Hearings regarding the communist infiltration of the motion picture industry. Hearings before the Committee on Un-American Activities, House of Representatives, Eightieth Congress, first session. Public law 601 (section 121, subsection Q (1947)

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92 COMMUNISM IN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTHY The Chairman. It is so ordered. Mr. Striplix(;. Mr. Menjoiu wliut is your occupation ? Mr. IMenjou.I am a motion-picture actor, I hope. Mr. Stripling. When and where were you born, Mr. Menjou? Mr. :Menjou. I was born in Pittsburgh,>a., February 18, 1890. Mr. Stripling. How long have you been in the motion-picture industry ? Mr. Menjou. Thirty-four years. Mr. Stripling. And how long have you been in Hollywood? Mr. Menjou. Twenty-seven years. Mr. Stripling. Mr. Menjou, were you in the First World War? Mr. Menjou. Yes, sir. Mr. Stripling. In the armed services? Mr. Menjou. Yes, sir. I served abroad for 2 years. I was in the Army 3 years. 1 year in America. I served in Italy, with the Italian Army, being attached to the Italian Army: attached to the French Army; and with the Fifth Division until the surrendei on November 11, 1918. Mr. Stripling. Were you in World War II t Mr. Menjou. I served 6 months with the U. S. Camp Shows, Inc., entertaining troops — for 4 months in England, 2 months in North Africa, Sicily, Tunisia, Algeria, Morrocco. Brazil, and the Caribbean. Mr. Stripling. Mr. Menjou. have you made a study of the subject of communism, the activities of the Communists, in anv j)articular field in the United States? Mr. Menjoit. I have. I have made a more particular study of Marxism, Fabian socialism, communism, Stalinism, and its jjrobable effects on the American people, if they ever gain power here. Mr. Stripling. Based upon your stucfy, have you observed any Communist activity in the motion-picture industry or in Hollywood, as we commonly refer to it ^ Mr. Menjott. I Avould like to get the terminologies completely straight. Connnunistir activities — I would rather phrase it unAmerican or subversive, antifi'ee enteri)rifse. anticapitalistic. I have seen — pai'don me. Mr. Stripling. Have you observed any Connnunist propaganda in pictures, or un-American j)roi)aganda in pictures which were produced in Hollywood? Mr. Menjoit. I have seen no connnunistic pro])aganda in ])ictures — if you mean ""vote for Stalin," or that type of connnunistic propaganda. I don't think that tlie Communists are stupid enough to try it that way. I have seen in certain pictures things I didn't think should have been in the pictures. Mr. Stripling. Could you tell the connnittee whether or !U)t there has been an effort on the part of any particular group in the motionpicture industry to inject Cimmuinist propaganda into pictures or to leave out scenes oi parts of stories which would serve the Commnnist Party line? Mr. Menjou. I don't like that term "Connnunist ])ropaganihi,"" because I have seen no such tiling as Connnunist pro})agan(hi. sucli as waving (he liannner and sickle in motion pictures. I have seen things that I thought were against what I considered good Americanism, in my feeling. I have seen pictures I thought shouldn't have been made — shouldn't have been made, let me ])ut it that way.