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COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 1577 has been in two studios. I was employed almost without interrup- tion for 10 years by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Twentieth Century- Fox. At Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer I wrote the Dr. Gillespie pictures which followed the Dr. Kildaires. At Twentieth Century-Fox I wrote Shock, Smokey, Green Grass of Wyoming, a picture called Sand, and Kangaroo, which is still to be released. It was made in Aus- tralia. I have a picture going into production within the next 10 days at Universal called Great Companions with Dan Dailey in Technicolor, and that is all that have been made. Mr. Tavenner. Prior to your entrance into the field of screen writ- ing what was your record of employment, briefly ? Mr. Berkeley. After I left college I went into business for a short time. I became an actor. I then started to write, had two plays produced on Broadway. After the first play I was brought out here, in January of 1937, by Columbia Pictures. Mr. Tavenner. Mr. Berkeley, are you appearing here in response to a subpena of this committee ? Mr. Berkeley. No, sir. I am here as a voluntary witness to co- operate fully with this committee and give this committee and the country all the help that I can. In April my name was mentioned by cooperative witness Richard Collins, and I sent a very silly tele- gram to the committee after I received that wire. I charged Mr. Collins with perjury and said I had never been a member of the Communist Party, which was not true. I was not at that time a member and have not been for many years. Why I sent the telegram— I did it in a moment of panic and was a damn fool. Mr. Tavenner. Since that time you have determined that you will aid this committee in every possible way ? Mr. Berkeley. Yes, sir. Since 1913 I have consistently fought the Communists in this town. Mr. Tavenner. Because of your experiences both within and with- out the Communist Party in the Hollywood area, do you consider that you are in a position to give this committee needed information ? Mr. Berkeley. I think so, sir; very much so. Mr. Tavenner. I believe we should start back with your original entry into the Communist Party. Will you tell us where that occurred ? Mr. Berkeley. In 1936 in New York City, shortly before the elec- tion, an old friend of mine, Mr. Fuller, who was a director in the theater, knew that I was very much interested in the anti-Nazi— anti-Fascist movement; that I was interested in the growing trade- union movement of the country, suggested that I go to a meeting with him. I did. The meeting was held at Fourteenth Street and Seventh Avenue on the second floor. There was a sign on the windows of the building in which the meeting was held. That was called the Patrick Henry Club. Mr. Tavenner. Was that in the city of New York? Mr. Berkeley. That was in the city of New York. There were many speakers that night, much talk about the election. I discovered that it was a Communist Party meeting. I did not join that night. Iwent back the following week, listened some more, played some ping-pong there and joined the party.