Herbert Biberman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Herbert Biberman
Born	Herbert Joseph Biberman (1900-03-04)March 4, 1900 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	June 30, 1971(1971-06-30) (aged 71) New York City, New York, U.S.
Other names	Herbert J. Biberman
Occupation	Screenwriter and film director
Spouse(s)	Gale Sondergaard ​ (m. 1930)​
Children	2
Relatives	Edward Biberman (brother)

Herbert J. Biberman (born March 4, 1900 – died June 30, 1971) was an American writer and director for movies. He was part of a famous group called the Hollywood Ten. This group faced big challenges in Hollywood. Herbert Biberman directed an important film called Salt of the Earth (1954). This movie was about a miners' strike in New Mexico. It was very hard to release this film in the United States.

Herbert Biberman: Early Life and Career

Herbert Biberman was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were Joseph and Eva Biberman. He had a brother named Edward Biberman, who became a well-known artist.

Before facing difficulties in Hollywood, Herbert Biberman worked on many films. He wrote movies like King of Chinatown (1939) and Action in Arabia (1944). He also directed films such as One Way Ticket (1935) and Meet Nero Wolfe (1936). In 1930, he married actress Gale Sondergaard. They stayed married for the rest of his life. Herbert Biberman passed away in 1971 in New York City from bone cancer.

Trouble in Hollywood: The HUAC Hearings

In 1947, a government group called the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) started looking into the film industry. They were trying to find people they thought might be disloyal to the United States.

Herbert Biberman became one of the "Hollywood Ten." This group of ten writers and directors refused to answer questions from HUAC. The committee asked if they were part of the Communist Party USA, a political group. Biberman and the others believed they had the right not to answer.

Because they refused, they were found in "contempt of Congress." This means they did not cooperate with the government committee. Herbert Biberman was sent to jail for six months. After their release, Hollywood studios decided not to hire them. This was known as being "blacklisted." It meant they could not find work in the movie industry.

Salt of the Earth: A Special Film

After being released from jail, Herbert Biberman worked on his own. He directed Salt of the Earth (1954). This film told a fictional story about a real miners' strike. The writer, Michael Wilson, and the producer, Paul Jarrico, were also blacklisted.

Salt of the Earth is now considered a very important film. The United States Library of Congress has chosen it for preservation. It is kept in the National Film Registry because of its cultural importance.

Herbert Biberman's Legacy

In 2000, a movie called One of the Hollywood Ten was made. It told the story of Herbert Biberman's blacklisting. It also showed how Salt of the Earth was made. Jeff Goldblum played Herbert Biberman, and Greta Scacchi played his wife, Gale Sondergaard.

The movie noted that Herbert Biberman was never officially removed from the blacklist during his lifetime. His wife, Gale Sondergaard, also found it hard to get work in Hollywood. She only started working again shortly before her husband's death. In 1997, after his death, Herbert Biberman's membership in the Directors Guild of America was given back to him. It had been taken away in 1950.

Filmography