The Truth about the "Hollywood Ten"

Welcome visitors from Roger L. Simon. Thanks for the link, Roger.

In Front Page Magazine, Art Eckstein opens my eyes. Did you know that Ward Bond (Wagon Train, John Wayne's buddy) was not only staunchly anti-communist but also became a "fixer" (someone who worked behind the scenes to get unofficially blacklisted people unofficially re-listed)?

Did you know that Robert Vaughn (creepy in Bullitt, hilarious in S.O.B. and Superman III) held a PhD in communications from USC?

In response to the oft heard complaint that due to the blacklisting or imprisonment by the HUAC of so many screenwriters, some of their best work never made it to the silver screen, Ring lardner, Jr., who suffered both fates, said,

"It is a temptation for a writer to fantasize that his unshot scripts could have made more original and provocative movies than the ones that ran the gauntlet to theater exhibition. A sober review of the files in my case shows that this would be a delusion."

Hmmm. Very interesting perspective, indeed. The article includes a wealth of footnotes and provides fodder for thought. Take a look at it.