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Edward Dmytryk

Edward Dmytryk

Edward Dmytryk (September 4, 1908 – July 1, 1999) was an American film director who was amongst the Hollywood Ten, a group of blacklisted film industry professionals who served time in prison for being in contempt of Congress during the McCarthy-era 'red scare'.

Although born in Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada, Dmytryk grew up in San Francisco when his Ukrainian parents moved to the United States. At the age of 31, he became a naturalized citizen.

His best known films from the pre-McCarthy period of his career were film noirs Crossfire, for which he received a Best Director Oscar nomination, and Murder, My Sweet, the latter an adaptation of Raymond Chandler's Farewell My Lovely. In addition, he made two World War II films: Hitler's Children, the story of the Hitler youth and Back to Bataan starring John Wayne.

The late 1940's was the time of the Second Red Scare, and Dmytryk was one of many filmmakers investigated. Summoned to appear before the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC), he refused to cooperate and was sent to jail. After spending several months behind bars, Dmytryk made the decision to testify again, and give the names of his fellow members in the American Communist Party as the HUAC had demanded. On April 25, 1951, Dmytryk appeared before HUAC for the second time, answering all questions. He spoke of his own Party past, a very brief membership in 1945, including the naming of twenty-six former members of left-wing groups. He explained how John Howard Lawson, Adrian Scott, Albert Maltz and others had pressured him to include communist propaganda in his films. His testimony damaged several court cases that others of the so-called "Hollywood 10" had filed. He recounted his experiences of the period in his revealing 1996 book, Odd Man Out: A Memoir of the Hollywood Ten (Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, IL).

For a time, Dmytryk moved to England, and Stanley Kramer hired him to direct a trio of low-budget films before handing Dmytryk The Caine Mutiny. He made films for major studios Columbia, 20th Century Fox, MGM and Paramount Pictures, including, among others, Raintree County, The Left Hand of God, The Young Lions, a remake of the Marlene Dietrich classic The Blue Angel, and The Carpetbaggers. Later into the 60' and 70's, he directed Where Love Has Gone, Anzio, Alvarez Kelly, Shalako, and his final film Bluebeard. The films which he directed featured stars such as Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, Gene Tierney, Spencer Tracy, Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Davis, Montgomery Clift, Marlon Brando, Sean Connery, Robert Mitchum, Richard Burton, Richard Widmark and Henry Fonda.

After his film career tapered off in the 1970s, he entered academia and taught at the University of Texas at Austin, and at the University of Southern California. He wrote several books on the art of filmmaking (such as "On Film Editing") and lectured at various colleges and theaters, such as the Orson Welles Cinema. Dmytryk died from heart and kidney failure on 1 July, 1999, aged 90, in Encino, California.

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Not Only Strangers

Not Only Strangers

1979

Director

The Human Factor

The Human Factor

1975

Director

He Is My Brother

He Is My Brother

1975

Director

Bluebeard

Bluebeard

1972

Writer, Director

Shalako

Shalako

1968

Director

Anzio

Anzio

1968

Director

Alvarez Kelly

Alvarez Kelly

1966

Director

Mirage

Mirage

1965

Director

Where Love Has Gone

Where Love Has Gone

1964

Director

The Carpetbaggers

The Carpetbaggers

1964

Director

The Reluctant Saint

The Reluctant Saint

1962

Director, Producer

Walk on the Wild Side

Walk on the Wild Side

1962

Director

The Blue Angel

The Blue Angel

1959

Director

Warlock

Warlock

1959

Director, Producer

The Young Lions

The Young Lions

1958

Director

Raintree County

Raintree County

1957

Director

The Mountain

The Mountain

1956

Director, Producer

The Left Hand of God

The Left Hand of God

1955

Director

Soldier of Fortune

Soldier of Fortune

1955

Director

The End of the Affair

The End of the Affair

1955

Director

Broken Lance

Broken Lance

1954

Director

The Caine Mutiny

The Caine Mutiny

1954

Director

Three Lives

Three Lives

1953

Director

The Juggler

The Juggler

1953

Director

Eight Iron Men

Eight Iron Men

1952

Director

The Sniper

The Sniper

1952

Director

Mutiny

Mutiny

1952

Director

Give Us This Day

Give Us This Day

1949

Director

Obsession

Obsession

1949

Director

Crossfire

Crossfire

1947

Director

So Well Remembered

So Well Remembered

1947

Director

Till the End of Time

Till the End of Time

1946

Director

Cornered

Cornered

1945

Director

Back to Bataan

Back to Bataan

1945

Director

Murder, My Sweet

Murder, My Sweet

1944

Director

Tender Comrade

Tender Comrade

1944

Director

Behind the Rising Sun

Behind the Rising Sun

1943

Director, Producer

Captive Wild Woman

Captive Wild Woman

1943

Director

The Falcon Strikes Back

The Falcon Strikes Back

1943

Director

Hitler's Children

Hitler's Children

1943

Director

Seven Miles from Alcatraz

Seven Miles from Alcatraz

1942

Director

Counter-Espionage

Counter-Espionage

1942

Director

Confessions of Boston Blackie

Confessions of Boston Blackie

1941

Director

Secrets of the Lone Wolf

Secrets of the Lone Wolf

1941

Director

The Blonde from Singapore

The Blonde from Singapore

1941

Director

The Devil Commands

The Devil Commands

1941

Director

Sweetheart of the Campus

Sweetheart of the Campus

1941

Director

Under Age

Under Age

1941

Director

Her First Romance

Her First Romance

1940

Director

Mystery Sea Raider

Mystery Sea Raider

1940

Director

Golden Gloves

Golden Gloves

1940

Director

Emergency Squad

Emergency Squad

1940

Director

Television Spy

Television Spy

1939

Director

Million Dollar Legs

Million Dollar Legs

1939

Director

Love Affair

Love Affair

1939

Editor

Zaza

Zaza

1938

Editor

Bulldog Drummond's Peril

Bulldog Drummond's Peril

1938

Editor

Hold 'Em Navy

Hold 'Em Navy

1937

Editor

Double or Nothing

Double or Nothing

1937

Editor

Turn Off the Moon

Turn Off the Moon

1937

Editor

Easy to Take

Easy to Take

1936

Editor

Three Married Men

Three Married Men

1936

Editor

Too Many Parents

Too Many Parents

1936

Editor

The Hawk

The Hawk

1935

Director, Editor

Ruggles of Red Gap

Ruggles of Red Gap

1935

Editor

College Rhythm

College Rhythm

1934

Editor

Duck Soup

Duck Soup

1933

Assistant Editor

If I Had a Million

If I Had a Million

1932

Assistant Editor

The Phantom President

The Phantom President

1932

Assistant Editor

Make Me a Star

Make Me a Star

1932

Editor

The Royal Family of Broadway

The Royal Family of Broadway

1930

Editor

Only Saps Work

Only Saps Work

1930

Editor

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