McCarthyism

1. McCarthyism What’s really behind The Crucible…

2. Allegory • Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible as an allegory for McCarthyism. • What do you already know?

3. Cold War • USA vs. USSR • 1950’s-90’s • Fear of communism • Expressed through: • Military coalitions • Propaganda • Espionage • Weapons development • Industrial advances • Advancement in technology (ex: the space race).

4. Red Scare • Fear over the spread of communism and its possible infiltration into America

8. House of Un-American Activities (HUAC) • Senator Joseph McCarthy headed the (HUAC)

9. HUAC • The committee conducted public hearings whose purpose was to investigate suspected communist activities in America.

10. McCarthy was applauded by many who lived in fear of communism. • Propaganda (like this advertisement) fueled this fear.

11. HUAC • Established May 26, 1938 to try people accused of being communist • Considered it their duty to purge the country of any Communist influences

12. Those summoned were required to inform on neighbors or friends or be sent to jail. • Those found guilty were usually sentenced to imprisonment.

13. McCarthy’s sensational methods and irresponsible charges aroused great controversy.

16. McCarthy caused the ruination of many careers and reputations.

18. HUAC • Hoped to prove writers were able to insert subversive messages into Hollywood films • The Hollywood Ten remains one of the most blatantly unconstitutional examples of McCarthyism

19. The Hollywood Ten • A group of actors, writers, and directors which were accused of being communists. • All went before the HUAC and pleaded the 5th Amendment

20. What is the 5th Amendment? • = No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime. Ronald Regan giving evidence of the strong Communist influence during the ten-day closed trial, 1947.

21. Blacklisting • People accused were put on a list where they were then closely monitored for any type of questionable activities • Usually this caused many movie studios to refrain from hiring them

22. The Hollywood Ten • Despite all the efforts made to protect them, all ten were removed from their jobs and blacklisted

23. The Hollywood Ten • Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart in support of “The Ten” • The appearance before Congress, Bogart later remembered, was “ill-advised.”

24. The Hollywood Ten • In early 1948 all of the Hollywood Ten were convicted of contempt. Following a series of unsuccessful appeals, the cases arrived before the Supreme Court. After the court denied review, the Hollywood Ten began serving one-year prison sentences in 1950.

25. The Hollywood Ten • In September 1950, one of the ten, director Edward Dmytryk, publicly announced that he had once been a Communist and was prepared to give evidence against others who had been as well.

26. The Hollywood Ten • He was released early from jail; following his 1951 HUAC appearance, in which he described his brief membership in the party and named names, his career recovered.

27. The Hollywood Ten • Eventually those who held power in the movie industry broke the blacklisting. (People were hired, writers were given due credit for their work, etc.) • The final lawsuit ended in 1962 • The trials themselves were finally considered unconstitutional, many received compensation for their losses, but not without paying the price.

28. Elmer Bernstein, composer and conductor[48] • Charlie Chaplin, actor[48] • Aaron Copland, composer[48] • Bartley Crum, attorney[49] • Jules Dassin, director[48] • W.E.B. DuBois, civil rights activist and author[50] • Howard Fast, author[51] • Lee Grant, actress[48] • Dashiell Hammett, author[48] • Lillian Hellman, playwright[48] • John Hubley, animator[48] • Langston Hughes, author[52] • Sam Jaffe, actor[48] • Gypsy Rose Lee, actress[53] • Philip Loeb, actor[54] • Joseph Losey, director[48] • Burgess Meredith, actor[53] • Arthur Miller, playwright and essayist[53] • Zero Mostel, actor[48] • Clifford Odets, author[48] • J. Robert Oppenheimer, physicist, "father of the atomic bomb"[55] • Linus Pauling, chemist, winner of two Nobel prizes[56] • Paul Robeson, actor, athlete, singer, author, political and civil rights activist[57] • Edward G. Robinson, actor[53] • Waldo Salt, author[48] • Pete Seeger, folk singer[52] • Artie Shaw, jazz musician[52] • Howard Da Silva, actor[48] • Paul Sweezy, economist and founder-editor of Monthly Review[58] • Tsien Hsue-shen, physicist[59] • Orson Welles, actor, author and director[53] A few of the more famous people who were blacklisted or suffered some other persecution during McCarthyism are listed here:

29. Arthur Miller • The McCarthy trials were often referred to as “witch hunts” prompting Arthur Miller to write The Crucible. • He wanted to warn others about the affects of mass hysteria and the need for tolerance of differing views.

30. Arthur Miller • October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005 • Famous playwright and essayist • Won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama

31. Arthur Miller • Married to, Hollywood icon, Marilyn Monroe in 1956.

32. Arthur Miller • The HUAC took advantage of his famous marriage, and subpoenaed him to appear in court • Miller refused to deliver anyone’s name and was held in contempt of court

33. Arthur Miller • The court fined him $500 • Sentenced to 30 days in prison • Blacklisted him • Disallowed a US passport

34. Arthur Miller • His conviction was eventually overturned • Miller temporarily changed his name to Jonathan Lovelett for protection • Wrote The Misfits which starred wife, Monroe

35. Arthur Miller • Low period of his life. • He and Monroe divorced before premiere in 1961

36. Arthur Miller • 19 months later, Monroe died of apparent drug overdose.

37. Arthur Miller • Married again to Inge Morath, had children • One, a son, Daniel, with down syndrome • Institutionalized • Couple remained together till Inge’s death in 2002.

38. Arthur Miller and Daniel Day Lewis • His son-in-law is actor, Daniel-Day Lewis • He’s John Proctor from the film version of The Crucible