on

Reds: Kahane Says Academy Does Not Condone Communism,

As American Legion Says” by Murray Schumach

NYT July 1, 1959 – New York Times, 1 July 1959,”Warner Attacks Charge on Reds:

Film Studio Head Is Second to Deny American Legion

Accusation on Communists” by Murray Schumach

NYT July 3(1), 1959 – New York Times, 3 July 1959, “President Hailed In Dispute

On Art: Refusal to Censor Exhibit at Moscow Fair Praised by

Selection Panel,” by Sanka Knox

NYT July 3 (2), 1959 – New York Times, 3 July 1959, “Committee Continues Fight”

NYT July 5(1), 1959– New York Times, 5 July 1959, “The Nation: On U.S. Show”

77
NYT July 5(2), 1959– New York Times, 5 July 1959, “Hollywood Protests: Film

Industry Officials Strike Back at American Legion’s Red

Charges” by Murray Schumach

NYT July 22, 1959 – New York Times, 22 July 1959, “Moscow Fair Art To Be Seen

Here: Whitney Museum to Show Controversial Collection of

American Works,” by Sanka Knox

NYT Sept 3, 1959 – New York Times, 3 September 1959, “Attacks by Legion

Confuse Film Men” by Murray Schumach

NYT Sept 6, 1959 – New York Times, September 6, 1959, “Hollywood Blues:

Compromise With Legion Starts Angry Debates in Industry”

by Murray Schumach

NYT Dec 9, 1959 – New York Times, 9 December 1959, “Preminger Tells of

‘Exodus’ Plans: Film Producer Back From Israel Details Schedule”

by Howard Thompson

78
NYT Dec 22, 1959 – New York Times, 22 December 1959, “Writers to Fight Coast

Blacklist: Guild Seeks End to Its Use by Film and TV Producers

__Secret Talks Weighed,” by Murray Schumach

NYT Jan 20, 1960 – New York Times, 20 January 1960,”Movie Maker Hires

Blacklisted Writer,” by A. H. Weiler

NYT Jan 21, 1960 – New York Times, 21 January 1960, “Studios Unmoved by

Trumbo Credit,” by Murray Schumach

NYT Jan 26, 1960 – New York Times, 26 January 1960, “Walter Finds Many Blind to

Red Threat”

NYT Feb 8, 1960 – New York Times, 8 February 1960, “Kramer Defying American

Legion: Kramer Defies American Legion Over Hiring of Movie

Writers,” by Murray Schumach

NYT Feb 10, 1960 – New York Times, 10 February 1960, “Kramer Is Rebuked By

American Legion For A Second Time”

NYT Feb 11, 1960 – New York Times, 11 February 1960, “TV Debate Listed On

Movie Hiring: Kramer and Head of Legion to Argue Issue on

Sunday” by Richard F. Shepard

79
NYT Feb 14, 1960 – New York Times, 14 February 1960, “Hitting the Blacklist:

Policy of Banning ‘Labeled’ Writers Frankly Defied by Film

Producers”, by Bosley Crowther

NYT Feb 15, 1960 – New York Times, 15 February 1960, “Kramer Debates With

Legion Head: Producer and McKneally in TV Discussion of

Hiring of ‘Subversive’ Writers,” by Murray Schumach

NYT Feb 16, 1960 – New York Times, 16 February 1960, “A.V.C. Hits Legion In Film

Dispute: Kramer Backed for Hiring Writers Without Regard to

Their Political Views,” by Murray Schumach

NYT Feb 22, 1960 – New York Times, 22 February 1960, “U-I Is Pondering Credit

to Trumbo” by Murray Schumach,

NYT Feb 23, 1960 – New York Times, 23 February 1960, “Credit to Trumbo

Disputed by Fast”

NYT Mar 21, 1960 – New York Times, 21 March 1960, “Sinatra Defying Writer

Blacklist: Hires Albert Maltz for his Filming of ‘The Execution of

Private Slovak’” by Murray Schumach

80
NYT Mar 31, 1960 – New York Times, 31 March 1960, “Trumbo Is Reinstated:

Screen Writer Pays Dues and Is Readmitted”

NYT April 9, 1960– New York Times, 9 April 1960, “Sinatra Dismisses Blacklisted

Writer: Sinatra Drops Maltz As Writer,” by Murray Schumach

NYT May 3, 1960 – New York Times, 3 May 1960, “Kramer To Fight Legion

Pressure: Tells Movie Engineers That He Won’t Yield on Hiring

Blacklisted Talent,” by Murray Schumach

NYT May 31, 1960 – New York Times, 31 May 1960, “Trumbo Is Author of New U-I

Movie: ‘Hot Eye in Heaven,’ Third Known Film by Blacklisted

Writer, in Production,” by Murray Schumach

NYT Aug 8, 1960 – New York Times, 8 August 1960, “Trumbo Will Get Credit For

Script: ‘Spartacus’ Authorship to Be Attributed to Blacklisted

Writer by U-I Studio,” by Murray Schumach

NYT Sept 5, 1960 – New York Times, 5 September 1960, “Film Blacklist Being

Bypassed: Producers Hiring Writers If They Submit Letters

Saying They Are Not Reds Now,” by Murray Schumach

81
NYT Sept 11, 1960 – New York Times, 11 September 1960, “Hollywood Test: Hiring

of Banned Writers Indicates Challenge to Industry Blacklist,”

by Murray Schumach

NYT Oct 7, 1960 – New York Times, 7 October 1960, “Screen: ‘Spartacus’ Enters

the Arena:: 3-Hour Production Has Premiere at DeMille,” by

Bosley Crowther

NYT Oct 13, 1960 – New York Times, 13 October 1960, “Inherit The Wind,” by

Bosley Crowther

NYT Oct 14, 1960 – New York Times, 14 October 1960, “Hollywood Eyes Legion

on Policy: Industry is Expecting Action Over Blacklisted Writers

at Coming Convention,” by Murray Schumach

NYT Nov 5, 1960 – New York Times, 5 November 1960,”Walter Hits Nixon on U.S.

Subversion”

NYT Dec 16, 1960 – New York Times, 16 December 1960, “Screen: A Long

Exodus,” by Bosley Crowther

NYT Dec 22, 1960 – New York Times, 22 December 1960, “Exodus Is Picketed By

American Legion”

82
NYT Dec 30, 1960 – New York Times, 30 December 1960, “12 In Hollywood Sue on

Blacklist: Charge 200 Are Denied Jobs in a ‘Political’

Conspiracy,” by Murray Schumach

NYT Feb 5, 1961– New York Times, 5 February 1961, “Kennedy Attends Movie in

Capital: Slips Out of Whitehouse to See Spartacus With Sub-

Cabinet Official”

NYT Feb 17, 1961 – New York Times, 17 February 1961, “Trumbo In Line For

Award”

NYT Feb 28, 1961 – New York Times, 28 February 1961,”Film Group Lists Oscar

Nominees: ’Apartment, ‘Gantry,’ ‘Sons and Lovers,’

‘Sundowners,’ ‘Alamo’ Are Top Movies,” by Murray Schumach

NYT Mar 17, 1961 – New York Times, 16 March 1961,”Lollobrigida Honored:

Named Favorite Actress by Hollywood Foreign Press” (AP)

NYT April 18, 1961 – New York Times, 18 April 1961,”Elizabeth Taylor and

Lancaster Win Oscars, ‘Apartment’ Is Best Picture, -- Wilder

Wins Three Awards,” by Murray Schumach

83
NYT June 9, 1961– New York Times, 9 June 1961, “Trumbo Backed by Kirk

Douglas: Writer’s Use on Series of Movies is Defended,” by

Murray Schumach

NYT June 13, 1961– New York Times, 9 June 1961, “12 Lose Legal Plea in

Hollywood Case”

NYT Oct 4, 1961 – New York Times, 4 October 1961, “From Hollywood”

NYT Oct 16, 1961– New York Times, 16 October 1961, “Coast Film Rally Against

Reds Set: Actors and Producers Back Meeting at Bowl Tonight,”

by Murray Schumach

NYT Jan 19, 1962– New York Times, 19 Jan 1962, “Film Group Loses ‘Blacklisting

Plea”

NYT June 19, 1962– New York Times, 19 June 1962, “High Court Rebuffs

Hollywood Writers”

NYT June 2, 1965 – New York Times, 2 June 1965, “Blacklisting Suit Ended By

Payment”

Preminger – Preminger: An Autobiography, by Otto Preminger, Doubleday,

Garden City, 1977

84
RS – The Ragman’s Son, by Kirk Douglas, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1988

Ryan – Otto Preminger Films Exodus (movie souvenir book) by Tom Ryan,

Random House, New York, 1960

Smith in CH – “A Good Business Proposition: Dalton Trumbo, Spartacus, and the

End of the Blacklist,” by Jeff Smith in Controlling Hollywood:

Censorship and Regulation in the Studio Era, Mathew

Bernstein editor, Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick,

1999

Time Jan 26, 1959 – Time Magazine, 26 January 1959, “Hollywood: Blacklist

Fadeout”

Var Apr 9, 1959 – Variety, 9 April 1959, “Harry Truman Blasts Hollywood

Blacklist” pg. 1

Var Jan 27, 1960 – Variety, 27 January 1960, “Preminger’s Private Hornet:

Trumbo,” by Hy Hollinger pg. 5

Var Oct 6, 1960 – Variety, 6 October 1960, “Spartacus: Big Roman Spectacle.

Bloody and Powerful. A Big Money Picture.”

85
Var Oct 12, 1960 – Variety, 12 October 1960, “Universal Chokes on Crowther

But Recovers When Others Plus Advance Favor Spartacus”

Var Dec 16, 1960 – Variety, 16 December 1960, “Exodus: Review”

86

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