Paul Jarrico facts for kids

Paul Jarrico (January 12, 1915 – October 28, 1997) was an American writer and producer for movies. He is well-known because he was put on a "blacklist" by Hollywood movie studios during a time called McCarthyism. This meant he was not allowed to work in the film industry for many years because of his political beliefs.

Paul Jarrico's Life Story

Growing Up and Early Years

Paul Jarrico was born as Israel Shapiro in Los Angeles, California, on January 12, 1915. His father was a Russian Jewish immigrant who was a lawyer and a poet. He also believed in a political idea called socialism, which focuses on fairness and equality for everyone.

While studying at UCLA, Paul Jarrico joined the Young Communist League. He then became an active member of the American Communist Party. He was part of this party from 1937 to 1958. In 1936, Jarrico married Sylvia Gussin.

Starting a Film Career

Paul Jarrico began his writing career in the 1930s. He mostly wrote scripts for crime and comedy movies. These films were often made with smaller budgets by Columbia Pictures. Some of his early films included No Time to Marry (1937) and I Am the Law (1938). He also wrote Beauty for the Asking (1939), which starred the famous actress Lucille Ball.

In the early 1940s, Jarrico served as a merchant marine during World War II in Northern Africa and Italy. When he came back home, he started working in movies again with Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures. His 1941 film Tom, Dick and Harry, starring Ginger Rogers, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. This is a big honor in the film world.

In 1943, Jarrico helped write the movie Song of Russia. This film was made to help people feel more supportive of the Soviet Union. They were fighting against Germany in what they called the Great Patriotic War. Other successful films Jarrico wrote in the 1940s include Thousands Cheer (1943), The Search (1948), and Not Wanted (1949).

The Hollywood Blacklist

In the 1950s, there was a time in America called McCarthyism. During this time, the government was very worried about communism. The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was a group that investigated people they thought might be communists.

In 1950, while Paul Jarrico was working on a new movie called The White Tower, his name was given to HUAC. Because of this, the movie studio fired him right away. When Jarrico refused to answer questions from HUAC, he was put on a "blacklist." This meant that no American movie studios would hire him. His passport was also taken away, so he couldn't travel to other countries to make films. This made it very hard for him to work.

In 1954, Jarrico went to New Mexico with another filmmaker named Herbert J. Biberman, who was also blacklisted. Together, they made the film Salt of the Earth. This movie was special because it was made by blacklisted filmmakers. Because of this, the film itself was also blacklisted, meaning it was hard for people to see it. However, in 1992, the Library of Congress chose Salt of the Earth as one of 100 important films for the National Film Registry.

In 1958, Jarrico moved to Europe and lived there for over twenty years. During the 1960s, he used a fake name, Peter Achilles, to write several movies. These included Jovanka e l’Altri (1960) and Call Me Bwana (1963). He also wrote scripts for television shows in Europe throughout the 1960s.

Later Life and Passing

In 1966, Jarrico divorced Sylvia Gussin. He then married a Frenchwoman named Yvette Le Floc'h, but they separated in 1977. He later returned to the United States and married Lia Benedetti in 1992.

Paul Jarrico spent the rest of his life in California. He taught classes at the University of California at Santa Barbara. He also gave talks about film and the blacklist in both the U.S. and Europe.

Paul Jarrico died on October 28, 1997, in a car accident. He was 82 years old. He was driving home after attending events that remembered the start of the Hollywood blacklist, which had happened fifty years earlier.

Paul Jarrico's Movies