Ring Lardner Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ring Lardner Jr.
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Lardner in 1947
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| Born |
Ringgold Wilmer Lardner Jr.
August 19, 1915 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | October 31, 2000 (aged 85) New York City, U.S.
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| Occupation | Screenwriter, journalist |
| Years active | 1937–1977 |
| Children | 3 |
Ringgold Wilmer Lardner Jr. (born August 19, 1915 – died October 31, 2000) was an American screenwriter. He was famous for writing movies. He was also part of a group called the "Hollywood Ten". This group was not allowed to work in Hollywood for a time. This happened after he spoke to a government committee.
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Early Life and Education
Ring Lardner Jr. was born in Chicago. His father, Ring Lardner, was a well-known writer. Ring Jr. had three brothers: James, John, and David.
He went to school at Phillips Academy and Princeton University. He also studied for a short time in Moscow. In 1935, he worked for a newspaper. Then he joined a new movie company. He became a member of the US Communist Party in 1937. This was a political group.
His Career in Hollywood
Lardner moved to Hollywood to work in movies. He started by helping with scripts and writing publicity. Soon, he began writing his own movie scripts.
He won an Academy Award for Woman of the Year (1942). This award was for the best original screenplay. He also worked on other films like Laura (1944) and Forever Amber (1947). Later, he wrote the script for M*A*S*H (1970). This movie also won him an Academy Award.
Lardner had strong political beliefs. In the 1930s, he helped raise money for a democratic government in Spain. This was during the Spanish Civil War. He also helped organize protests against fascism. His brother, James, fought in Spain and died there in 1938.
Even with his political activities, he was a very successful writer. In 1947, he became one of the highest-paid screenwriters. He signed a contract with 20th Century Fox.
The Hollywood Blacklist
After World War II, a government group started an investigation. This group was called the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). They looked into the Hollywood movie industry. They wanted to find people who might support communism.
In 1947, HUAC interviewed many people in Hollywood. Some people, called "friendly witnesses," answered all questions. They named others they thought had communist ideas.
Ring Lardner Jr. appeared before HUAC on October 30, 1947. But he refused to answer their questions. He and nine other people, known as the "Hollywood Ten", said they had the right to stay silent. They believed the First Amendment to the United States Constitution protected them.
However, HUAC and the courts disagreed. All ten were found guilty of "contempt of Congress". This meant they did not follow Congress's orders. Lardner was sent to prison for 12 months. He also had to pay a fine. He lost his job at Fox before this happened.
Because of this, Hollywood studios "blacklisted" him. This meant he was not allowed to work in Hollywood. For several years, he wrote a novel. He also wrote TV shows under a different name. He worked for a producer in England. He could not travel outside the U.S. until 1958.
The blacklist ended for Lardner in 1965. He received credit for writing the film The Cincinnati Kid. He then wrote M*A*S*H (1970). He also worked on The Greatest (1977).
Personal Life
Ring Lardner Jr. married Silvia Schulman in 1937. They had two children. They divorced in 1945. In 1946, he married Frances Chaney. They stayed married until he died. They had one son together. Frances had two children from her first marriage to Lardner's brother, David.
Death
Ring Lardner Jr. died from cancer on October 31, 2000. He was in his apartment in New York City. He was the last living member of the "Hollywood Ten."
See also
In Spanish: Ring Lardner Jr. para niños
- The Hollywood Ten documentary.
