The Hollywood Blacklist and
Its Influence on The Crucible
Arthur Miller, Elia Kazan,
1950s McCarthyism and the
House Committee on UnAmerican Activities
Arthur Miller (1915-2005)
One of America’s greatest playwrights
Penned The Crucible and Death of a
Salesman, among other works
Born in New York, Miller studied journalism
at The University of Michigan before
returning to NYC
Miller met Elia Kazan, a man who would
become his closest friend, while working
with the Federal Theatre Project
Elia Kazan (1909-2003)
A celebrated director and producer of
major motion pictures.
Directed A Streetcar Named Desire,
On the Waterfront, among other
works.
Kazan and Miller teamed up in NYC
in creative collaboration: Miller wrote
the scripts; Kazan directed them.
The Hook
The Great Depression left many Americans
wondering about the stability of US policy, and
influenced the two men to explore socialist and
communist ideologies. After attending some
informational meetings, Kazan joined the
communist party (and later left); Miller did not join.
Miller and Kazan witnessed mobsters
monopolizing jobs on the Jersey docks as
workers, desperate for income, were exploited.
This served as the inspiration for their
collaborative play The Hook, a story about one
man’s struggle against injustice on the docks.
Miller and Kazan move to Hollywood, taking their
script with them.
Senator Joe McCarthy (R) Wis
Americans in the 1940s and 50s were
fearful of Communism, and Senator
Joe McCarthy validated that fear with
an organized interrogation committee.
McCarthy became and remains
famous for his single-minded
obsession with identifying and
interrogating supposed communist
sympathizers, particularly in the
media.
McCarthyism (n.)
The practice of publicizing
accusations of political disloyalty or
subversion with insufficient regard to
evidence.
The use of unfair or unscrupulous
investigatory or accusatory methods
in order to suppress opposition.
House Committee on Un-American
Activities
HUAC, McCarthy’s committee, identified 19
communist party members in Hollywood.
HUAC called in the “Hollywood Ten” (all
communist party members) to testify, and
to name other communists they know. The
Blacklist begins.
Elia Kazan was among those later called to
testify. At first he resisted the pressure, but
eventually he named 17 communists, all of
whom had been previously named by
someone else.
The Hollywood Blacklist
All individuals who testified before HUAC
were asked to identify other people they
knew from communist meetings. The list
grew and grew.
Hollywood was torn by mistrust and worry.
Many people found themselves
mysteriously out of work once their names
were mentioned.
A publication entitled Red Channels began
to circulate. Red Channels identified all the
most recently identified “communists” in
Hollywood.
Arthur Miller/Elia Kazan
Arthur Miller was troubled by the Hollywood
Blacklist and his friend Elia Kazan’s
decision to testify in front of HUAC and
name fellow party members.
Kazan agreed in 1952 to testify a second
time, and this was enough to sever his
friendship with Miller.
Miller, greatly troubled by the current state
of government in Hollywood, travelled to
the east coast, where he got the idea to
align the Blacklist with the Salem Witch
Trials of 1692.
The Crucible
The Crucible is an allegory for the
1950s politics in Hollywood and
the investigations of HUAC.
The play was met with mixed
reviews.
The actress who played Elizabeth
Proctor at its premier was
blacklisted immediately.
Miller Appears Before HUAC
When Arthur Miller applied for a
passport in 1956, HUAC used this as
a reason to subpoena him.
He appeared before the committee,
but would not give any information
and was found in contempt. This was
reversed in appeals court.
The Resolution
In the end, Miller and Kazan reconciled with the
help of Marilyn Monroe, Miller’s then wife and
Kazan’s previous girlfriend.
They eventually worked together as a
writing/directing team again on a collaborative
piece entitled After the Fall.
In 1999, Kazan was awarded the lifetime
achievement Oscar for his years of work in
Hollywood. Some opposed his award, saying he
was only able to keeping working at the expense
of those he named in front of HUAC.
Despite his feelings about Kazan’s testimony,
Miller supported Kazan receiving the Oscar.
Links
He may be a communist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWeZ5SKXvj8&
feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anNEJJYLU8M
&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N3WJXK2PA
M&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQQaX2h1plo