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)

COMMUNISM IN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY 511 Party is by its valiUTit leadership administering its role as vanguard of progi-essive humanity. Let our party demonstrate its role of vanguard of modern culture. Mr. Stwrlixg. Mr. Rtissell, will you name the bulletins of the International Theatre which you have referred to? Mr. Russell. Yes. Bulletin No. 2 of International Theatre published in 1934, pages 1, 3, 4, 5, and T.* The October 1934 issue of International Theater, on page 3,^*^ contains an article describing the growth of the revolutionary theater in the United States. This particular article states that such dramatists as Alfred Kreymbourg, John Wexley, Albert Maltz, George Sklar, Lee Simonson, and others are coming over to the revolutionary theater. John Wexley and Albert Maltz have been employed by the Hollywood motion-picture industry. Page 56 of issue 3 and 4 of International Theater for the year 1934 contains information concerning the training of cadres in the United States.** We might also at this time discuss very briefly an article entitled "Straight From the Shoulder," which appeared in the November 1934 issue of the New Theater, on page 11, which was written by John Howard Lawson, the movie w^riter, *^ the comment of the editors of the New Theatre regarding this article by Lawson is as follows : However, John Howard Lawson's argument that a united-front theater cannot produce specitically Communist plays is certainly true, and he has brought up real but not insurmountable difficulties facing playwrights, whether Socialists, Communists, or just sympathetic, who write for such united-front organization and audience. His article indicates the immediate need for a Communist professional theater that will produce plays as Lawson and others will write, plays with a clear Communist line and straightforward political statements and references. Mr. Stripling. Mr. Russell, can you tell the committee whether or not the Soviet Government has ever sent an official representative to the motion-picture industry? Mr. Russell. Yes. During the summer of The Chairmax. Just a minute. This testimony is very important to the committee. The committee wants to hear every word of it. We will just have to maintain the best order that we possibl}^ can. Go ahead, Mr. Russell. Mr. Russell. During the summer of 1943, one Mikhial Kalatozov made his appearance in Hollywood. According to the Soviet Embassy in Washington, D. C, the purpose of Kalatozov's being in Hollywood was to strengthen the artistic and commercial ties with the cinema people of the United States and those of the Soviet Union. Just prior to Kalatozov's arrival announcement of the fact was made by Miss Pauline Swanson of the National Council of AmericanSoviet Friendship, 814-816 Broadway, Arcade Building, Los Angeles, Calif. According to this announcement, Mr. Kalatozov was to be presented to the Hollywood film colony at a reception and cocktail party given at the Mocambo Restaurant on the afternoon of August 22, 1943. An article in the west coast organ of the Communist Party, ^ See appendix, p. 550, for exhibit 96. f See appendix, p. 550, for exhibit 97. ^ See appendix, p. 550, for exhibit 98. =» See appendix, p. 550, for exhibit 99.