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Ring Lardner, Jr. and the Hollywood Blacklist: A New Perspective on the Perennial Struggle against Thought Control in the United States

2018; Routledge; Volume: 39; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/01439685.2018.1484550

1465-3451

Larry Ceplair,

Academic Freedom and Politics

Ring Lardner, Jr., scion of a distinguished author, and a successful screenwriter (winning an Academy Award for Woman of the Year), joined the Hollywood section of the Communist Party and participated in a number of political and labor activities prior to 1945. Subpoenaed by the House Committee on Un-American Activities, in 1947, he was imprisoned and blacklisted when he refused to answer the Committee’s questions in the required manner. While blacklisted (1947–1962), he wrote a novel, several forgettable movies and many scripts that were not made into films. He also, with Ian Hunter, wrote dozens of scripts for the television adventures The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Adventures of Sir Lancelot, and The Buccaneers. Finally, off the blacklist, he won a second Academy Award (M*A*S*H); wrote another novel, a family memoir, and a personal memoir; and was cited and awarded many times as a man of heroism and courage. His speeches and articles on the blacklist helped educate a younger generation.