MARINA DEL REY, CA — “In contrast to the outrage being voiced over Elia Kazan and the blacklist of communists, Hollywood has been silent about the innocent blacklist victims — the anti-communists,” said Scott McConnell, vice chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee for Naming Facts, which supports Mr. Kazan. Through extensive research and interviews of people involved with these events, Mr. McConnell, also a research historian for the Ayn Rand Archives, has found that “witnesses who testified to House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1947 against communist penetration in the film industry, had their Hollywood careers ruined.”
“Many of the ‘friendly’ witnesses not protected by contracts or immense box office power had their careers damaged by lies spread about them,” Mr. McConnell stated. “Actor Adolphe Menjou, for example, lost work when producers wouldn’t hire him because Party members had circulated rumors that he supported Hitler.”
Much worse off were the following writers who fought against the communists:
• Jack Moffitt from 1933 to 1947 had 19 of his stories produced. After testifying, he never worked again in Hollywood, except for writing one TV show for old friend and fellow anti-communist Walt Disney.
• Richard Macaulay from 1936 to 1947 had 27 of his stories produced — then, not a single one.
• Morrie Ryskind, a Pulitzer Prize winner, who was also nominated for two Academy Awards, never found work in Hollywood after testifying.
• Fred Niblo Jr. from 1931 to 1950 had 39 of his stories produced. Then he could get no more work as a Hollywood writer.
• Albert Mannheimer didn’t testify in Washington, but this former communist fought the communists in the Screen Writers Guild — after which, he didn’t get work for several years. Finally, through a friend who was a studio executive, he was hired to adapt the hit play Born Yesterday for the screen. Even after being nominated for an Academy Award, however, he could not revive his career. Years later, he committed suicide.
“These are facts that Hollywood is silent about. It is time for the stories of these real victims of injustice in Hollywood to be told,” McConnell concluded.
The Committee is holding a demonstration of support for the Academy and Elia Kazan outside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion during the March 21 ceremony, and is encouraging Oscar attendees to wear an American flag lapel pin as a sign of support for Mr. Kazan and his anti-communism.