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

3510 COMMUNISM IN HOLLYWOOD MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY ing. He says I was lured away from Broadway horns by Hollywood gold. I have no memory of it. Mr. Walter. As a matter of fact, isn't the screening so thorough on that it would be an utter impossibility to slant a picture? There are so many people that examine it for that particular purpose? Isn't that the fact ? Mr. Odets. You are right. There is nothing less possible in Holly- wood. Nothing less possible. Mr. Walter. And has that not always been the fact? Mr. Odets. Ever since 1 have been there. Mr. Walter. Has the industry not endeavored to set up sort of a sinecure, as it were? Mr. Odets. They have always done that. Mr. Walter. In order to determine whether or not an attempt has been made to get an improper message ? Mr. Odets. They have always been very, very favorable about that. Mr. Tavenner. Now, I want to go back and ask you a question regarding your plays Waiting for Lefty and 'Til the Day I Die. I show you another pamphlet entitled "Guide to Readings on Commu- nism," issued by the Workers' Bookshop. On the inside of the front cover you will find this statement: This guide has been compiled to help those workers, students, and intellectuals who are finding their way to communism. The titles of books and pamphlets included in this pamphlet are by no means complete. What we have attempted to do here is to list the minimum required readings for an understanding of the fundamental, theoretical, and practical questions facing the international as well as the American revolutionary movement. Then on page 19 you will find listed the two plays of yours, Waiting for Lefty and 'Til the Day I Die, and they are described as two of the important revolutionary plays. I call that to your attention to show that as early as 1937 those particular works of yours were on the required reading and study curriculum, you may say, of the Com- munist Party. Do you have any comment to make on that? Mr. Odets. I would say that they would have that use. As early as 1937 they, of course, were on the Wilson Library index and were required reading in most of the colleges and universities of the United States. I said yesterday and will say again that one of the reasons I left the Communist Party was that I did not want my work or my meaning to be narrowed down to their meaning. Here in this pam- phlet they narrowed down the meaning of what I write to their meaning. I have always wanted to speak more broadly and more freely and not be connected with this narrow meaning. I would much rather be taught and have my plays as required reading in American universities' than I would have it in this pamphlet. Mr. Tavenner. Mr. Odets, these various documents that I have presented to you by no means complete the record of your activities and affiliations, as appears from the record of our committee. They are the principal ones. But you are now aware of this information which we are in possession of. It is the record that we have. You say you joined the Communist Party in 1935 and remained a party member only a few months. I think probably 9 months. You also say that your break with the Communist Party was complete and final. How do you reconcile your statement that your break with the Communist Party was complete and final with this record of