Written By January 2012 : Page 4

tHe MAGAzine OF tHe WriterS GuilD OF AMeriCA, WeSt FADe in “Are you now, or hAve you ever been, AliberAl?” Conscience stricken, I stutter. Dare I admit writing positively about Mr. Smith Goes to Washington? Or expose my support for labor unions? Not to mention working for a Guild. Answering in the affirmative could mean time in prison; a denial would definitely mean perjury. My attorney covers the microphone and advises, sotto voce, “Shut up.” My Congress-appointed counselor stands, faces the cameras. “Hon-orable members of the House Un-Liberal Committee, may I, if the Chair please, point out that my passive-aggressive client could never sup-port these so-called causes because—” The pounding gavel obliterates her defense. “Are you answering the question or making another speech?” Chairman Newt Gingrich points his gavel at me. “He has not always been as we see him now.” “What?” Chief Investigator Sarah Palin stops reading her iPad. “See him where? What’s the question?” She turns to fellow Committee mem-ber Rep. Michele Bachman. “Is he, or isn’t he, a member of the Writers Guild of America?” Rep. Herman Cain covers his microphone and soothingly admon-ishes, “Your job, Sarah honey, is to ask the witness the question, not us.” “I intend to, but who is this…?” She consults a stack of transcripts. “This ‘Traitor Trumbo’?” I’d left a paper trail. Why had I written in praise of Roman Holiday? My attorney, chagrined, whispers into my ear: “Look at the trap you’ve lured me into, mofo. You better drink the Kool-Aid and wake up! ” Which I do, in a cold sweat, knocking to the floor the Blacklist mate-rials I’d been studying for this Written By. I’d fallen asleep reading the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) transcripts. Under the mandate of hunting “communist traitors,” HUAC sub-poenaed entertainment professionals to appear at “witch-hunts” to “name names”—or sacrifice their careers. The most famous witness be-came Dalton Trumbo, in part because of his testimony before HUAC in 1947: Chairman: “Are you refusing to answer the question?” Trumbo: “I will refuse to answer none of your questions, sir.” “Well, you are refusing to answer the question.” “I am, indeed, not refusing to answer the question.” “I will ask you the question.” “You ask me.” “Are you a member of the Screen Writers’ Guild?” “I repeat—” Chairman (pounding gavel): “Excuse the witness!” Upon release from prison, Trumbo fled to Mexico where he wrote anonymously, using numerous “fronts.” One front was his ally Ian Mc-Clellan Hunter. They worked long-distance, producing the 1953 classic Roman Holiday. Initially, the studio credited the screenplay to Hunter and John Dighton. Early last year, as Dalton’s son Chris lay dying, he and lifelong friend Tim Hunter requested a second WGA blacklist-era credit restoration. Tim, son of Ian, wrote to then-WGA President John Wells that Roman Holiday represents “tangible proof of a friendship, a symbol on celluloid of many friendships, and the manifestation of a pact between friends during a time of political persecution.” And so the Guild board approved the request and the credit now reads, “Story by Dalton Trumbo, Screenplay by Dalton Trumbo and Ian McLellan Hunter and John Dighton.” Two sons and childhood friends; two fathers and close cowriters; one shared credit. Something good came out of the Blacklist: They call it brotherhood. 4 • WG AW Written B y J ANU AR Y 20 12 —Richard Stayton, Editor W ritten By © PuBliCAtiOn StAFF editor in Chief Richard Stayton Managing editor Christina McBride Contributing editors Rob Feld, Matt Hoey, Mark Lee, Susan Littwin, Marsha Scarbrough, Pat Sierchio editorial Offices 7000 W. Third Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048 TEL 323.782.4522; FAx 323.782.4802 E-MAIL writtenby@wga.org Toll-Free Subscription Line 888.WRITNBY ADVertiSinG rePreSentAtiOn Helena yohannes, Advertising Sales 7000 W. Third Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048 E-MAIL hyohannes@wga.org tel 323.782.4510 FAx 323.782.4802 eDitOriAl ADViSOry COMMittee Peter Barsocchini, Steve Chivers, F.x. Feeney, Georgia Jeffries, Peter Lefcourt (chair), Glen Mazzara, Margaret Nagle, Rosanne Welch Creative Director Ron S. Tammariello Written By (ISSN 1092-468x) is published bimonthly (January, February/ March, April/May, Summer (June/July/August), September/October, November/December) by the Writers Guild of America, West, 7000 W. Third St., Los Angeles, CA 90048-4329. Copyright ©2011 by the Writers Guild of America, West. Subscriptions: Annual nonmember subscriptions to Written By: $50. Student rate: $30 with a copy of a valid student identification card. Single copies: $10 each. Periodicals Postage Paid at Los Angeles, CA and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Written By, the Writers Guild of America, West, 7000 W. Third St., Los Angeles, CA 90048-4329. Advertising Policy: Readers should not assume that any products or ser-vices advertised in Written By are endorsed by the WGAW. Although the Editorial Advisory Board adheres to standard industry practice in requiring advertisers to be “truthful and forthright,” there is no extensive screening process by either Written By or the WGAW. editorial Policy: The WGAW neither implicitly nor explicitly endorses opin-ions or attitudes expressed in Written By. Written By actively seeks material from Guild members and other writers. Submissions are subject to editing for length, style and content. letters are subject to editing for length without correspondent approval. The content of letters is subject to review. Not all letters are published. Inquiries about column writing should be directed to Written By.

Fade In

“Are you now, or have you ever been, a liberal?” Conscience stricken, I stutter. Dare I admit writing positively about Mr. Smith Goes to Washington? Or expose my support for labor unions? Not to mention working for a Guild. Answering in the affirmative could mean time in prison; a denial would definitely mean perjury. My attorney covers the microphone and advises, sotto voce, “Shut up.” My Congress-appointed counselor stands, faces the cameras. “Honorable members of the House Un-Liberal Committee, may I, if the Chair please, point out that my passive-aggressive client could never support these so-called causes because—” The pounding gavel obliterates her defense. “Are you answering the question or making another speech?” Chairman Newt Gingrich points his gavel at me. “He has not always been as we see him now.” “What?” Chief Investigator Sarah Palin stops reading her iPad. “See him where? What’s the question?” She turns to fellow Committee member Rep. Michele Bachman. “Is he, or isn’t he, a member of the Writers Guild of America?” Rep. Herman Cain covers his microphone and soothingly admonishes, “Your job, Sarah honey, is to ask the witness the question, not us.” “I intend to, but who is this…?” She consults a stack of transcripts. “This ‘Traitor Trumbo’?” I’d left a paper trail. Why had I written in praise of Roman Holiday? My attorney, chagrined, whispers into my ear: “Look at the trap you’ve lured me into, mofo. You better drink the Kool-Aid and wake up! ” Which I do, in a cold sweat, knocking to the floor the Blacklist materials I’d been studying for this Written By. I’d fallen asleep reading the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) transcripts. Under the mandate of hunting “communist traitors,” HUAC subpoenaed entertainment professionals to appear at “witch-hunts” to “name names”—or sacrifice their careers. The most famous witness became Dalton Trumbo, in part because of his testimony before HUAC in 1947: Chairman: “Are you refusing to answer the question?” Trumbo: “I will refuse to answer none of your questions, sir.” “Well, you are refusing to answer the question.” “I am, indeed, not refusing to answer the question.” “I will ask you the question.” “You ask me.” “Are you a member of the Screen Writers’ Guild?” “I repeat—” Chairman (pounding gavel): “Excuse the witness!” Upon release from prison, Trumbo fled to Mexico where he wrote anonymously, using numerous “fronts.” One front was his ally Ian Mc- Clellan Hunter. They worked long-distance, producing the 1953 classic Roman Holiday. Initially, the studio credited the screenplay to Hunter and John Dighton. Early last year, as Dalton’s son Chris lay dying, he and lifelong friend Tim Hunter requested a second WGA blacklist-era credit restoration. Tim, son of Ian, wrote to then-WGA President John Wells that Roman Holiday represents “tangible proof of a friendship, a symbol on celluloid of many friendships, and the manifestation of a pact between friends during a time of political persecution.” And so the Guild board approved the request and the credit now reads, “Story by Dalton Trumbo, Screenplay by Dalton Trumbo and Ian McLellan Hunter and John Dighton.” Two sons and childhood friends; two fathers and close cowriters; one shared credit. Something good came out of the Blacklist: They call it brotherhood. —Richard Stayton, Editor

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