HUAC / HOLLYWOOD 10Wyatt Cree

HUAC – The Basics

•House Un-American Activities Committee•Established in 1938•Investigate potential threats to US

politics, society, gov’t▫Communists

HUAC Tactics

•Criticized for abusing powers•Went against the “New Deal” established

during Roosevelt’s administration•Subpoena power – bring suspicious

individuals before Congress▫Usually suspected of being a part of

Communist Party▫Try to force information and learn other

people to convict

HUAC Tactics cont.▫Those who withheld info (“plead the fifth”)

were identified as “red” witnesses They were then blacklisted from their jobs

•Citizens felt attacked for their beliefs and restriction of freedom of speech

HUAC Investigate Motion Picture Industry - 1947•Reasoning

▫Prevent spread of communism to movie-goers

▫Prevent negative opinion of US internationally

•“Mission to Moscow” -1943▫Pro-Russian film▫Support Stalin’s purges▫Attack US isolationism

Investigation cont•41 people in industry interviewed•19 suspected Communist Party members•Larry Parks

▫Admitted his membership▫“I would prefer, if you would allow me, not to

mention other people’s names. Don’t present me the choice of either being in contempt of this committee and going to jail or force me to really crawl through the mud to be and informer.”

•10 suspects refused to testify

Hollywood 10•Alvah Bessie•Herbert Biberman•Lester Cole•Edward Dmytrk•Ring Lardner Jr.• John Howard Lawson•Albert Maltz•Sam Ornitz•Robert Adrian Schott•Dalton Trumbo

All blacklisted from the Hollywood

film industry.

Hollywood 10 cont.

•“Red Channels”▫Pamphlet by former FBI agents that

blacklisted another 151 workers▫The workers eventually persuade HUAC to

revoke the charges

Hollywood 10 – Edward Dmytrk

•April 1951•Financial struggles•Confront HUAC•Listed 26 left wing group members•Named 3 other Hollywood 10 members as

the true reason why Communist ideas were placed in his movies

Hollywood 10 – Dalton Trumbo

•1960•Recognized for screenplay of “Spartacus”•First time a blacklisted screenwriter

didn’t have to use a pen name•Film mirrored Hollywood 10’s struggle

with HUAC▫Loyalty to each other

In Conclusion

•HUAC – fulfilled duties, but ultimately stretched their powers

•Hollywood 10 – promoted freedom of speech and fifth amendment in protest of HUAC▫ suspected to be members of Communist

Party

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3MlaFIzCw8

Clip showing the Hollywood 10