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The Red Scare and the Hollywood Blacklist
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The Red Scare and the Hollywood Blacklist

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This week's Hollywood Reporter carries the story, "The Most Sinful Period in Hollywood History," about that publication's role in the anti-Communist witch-hunt that led to the blacklisting of movie stars, writers and others who refused to cooperate with the House Committee on Un-American Activities.  Accompanying the story is an apology from Willie Wilkerson, whose father founded the Hollywood Reporter itself — and then used it to name alleged Communist sympathizers — ruining many careers.  We talk with Marsha Hunt, a surviving victim, and with Wilkerson about his apology to those whose careers were ruined, in part, by what he called his father's desire for vengeance. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, is American air travel on the descent?

Banner image: A lobby display about the Hollywood Blacklist. Photo by the aclu.socal/flickr

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An Apology for The Hollywood Reporter's Role in the Blacklist ()

Reporters Gary Baum and Daniel Miller have written extensively in this week's issue about The Hollywood Reporter's role in the Red Scare and the Hollywood Blacklist of the late 40's and 50's. Sixty-five years ago, a group of studio chiefs decreed a ban on employing 10 members of the film industry who had refused to cooperate with the House Committee on Un-American Activities.  That led to the "blacklisting" of many more—merely because they were publicly accused of Communist sympathies — often in a front-page column in the Hollywood Reporter. World War II was over, Joseph Stalin was no longer a US ally, and anti-Communism had re-emerged as a full-blown movement.  Southern California was a "garrison state for the Cold War" that was just beginning. We update the story with California State Librarian Emeritus Kevin Starr, blacklisted actress Marsha Hunt and Willie Wilkerson

, son of the Hollywood Reporter's founder.

 

hunt-then.jpg
Screenshot of Marsha Hunt from the trailer for the film "Pride and Prejudice"

hunt-now.jpg
Nat Segaloff producer of "Hollywood Fights Back ... Again!"
with actress Marsha Hunt, who appeared in the original broadcast
Photo courtesy of the ACLU of Southern California

 

 

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Is American Air Travel on the Descent? ()

Image-for-WWLA.jpgOn this first day of the busiest week for air travel in the United States, the airline industry has reached a new low in popularity with flying customers.  Using the Public Insight Network, we asked our radio listeners for their opinions. We hear how the flying experience has changed as an industry with narrow profit margins struggles to meet public demand.

This story was informed in part from sources in the Public Insight Network, find out more: www.kcrw.com/insight

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Which Way L.A.? is made possible in part by the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation and the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation.

 

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