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

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COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 1583 Biberman was one of the organizers of the artists' union, which was part of the WPA art project. Those are all the people I can re- member at that meeting. Mr. Tavenner. You mentioned the name of Lionel Stander. Mr. Berkeley. Yes, sir. Mr. Tavenner. Did you ever attend a Communist Party meeting in his home ? Mr. Berkeley. I did, sir. There was a meeting called at the home of Stander at which V. J. Jerome was present that dealt with the mat- ter of the struggle then going on in the Screen Actors' Guild. I don't know how familiar you are with that struggle. I am very happy to say that the situation no longer exists. (At this time Representative Francis E. Walter entered the room.) Mr. Berkeley. At that time the extras had no vote in the guild. They Mere second-class citizens, and the Communist Party, whether for altruistic purposes or whether because the ranks of the extras were proven to be more fertile field than among the more successful mem- bers of the profession I am not prepared to say, felt that the extras should be given some kind of a vote in the Actors' Guild. Well, today the extras are in their own guild and that situation is taken care of. At this fraction meeting—let me explain how I got to an actors' meet- ing. Jerome knew me from New York and he felt I was a fairly force- ful person and got along pretty well with people, and he said, "I think you better get in there and help for a while and keep your eye on Stander. He is a screwball," which he is. Elliot Sullivan was at that meeting. He is also known as Ely Sulli- van. I don't know whether he spells his name S-u-1-l-i-v-a-n or -a-v-a-n. Allen Matthews Mr. Tavenner. Now, what is his occupation? Mr. Berkeley. He is an actor. All these people were actors, Mr. Tavenner. Allen Matthews, a small part actor, was present. He later became very active politically and received an appointment by the State administration to the extermination committee in charge of exterminating bugs. Dorothy Tree, an actress, was also present, as was Marc Lawrence, and a young actor known as Maurice Murphy. Mr. Tavenner. Is the Marc Lawrence to whom you refer there the same person who appeared before the Committee on Un-American Activities in Washington and admitted his former Communist membership ? Mr. Berkeley. That is the same Marc Lawrence. I am very happy he admitted it. Mr. Tavenner. Who, in describing the circumstances under which he became a member, stated that he was recruited into the party with the aid of Lionel Stander. Mr. Berkeley. That's right, sir. I believe that is completely cor- rect. You see, Stander at that time was about the only so-called name that the party had in the profession. Those were Mr. Tavenner. In the early part of your testimony relating to, I believe, the New York episode of your membership, you referred to an organization by initials. It has been called to my attention that you did not state the exact name and I would like for you to do it. You referred to the IATSE. I would like for the record to show the full name.