Craig Charles
English actor, comedian & DJ
Dalton Trumbo was an acclaimed American screenwriter who overcame the Hollywood blacklist to win two Academy Awards. Despite being one of the “Hollywood Ten” who refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee, Trumbo continued to write award-winning films under pseudonyms until his credits were finally restored in the 1960s.
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About the Dalton Trumbo
James Dalton Trumbowas an American screenwriter who scripted many award-winning films, including Roman Holidayin 1947 during the committee’s investigation of alleged Communist influences in the motion picture industry.
Trumbo, the other members of the Hollywood Ten, and hundreds of other professionals in the industry were blacklisted by Hollywood. He continued working clandestinely on major films, writing under pseudonyms or other authors’ names. His uncredited work won two Academy Awards for Best Story: for Roman Holiday (1953), which was presented to a front writer, and for The Brave One (1956), which was awarded to a pseudonym used by Trumbo. When he was given public screen credit for both Exodus and Spartacus in 1960, it marked the beginning of the end of the Hollywood Blacklist for Trumbo and other affected screenwriters. He finally was given full credit by the Writers’ Guild for Roman Holiday in 2011, nearly 60 years after the fact, and 35 years after his death.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dalton Trumbo was an American screenwriter who wrote many award-winning films, including Roman Holiday, Exodus, and Spartacus. He was one of the Hollywood Ten who refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee during their investigation of alleged Communist influences in the movie industry.
Dalton Trumbo wrote many acclaimed films, including Roman Holiday (1953), Exodus (1960), Spartacus (1960), and Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944). He won two Academy Awards for Best Story, though the credits were given to other names at the time.
Dalton Trumbo and hundreds of other film industry professionals were blacklisted by Hollywood after he and the other ,Hollywood Ten, refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Trumbo continued working under pseudonyms and other writers’ names until his credits were finally restored in the 1960s.
Dalton Trumbo was given public screen credit for his work on the films Exodus and Spartacus in 1960, which marked the beginning of the end of the Hollywood Blacklist for him and other affected screenwriters. He also received full credit from the Writers’ Guild for Roman Holiday in 2011, nearly 60 years after the film’s release.
Despite being blacklisted, Dalton Trumbo continued to win awards for his screenwriting work. He won two Academy Awards for Best Story – one for Roman Holiday in 1953 and one for The Brave One in 1956, though the credits were given to other writers at the time.
15 Quotes by Dalton Trumbo
- 1.
One of the disadvantages of being a patrician is that occasionally you’re obliged to act like one.
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)
- 2.
I never considered the working class anything other than something to get out of.
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)
- 3.
The only kind of love worth having is the kind that goes on living and laughing and fighting and loving.
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)
- 4.
The only interesting thing that can happen in a Swiss bedroom is suffocation by feather mattress.
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)
- 5.
I fought fire with oil.
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)
- 6.
Privately, I believe in none of them. Neither do you. Publicly, I believe in them all.
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)
- 7.
Now the truth of the matter is that there are a lot of things people don’t understand. Take the Einstein theory. Take taxes. Take love. Do you understand them? Neither do I. But they exist. They happen.
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)
- 8.
A good businessman never makes a contract unless he’s sure he can carry it through, yet every fool on earth is perfectly willing to sign a marriage contract without considering whether he can live up to it or not.
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)
- 9.
I am one day going to be working openly in the motion picture industry. When that day comes, I swear to you that I will never sign a term contract with any major studio.
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)
- 10.
Everybody now seems to be talking about democracy. I don’t understand this. As I think of it, democracy isn’t like a Sunday suit to be brought out and worn only for parades. It’s the kind of a life a decent man leads, it’s something to live for and to die for.
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)
- 11.
I will, proudly and by preference, do at least one picture a year for King Brothers, and I will try to make it the best picture that I have it in me to do.
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)
- 12.
The chief internal enemies of any state are those public officials who betray the trust imposed upon them by the people.
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)
- 13.
Democracy means that people can say what they want to. All the people. It means that they can vote as they wish. All the people. It means that they can worship God in any way they feel right, and that includes Christians and Jews and voodoo doctors as well.
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)
- 14.
Dishonesty in government is the business of every citizen. It is not enough to do your own job. There’s no particular virtue in that. Democracy isn’t a gift. It’s a responsibility.
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)
- 15.
We’ll free every slave in every town and region. Can anybody get a bigger army than that?
Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905-1976)