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In October of 1947, they appeared before, and refused to cooperate with, the House Un-American Activities Committee which was investigating Communist influence in the Hollywood labor unions. As a result, the United States House of Representatives voted 346 to 17 on that November 24 to approve citations of contempt. They were convicted in 1948.
Specifically, they were cited for contempt for their efforts to disrupt the committee's proceedings by making political statements while refusing to answer questions put to them by the committee concerning their Communist affiliations and activities. Among the questions they refused to answer was, "Are you a member of the Screen Writers Guild ?" Their unsuccessful defense was based on First Amendment claims. Following unsuccessful appeals and denial of review by the Supreme Court, they served 6-month (in two cases) or 1-year prison terms in 1950.
On November 25November 25 is the 329th (in leap years the 330th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 36 days remaining. Events 1034 Malcolm II of Scotland died. Duncan, the son of his second daughter, instead of Macbeth, the son of his eldest daughter,, 1947 (the day after the full House approved citations of contempt) they were " blacklistA blacklist is a list or register of people who, for one reason or another, are being denied a particular privilege, service, or mobility. To blacklist someone (blacklist can be either a noun or a verb) can mean to deny them work in a particular field, ored" by the major Hollywood producers, who declared publicly that the ten would be fired or suspended and not rehired until they were acquitted or purged of contempt and had sworn that they were not Communists. Because of their notoriety, they were unable to obtain work in the American film and television industry for many years. However, many continued to write Hollywood films, using sometimes thinly-veiled pseudonymA pseudonym or allonym is a name (sometimes legally adopted, sometimes purely fictitious) used by an individual as an alternative to their birth name. Pseudonyms in print When used by authors, a pseudonym is also called a pen name or (in French) nom de pls (and much reduced pay) or the names of friends who posed as the actual writers (those who allowed their names to be used were called "fronts".) Much later, when anti-Communism became less fashionable, they were sometimes portrayed as heroes for their defiance of the committee.
The members of the Hollywood Ten were:
Following his blacklisting, Trumbo was able to continue work under an alias writing, among other movies, SpartacusSpartacus is a 1960 film directed by Stanley Kubrick. The screenplay is based on the historical novel of the same name by Howard Fast. Kirk Douglas ( Spartacus) and Laurence Olivier ( Marcus Licinius Crassus) star. John Gavin ( Julius Caesar), Jean Simmon. Edward Dmytryk later agreed to testify and resumed his career as a director.
In later life many of the "Hollywood Ten" continued to defend their right to political association and to oppose red-baiting.
Note: While the Hollywood Ten were the most high-profile screenwriters and directors blacklisted, many others, such as Michael Wilson and Paul Jarrico , found themselves unable to work in their fields during the time of the red scare.
The Front , a 1976 movie starring Woody Allen, presented one perspective of the period.