Show Trial: Hollywood, HUAC , and the Birth of the Blacklist (Film and Culture) (Film and Culture Series)

How the popular front became unpopular -- Hollywood's war record -- The preservation of American ideals -- The magic of a Hollywood dateline -- Smearing Hollywood with the brush of communism -- Showtime -- Lovefest -- Friendlies, cooperative and uncooperative -- Hollywood's finest -- Doldrums -- Crashing page 1 -- Contempt -- $64 questions and no answers -- Jewish questions -- The curtain drops -- The Waldorf and other declarations -- Blacklists and casualty lists -- Not only victims.;"In 1947, the Cold War came to Hollywood. Over 9 days in October 1947, the House Committee on Un-American Activities held a notorious round of hearings into alleged Communist subversion in Hollywood. The immediate blowback from the October hearings was profound and long-lived. On November 25, 1947, the major Hollywood studios pledged never again to employ a known Communist. The declaration marked the formal onset of the blacklist era, a two-decade-long purgatory during which political allegiances, real or suspected, determined employment opportunities in the entertainment industry. At the studios and the networks, hundreds of artists were shown the door or had it shut in their faces. Doherty tells the story of the first media-political spectacle of the postwar era, a courtroom drama starring actors, moguls, congressmen, lawyers, investigators, and screenwriters, all recorded under the lights of the newsreel cameras and broadcast over radio. After assuming increased cultural prominence during World War II, Doherty explains, 'the screen had become, in its maturity, integrated with the whole fabric of the national, and international affairs, with social, political and economic involvements, ' leading to the centrality of Hollywood in Washington politics in the postwar era. Depicting this shift through testimonies and detailed public records, he provides a rich, character-driven cultural history that focuses on how and why the HUAC trial unfolded and ignited the anti-Communist strain in Cold War culture, serving as one of the most influential events of the postwar era"-- In 1947, The Cold War Came To Hollywood. Over Nine Tumultuous Days In October 1947, The House Committee On Un-american Activities Held A Notorious Round Of Hearings Into Alleged Communist Subversion In The Movie Industry. The Blowback Was Profound: The Major Studios Pledged To Never Again Employ A Known Communist Or Unrepentant Fellow Traveler. The Declaration Marked The Onset Of The Blacklist Era, A Time When Political Allegiances, Real Or Suspected, Determined Employment Opportunities In The Entertainment Industry. Hundreds Of Artists Were Shown The Door--or Had It Shut In Their Faces. In Show Trial, Doherty Takes Us Behind The Scenes Of The First Full-on Media-political Spectacle Of The Postwar Era. He Details The Theatrical Elements Of A Proceeding That Bridged The Realms Of Entertainment And Politics, A Courtroom Drama Starring Glamorous Actors, Colorful Moguls, On-the-make Congressmen, High-priced Lawyers, Single-minded Investigators, And Recalcitrant Screenwriters, All Recorded By Newsreel Cameras And Broadcast Over Radio. Doherty Tells The Story Of The Hollywood Ten And The Other Witnesses, Friendly And Unfriendly, Who Testified, And Chronicles The Implementation Of The Postwar Blacklist. Show Trial Is A Rich, Character-driven Inquiry Into How The Huac Hearings Ignited The Anti-communist Crackdown In Hollywood, Providing A Gripping Cultural History Of One Of The Most Transformative Events Of The Postwar Era.--dust Jacket. Part I: Backstories. How The Popular Front Became Unpopular ; Hollywood's War Record ; The Preservation Of American Ideals ; The Magic Of A Hollywood Dateline ; Smearing Hollywood With The Brush Of Communism -- Part Ii: On Location In Washington. Showtime ; Lovefest ; Friendlies, Cooperative And Uncooperative ; Hollywood's Finest ; Doldrums ; Crashing Page 1; Contempt ; $64 Questions And No Answers ; Jewish Questions ; The Curtain Drops -- Part Iii: Backfire. The Waldorf And Other Declarations ; Blacklists And Casualty Lists ; Not Only Victims. Thomas Doherty. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "In 1947, the Cold War came to Hollywood. Over nine tumultuous days in October, the House Un-American Activities Committee held a notorious round of hearings into alleged Communist subversion in the movie industry. The blowback was profound: the major studios pledged to never again employ a known Communist or unrepentant fellow traveler. The declaration marked the onset of the blacklist era, a time when political allegiances, real or suspected, determined employment opportunities in the entertainment industry. Hundreds of artists were shown the door--or had it shut in their faces. In Show Trial, Thomas Doherty takes us behind the scenes at the first full-on media-political spectacle of the postwar era, a courtroom drama starring glamorous actors, colorful moguls, on-the-make congressmen, high-priced lawyers, single-minded investigators, and recalcitrant screenwriters, all recorded by newsreel cameras and broadcast over radio. Doherty explores the deep background to the hearings and details the theatrical elements of a proceeding that bridged the realms of entertainment and politics. He tells the story of the Hollywood Ten and the other witnesses, friendly and unfriendly, who testified; tracks the flight path of the Committee for the First Amendment, the delegation from Hollywood that descended on Washington to protest the hearings; and chronicles the implementation of the postwar blacklist. Show Trial is a rich, character-driven inquiry into how the HUAC hearings ignited the anti-Communist crackdown in Hollywood, providing a gripping new cultural history of one of the most influential events of the postwar era"--Publisher's description. "In 1947, the Cold War came to Hollywood. Over 9 days in October 1947, the House Committee on Un-American Activities held a notorious round of hearings into alleged Communist subversion in Hollywood. The immediate blowback from the October hearings was profound and long-lived. On November 25, 1947, the major Hollywood studios pledged never again to employ a known Communist. The declaration marked the formal onset of the blacklist era, a two-decade-long purgatory during which political allegiances, real or suspected, determined employment opportunities in the entertainment industry. At the studios and the networks, hundreds of artists were shown the door or had it shut in their faces. Doherty tells the story of the first media-political spectacle of the postwar era, a courtroom drama starring actors, moguls, congressmen, lawyers, investigators, and screenwriters, all recorded under the lights of the newsreel cameras and broadcast over radio. After assuming increased cultural prominence during World War II, Doherty explains, 'the screen had become, in its maturity, integrated with the whole fabric of the national, and international affairs, with social, political and economic involvements, ' leading to the centrality of Hollywood in Washington politics in the postwar era. Depicting this shift through testimonies and detailed public records, he provides a rich, character-driven cultural history that focuses on how and why the HUAC trial unfolded and ignited the anti-Communist strain in Cold War culture, serving as one of the most influential events of the postwar era"-- Provided by publisher In 1947, the Cold War came to Hollywood. Over nine tumultuous days in October, the House Un-American Activities Committee held a notorious round of hearings into alleged Communist subversion in the movie industry. The blowback was profound: the major studios pledged to never again employ a known Communist or unrepentant fellow traveler. The declaration marked the onset of the blacklist era, a time when political allegiances, real or suspected, determined employment opportunities in the entertainment industry. Hundreds of artists were shown the door--or had it shut in their faces. In Show Trial, Thomas Doherty takes us behind the scenes at the first full-on media-political spectacle of the postwar era. He details the theatrical elements of a proceeding that bridged the realms of entertainment and politics, a courtroom drama starring glamorous actors, colorful moguls, on-the-make congressmen, high-priced lawyers, single-minded investigators, and recalcitrant screenwriters, all recorded by newsreel cameras and broadcast over radio. Doherty tells the story of the Hollywood Ten and the other witnesses, friendly and unfriendly, who testified, and chronicles the implementation of the postwar blacklist. Show Trial is a rich, character-driven inquiry into how the HUAC hearings ignited the anti-Communist crackdown in Hollywood, providing a gripping cultural history of one of the most transformative events of the postwar era. Thomas Doherty is professor of American studies at Brandeis University. His previous Columbia University Press books include Pre-Code Hollywood: Sex, Immorality, and Insurrection in American Cinema, 1930–1934 (1999); Cold War, Cool Medium: Television, McCarthyism, and American Culture (2003); Hollywood’s Censor: Joseph I. Breen and the Production Code Administration (2007); and Hollywood and Hitler, 1933–1939 (2013). HIS036060,History/United States/20th Century,PER004030,Performing Arts/Film/History & Criticism