Hollywood Group Sues To End Film Blacklist

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29401, 31 December 1960, Page 13

Hollywood Group Sues To End Film Blacklist

NEW YORK, December 30.

Every major film-produeing company in Hollywood has been named by a group of writers and actors in a suit to do away with a political blacklist allegedly maintained in the industry, the “New York Times” reported today.

The newspaper said 12 writers and actors were seeking an injunction to restrain these companies from continuing to deny them employment because they were considered subversive. More than 200 were said to be on the blacklist.

The plaintiffs, who included three winners of Academy Awards—the highest artistic award of the film industry—were using anti-trust laws to charge conspiracy by the companies. the newspaper said. Though it was unusual to use the anti-trust laws in a civil rights suit it was not unique The writers and actors were asking 7.500.000 dollars in damages to compensate them for loss of income. The suit would be filed today in the Federal District Court at Washington. It was charged that those on the blacklist were denied employment “primarily because thev are ‘public relations’ risks, not "loyalty risks’.” Many on the list, it was contended. swore under oath they were not Communists. According to the American As-

sociated Press, the plaintiffs included the actress Gale Sondergard, the actor, Ned Yotpig, the director, Herbert Bibberman. and the writer, Albert Maltz. The plaintiff's counsel, Mr A L. Wiren, was quoted as saying: “The Sherman Anti-Trust Act makes it unlawful for persons to agree not to emplov any person or group of persons. ' ‘Tn this case, the complaint alleges there was an agreement by all those named defendants not to employ persons who invoked the Fifth Amendment before a Congressional committee or who refused to furnish information to a Congressional committee. “Application for an injunction will be sought at the same time ♦he suit is filed. A hearing on the application is expected in about two weeks.” The defendants named in the suit are Metro-Goldwyn-Maver Columbia, 20th Centurv-Fox Walt Disnev. Paramount. Warner Brothers. Un’versal- T ntemational ♦he Motion Picture Associ»tion of America and the Association of Motion Picture Producers,