Communist infiltration of Hollywood motion-picture industry : hearing before the Committee on Un-American activities, House of Representatives, Eighty-second Congress, first session (1951)

COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 429 committee—I mean Hollywood—at that time. That is, he was the counsel for the committee—for Hollywood, rather. And there was fear in Hollywood pretty generally among most of the people that the committee was really out to try, for perhaps publicity reasons, for I don't know what, to try to intimidate Hollywood, to try to make capital out of the thing. So many of the executives in Hollywood were not in favor, either, of the committee and were anxious—some of them were anxious to get subpenas and testify before the commit- tee to defend Hollywood. And it was our general understanding at first—although I cannot say they specifically ever approved of the way we chose to fight the committee—that the fact that we were not being friendly witnesses but were in effect fighting the committee was' a good thing for Hollywood. As I say, I can't say they approved of our tactics. I rather imagine that they didn't—of our specific tactics. Mr. Tavenner. You mentioned the fact that a meeting was held at the home of Edward G. Robinson. Do you have any knowledge of Communist Party membership or activity by Edward G. Robinson? Mr. Dmytryk. I have not. To the best of my knowledge, he was never a Communist. I can only say this because I used to hear, of course, talk about various personalities from Communist Party mem- bers whom I knew, and I don't think anybody ever considered him a Communist. It is true that he gave some money to Communist-front organizations, as they were later known, but many people did this without knowing what they were doing. I don't think, however, that he ever gave any money to the Hollywood Ten. I remember there was some resentment of this, and for that reason I am pretty sure. The general feeling among our group toward Robinson was one of rather mild resentment. Mr. Tavenner. We have a list here of about 24 individuals whom you have named as being known to you to be members of the Commu- nist Party, and whose names you have given in the course of your testimony. I want to ask you about one of those to make certain what your testimony was. You mentioned the name of Alvah Bessie. Mr. Dmytryk. Yes. Mr. Tavenner. And that a meeting was held in his home Mr. Dmytryk. No. Mr. Tavenner. Is that incorrect? Mr. Dmytryk. That is incorrect. I mentioned a meeting was held, a kind of recruiting meeting was held at Frank Tuttle's home, at which time Alvah Bessie spoke about the party. He had fought in the International Brigade in Spain and was a bit of a heroic figure at that time, and he was used in this way. In other words, what he said had weight with people who had been in favor of the Republican forces in Spain. And he spoke at that party to recruit me and any- body else who was there who was recruitable. Mr. Tavenner. Recruit you into what? Mr. Dmytryk. In the Communist Party. Mr. Tavenner. Did you know Richard Collins to be a member of the Communist Party? Mr. Dmytryk. Only through his participation in that hearing- arbitration, let's say—on Cornered. I believe now from certain things that I know that Collins at that time, although he was still a member of the party, was in the process of gradually disassociating himself