Will I love Tender Comrades?

Oral histories and first-hand accounts bring a past era alive for me in a way that even the best historical narrative can’t.

This book contains the voices of thirty-six victims of the Hollywood Blacklist, including two of the famous/notorious Hollywood Ten, who went to jail for refusing to discuss their personal politics or name their friends before the House Un-American Activities Committee.

We hear from directors, stars, less famous actors, and screenwriters like those jailed by HUAC. We watch their lives unravel, their careers dissolve. Some go to Europe to work, some stick it out in the US, writing anonymously,… show more.

In Tender Comrades, those with experience of the Blacklist tell their stories, prompted expertly by the editors. The book explores the experiences of around forty individuals who were part of the left-wing and liberal community that thrived in Hollywood from the 1930s and 1940s. They involved themselves in political causes and issues, while contributing to some of the key films of that era. The book also captures first-hand accounts of the dynamics of the ‘naming’ process, and how people responded to it – some of them by leaving the country. It is a fascinating story of the impact… show more.

Co-edited by prolific historian of the Left, Paul Buhle. author of several books on the Hollywood blacklist, Tender Comrades features 35 interviews with various writers, directors, and performers whose lives and careers were damaged by the HUAC inquisition. These include members of the Hollywood Ten (Alvah Bessie, Ring Lardner, Jr.), directors such as Abraham Polonsky and Jules Dassin, and lesser-known victims of the blacklist such as actors Karen Morley and Marsha Hunt. This highly readable and informative oral history allows the voices of these intelligent and engaging HUAC survivors to speak to us of their contrasting experiences before, during, and… show more.