The Hollywood Blacklist ruined dozens of lives. United States-based artists who were sympathetic to, or even curious about, communism were demonized as traitors to their country and, due to hysterical pressure from The House Committee on Un-American Activities (aka Huac), banned from working in the industry. Disgraced and unemployed, blacklisted individuals were forced to leave the country if they wanted to continue working or, if they could not afford to relocate, find a line of work where being an alleged communist wasn't frowned upon. This latter option was, of course, dismally unlikely. The mental and financial burden of being completely shunned from one's industry was so unbearable that it led actor Philip Loeb to die by suicide.
This put Hollywood at war against itself. Anyone suspected of having communist ties was pressured to come clean and, if they wanted to continue working, name names (a cowardly practice savaged by films...
This put Hollywood at war against itself. Anyone suspected of having communist ties was pressured to come clean and, if they wanted to continue working, name names (a cowardly practice savaged by films...
- 5/25/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Buddy Adler was just two years into his brief reign as the Head of Production for 20th Century Fox in 1958 when producer Walter Wanger brought him an epic project that could potentially pull the then-struggling studio out of its box office slump. The film wound up soaring so far over budget that Fox would be forced to sell 180 acres of its Los Angeles backlot to Alcoa just to stay financially afloat.
Had Adler made "Cleopatra" on his own terms, the title role would've been a sensibly priced production toplined by one of the studio's affordable contract stars (e.g. Joan Collins or Joanne Woodward). Wanger, however, had outsized dreams. He saw the historical drama as a Hollywood epic for the ages. He believed in its potential to dominate the box office and win scores of Academy Awards. He wanted Elizabeth Taylor, arguably the most popular movie star on the planet,...
Had Adler made "Cleopatra" on his own terms, the title role would've been a sensibly priced production toplined by one of the studio's affordable contract stars (e.g. Joan Collins or Joanne Woodward). Wanger, however, had outsized dreams. He saw the historical drama as a Hollywood epic for the ages. He believed in its potential to dominate the box office and win scores of Academy Awards. He wanted Elizabeth Taylor, arguably the most popular movie star on the planet,...
- 4/14/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Exclusive: The Murtha Skouras Agency, representing top below-the-line talent, has elevated longtime agents Hillary Cook and Karen Berch to Partner, founding partners Ann Murtha and Spyros Skouras announced on Friday.
Created in 2016 following the mergers of The Murtha Agency and The Skouras Agency, The Murtha Skouras Agency has had Cook and Berch serving in the film and television arm ever since.
“Hillary and Karen, longtime agents of The Murtha Skouras Agency, have been indispensable, passionate members of our team. Both possess a wealth of knowledge, experience and a deep commitment to promoting and celebrating the art of film,” Murtha and Skouras said in a joint statement. “They are also known for their honesty, integrity, unwavering dedication, exceptional work ethic, commitment to excellence, and professionalism. With these promotions, we are delighted to recognize their accomplishments – and future achievements.”
Recently, Cook and Berch saw client Arthur Max receive his fourth Oscar nomination...
Created in 2016 following the mergers of The Murtha Agency and The Skouras Agency, The Murtha Skouras Agency has had Cook and Berch serving in the film and television arm ever since.
“Hillary and Karen, longtime agents of The Murtha Skouras Agency, have been indispensable, passionate members of our team. Both possess a wealth of knowledge, experience and a deep commitment to promoting and celebrating the art of film,” Murtha and Skouras said in a joint statement. “They are also known for their honesty, integrity, unwavering dedication, exceptional work ethic, commitment to excellence, and professionalism. With these promotions, we are delighted to recognize their accomplishments – and future achievements.”
Recently, Cook and Berch saw client Arthur Max receive his fourth Oscar nomination...
- 3/15/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis held a packed union meeting at their Beverly Hills home. Desi Arnaz poured his heart out in an open letter to the industry while Lew Wasserman worked the numbers quietly behind the scenes. And it was none other than future Oval Office occupant Ronald Reagan who led the Screen Actors Guild through the war in 1960, the last time that Hollywood experienced such a season of labor strife with actors and the Writers Guild of America on strike at the same time.
And it was already a tumultuous time for the industry. In 1959, Congress and the Justice Department were deep into their investigation of “payola” corruption involving music labels and radio station owners. Congress also held hearings that year on the notorious TV quiz show scandals (see 1994’s “Quiz Show” for a primer).
For Hollywood, the “Mad Men” era began with strike fever. Coverage of the...
And it was already a tumultuous time for the industry. In 1959, Congress and the Justice Department were deep into their investigation of “payola” corruption involving music labels and radio station owners. Congress also held hearings that year on the notorious TV quiz show scandals (see 1994’s “Quiz Show” for a primer).
For Hollywood, the “Mad Men” era began with strike fever. Coverage of the...
- 7/17/2023
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Today marks the 75th anniversary of the Waldorf Declaration, which on November 25, 1947, officially launched the Hollywood Blacklist. On that day, the heads of the major studios, with a few notable exceptions, agreed after a contentious two-day conference at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City to ban the Hollywood Ten and to not “knowingly” employ Communists.
And so began one of the darkest chapters in Hollywood’s history.
Related Story Hollywood Blacklist: 75th Anniversary Of The Waldorf Declaration – Photo Gallery Related Story Donald Anthony St. Claire Dies: 'The Amazing Race' Oldest Competitor Was 87 Related Story Irene Cara Remembered By Colleagues, Friends And Fans
Just a few weeks earlier, the Hollywood Ten had denounced and refused to cooperate with the House Un-American Activities Committee and later were sent to federal prison for contempt of Congress.
“We will forthwith discharge or suspend without compensation those in our employ,” the Waldorf Declaration stated,...
And so began one of the darkest chapters in Hollywood’s history.
Related Story Hollywood Blacklist: 75th Anniversary Of The Waldorf Declaration – Photo Gallery Related Story Donald Anthony St. Claire Dies: 'The Amazing Race' Oldest Competitor Was 87 Related Story Irene Cara Remembered By Colleagues, Friends And Fans
Just a few weeks earlier, the Hollywood Ten had denounced and refused to cooperate with the House Un-American Activities Committee and later were sent to federal prison for contempt of Congress.
“We will forthwith discharge or suspend without compensation those in our employ,” the Waldorf Declaration stated,...
- 11/25/2022
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Veteran literary manager Jerry Kalajian, who co-founded the Intellectual Property Group, has died. He was 68.
Kalajian died after battling cancer on Sept. 9 in San Diego.
His death was announced by the Intellectual Property Group, where Kalajian was a partner.
“His partners, everyone at Intellectual Property Group, and his life-long, dearest friends Cynthia Campos-Greenberg, Michael Moore, Cathleen Gallagher-Joachim, Spyros Skouras, Julia Kole, Ilene Feldman, Helene Tobias, Gaelyn Nichols-Marvin and so many others love Jerry so very much and will miss him terribly every day,” the literary management company said in a statement on Wednesday.
Born in Detroit, Kalajian moved to Los Angeles in 1974, where he worked as a waiter before earning his first position at the Diamond Talent Agency with Abby Greshler.
He then became a talent agent at Herb Tobias & Associates and APA/Agency for the Performing Arts. That was followed by Kalajian...
Veteran literary manager Jerry Kalajian, who co-founded the Intellectual Property Group, has died. He was 68.
Kalajian died after battling cancer on Sept. 9 in San Diego.
His death was announced by the Intellectual Property Group, where Kalajian was a partner.
“His partners, everyone at Intellectual Property Group, and his life-long, dearest friends Cynthia Campos-Greenberg, Michael Moore, Cathleen Gallagher-Joachim, Spyros Skouras, Julia Kole, Ilene Feldman, Helene Tobias, Gaelyn Nichols-Marvin and so many others love Jerry so very much and will miss him terribly every day,” the literary management company said in a statement on Wednesday.
Born in Detroit, Kalajian moved to Los Angeles in 1974, where he worked as a waiter before earning his first position at the Diamond Talent Agency with Abby Greshler.
He then became a talent agent at Herb Tobias & Associates and APA/Agency for the Performing Arts. That was followed by Kalajian...
- 10/13/2022
- by Jackie Strause
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
20th Century Fox couldn't have picked a worse time to mount its epic production of "Cleopatra." The studio was reeling after a string of box office disasters in 1958, which prompted its president, Spyros Skouras, to do the wholly unreasonable thing and pin the company's financial recovery on one historically massive production. On executive David Brown's advice, Skouras reached back 40 years into the studio's past, and threw everything into a new rendition of "Cleopatra." The sweeping tale of the ill-fated Queen of Egypt had delivered in a big way for...
The post Did Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra Casting Almost Bankrupt Fox? appeared first on /Film.
The post Did Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra Casting Almost Bankrupt Fox? appeared first on /Film.
- 7/13/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
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